David Vitter MyOcracy topics and responses

Criminal Justice

Increase the number of police officers working in high-crime communities

• 03/23/2007: Voted YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program
• 09/25/2001: Voted YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism

  Legal age for prosecution as an adult: Decrease

• 06/17/1999: Voted YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime

  Support for the construction of prisons or detention centers

• 06/22/2000: Voted NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.

Civil Rights

Support for gun rights

• 09/25/2013: Oppose the United Nations' Arms Trade Treaty
• 04/17/2013: Voted NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets
• 08/11/2010: by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains
• 03/23/2009: Dangerousness, not mental incompetence, limits gun rights
• 02/03/2009: Apply concealed carry permit to all other states where legal
• 09/06/2007: Voted YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership
• 07/29/2005: Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers
• 04/09/2003: Voted YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse

  Ban abortions except in limited cases

• 01/24/2013: Sponsored banning family assistance that includes abortion
• 05/05/2011: Prohibit federal funding for abortion
• 10/18/2007: Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions
• 07/25/2006: Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions
• 02/26/2004: Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime
• 10/02/2003: Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother`s life

  Abortion rights: Ban all abortions

• 02/04/2009: Declare preborn as persons under 14th amendment
• 03/14/2008: Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion
• 04/11/2007: Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 04/05/2000: Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions
• 06/30/1999: Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion

  Support marriage rights between a man and a woman only

• 02/12/2014: State definition of marriage supersedes federal gay marriage
• 06/25/2008: Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage
• 12/31/2006: by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance
• 06/07/2006: Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage
• 09/30/2004: Voted YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage
• 07/29/1999: Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC

  Support for gun control measures

• 06/18/1999: Voted NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1

Economic Issues

Taxes for wealthier tax payers: Less

• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million
• 02/13/2008: Voted YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M
• 03/21/2007: Voted YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million
• 12/31/2006: by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation
• 08/03/2006: Voted YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts
• 06/08/2006: Voted YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`
• 02/02/2006: Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends
• 11/18/2005: Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends
• 04/04/2001: Voted YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax")
• 03/14/2001: Phaseout the death tax

  Reduce taxes for middle class tax payers

• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset
• 03/23/2007: Voted YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax
• 07/12/2000: Voted YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty"

  Reduce taxes for all tax payers

• 01/01/2012: Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
• 08/12/2010: Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes
• 08/11/2010: Opposes both marriage penalty & federal tax increases

  Taxes for large corporations: Decrease

• 03/11/2009: Keep reduction of capital gains tax
• 03/09/2000: Voted YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business

  Support a balanced federal budget by constitutional amendment

• 01/01/2012: Supports the Cut-Cap-and-Balance Pledge
• 01/06/2009: Balanced Budget Amendment with 3/5 vote to override

  Implement a flat tax

• 04/18/2002: Voted YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent
• 05/16/2001: Voted YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years

  Reduce taxes for small businesses

• 12/31/2003: by the US COC, indicating a pro-business voting record

Education Issues

Support privatization of mass education

• 08/11/2010: Supports education vouchers for public or private school
• 12/31/2003: by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes
• 11/05/2002: Supports charter schools & increased flexibility

  Support school vouchers

• 11/05/2002: Supports vouchers for private & religious schools

  Increase per pupil funding

• 10/26/2005: Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies

Environmental Issues

Oppose cap-and-trade programs to address industrial emissions

• 11/02/2010: Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP
• 04/01/2009: Voted YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade
• 06/16/2005: Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%)
• 06/26/2000: Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol

  Support domestic continental drilling to tap new oil sources

• 11/03/2005: Voted NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR
• 03/16/2005: Voted NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
• 08/01/2001: Voted NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR

  Support off-shore drilling to tap new oil sources

• 06/26/2008: Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing
• 06/21/2007: Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies

  Eliminate tax incentives and/or subsidies to the fossil fuel industry

• 02/28/2012: Get us beyond high-carbon fuels

Healthcare Issues

Reduce government involvement in the provision of health insurance for taxpayers

• 05/25/2011: Voted YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 07/04/2010: Repeal any federal health care takeover
• 01/29/2009: Voted NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 07/15/2008: Voted NO on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 11/01/2007: Voted NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D
• 12/31/2003: by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record
• 10/06/1999: Voted YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts

  Eliminate financial penalty from Obamacare for taxpayers that do not have health insurance

• 10/28/2010: Introduced legislation to repeal ObamaCare
• 10/27/2010: I fought ObamaCare & I'm still fighting it
• 10/18/2010: ObamaCare injects government into private decisions

  Lower eligibility age for Medicare to increase coverage of older taxpayers

• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium

Immigration

Oppose amnesty for undocumented individuals

• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities"
• 06/28/2007: Voted NO on comprehensive immigration reform
• 05/18/2006: Voted NO on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship

  Increase border security between U.S. and Mexico

• 03/05/2008: Zero tolerance for border crossing via increased prosecution
• 09/29/2006: Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border

  Oppose in-state tuition at public universities and colleges for undocumented students

• 05/18/2006: Voted NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security
• 05/20/2004: Voted YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment

  Increase the number of work visas granted to foreign workers each year

• 05/22/2007: Voted YES on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program