Scorecard 112-1 - The New American
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Freedom Index

A Congressional Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

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Congressional Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Congressional Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how members of Congress are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about the constitutionality of their congressman's votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Congressional Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

Scorecard 112-1

The Congressional Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how members of Congress are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about the constitutionality of their congressman's votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the 112th Congress (January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013) and ranks congressmen based on his or her fidelity to constitutional and limited-government principles.

Senate
House

Senate

1. Farm Bill

Good Vote: No

S3240 Farm Bill (Passed 64 to 35 on 6/21/2012, Roll Call 164). Authorized federal farm and food assistance programs for five years. The programs include crop subsidies, food stamps, and foreign food aid.

2. Oil and Gas Development; Keystone XL Pipeline

Good Vote: Yes

Amendment to S1813 Oil and Gas Development; Keystone XL Pipeline (Rejected 41 to 57 on 3/13/2012, Roll Call 38). Opens up part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and natural-gas development, expand lease sales for offshore drilling, and approve the Keystone oil pipeline.

3. Congressional Term Limits

Good Vote: No

Amendment to S2038 Congressional Term Limits (Rejected 24 to 75 on 2/2/2012, Roll Call 11). Amendment to propose an amendment to the Constitution that limits the number of terms a Member of Congress may serve.

4. Trade Promotion Authority

Good Vote: No

Amendment to HR2832 Trade Promotion Authority (Rejected 45 to 55 on 9/20/2011, Roll Call 141). Amendment to reinstitute trade promotion authority through 2013 for the purpose of expediting approval of trade bills.

5. Patriot Act (Firearms Purchase Records)

Good Vote: No

Amendment to S990 Patriot Act (Firearms Purchase Records) (Tabled 85 to 10 on 5/26/2011, Roll Call 82). Amendment that would have banned the use of Patriot Act searches for American citizens' firearms records.

6. Planned Parenthood Defunding

Good Vote: Yes

HCR36 Planned Parenthood Defunding (Rejected 42 to 58 on 4/14/2011, Roll Call 60). Prohibits the use of any funding for Planned Parenthood.

Legislator Scores

Legend: [ + ] Constitutional Vote[ - ] Unconstitutional Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party State Score 123456
Daniel Akaka D HI 33% --++--
Lamar Alexander R TN 50% -++--+
Kelly Ayotte R NH 50% ++---+
Tammy Baldwin D WI NA ......
John Barrasso R WY 67% -++-++
Max Baucus D MT 50% --+++-
Mark Begich D AK 50% -+++--
Michael Bennet D CO 33% --++--
Jeff Bingaman D NM 33% --++--
Marsha Blackburn R TN NA ......
Richard Blumenthal D CT 40% --++.-
Roy Blunt R MO 33% -+---+
John Boozman R AR 50% ++---+
Barbara Boxer D CA 33% --++--
Scott Brown R MA 0% ------
Sherrod Brown D OH 33% --++--
Richard Burr R NC 67% +++--+
Maria Cantwell D WA 33% --++--
Shelley Capito R WV NA ......
Benjamin Cardin D MD 33% --++--
Thomas Carper D DE 33% --++--
Robert Casey D PA 33% --++--
Bill Cassidy R LA NA ......
Saxby Chambliss R GA 67% +++--+
Daniel Coats R IN 50% -++--+
Thomas Coburn R OK 50% ++---+
Thad Cochran R MS 67% +++--+
Susan Collins R ME 33% --++--
Kent Conrad D ND 33% --++--
Chris Coons D DE 33% --++--
Bob Corker R TN 33% +----+
John Cornyn R TX 67% +++--+
Michael Crapo R ID 67% +++--+
Jim DeMint R SC 50% +---++
Joe Donnelly D IN NA ......
Richard Durbin D IL 33% --++--
John Ensign R NV 100% .....+
Michael Enzi R WY 67% -++-++
Dianne Feinstein D CA 33% --++--
Jeff Flake R AZ NA ......
Al Franken D MN 33% --++--
Cory Gardner R CO NA ......
Kirsten Gillibrand D NY 33% --++--
Lindsey Graham R SC 67% ++-+-+
Charles Grassley R IA 33% -+---+
Kay Hagan D NC 33% --++--
Thomas Harkin D IA 33% --++--
Orrin Hatch R UT 40% +.---+
Martin Heinrich D NM NA ......
Dean Heller R NV 60% ++--+.
Mazie Hirono D HI NA ......
John Hoeven R ND 50% -++--+
Kay Hutchison R TX 33% -+---+
James Inhofe R OK 67% +++--+
Daniel Inouye D HI 33% --++--
John Isakson R GA 67% +++--+
Mike Johanns R NE 33% -+---+
Tim Johnson D SD 33% --++--
Ron Johnson R WI 50% ++---+
John Kerry D MA 33% --++--
Mark Kirk R IL 0% ...---
Amy Klobuchar D MN 33% --++--
Herbert Kohl D WI 33% --++--
Jon Kyl R AZ 67% +++--+
Mary Landrieu D LA 50% +-++--
James Lankford R OK NA ......
Frank Lautenberg D NJ 50% +-++--
Patrick Leahy D VT 33% --++--
Mike Lee R UT 50% +---++
Carl Levin D MI 33% --++--
Joseph Lieberman I CT 17% --+---
Richard Lugar R IN 50% -++--+
Ben Lujan D NM NA ......
Cynthia Lummis R WY NA ......
Joe Manchin D WV 33% -+-+--
Edward Markey D MA NA ......
John McCain R AZ 67% +++--+
Claire McCaskill D MO 50% -+++--
Mitch McConnell R KY 67% +++--+
Robert Menendez D NJ 40% --++.-
Jeff Merkley D OR 33% --++--
Barbara Mikulski D MD 33% --++--
Jerry Moran R KS 50% -+--++
Lisa Murkowski R AK 50% +++---
Christopher Murphy D CT NA ......
Patty Murray D WA 33% --++--
Ben Nelson D NE 33% --++--
Bill Nelson D FL 33% --++--
Rand Paul R KY 83% ++-+++
Gary Peters D MI NA ......
Robert Portman R OH 50% ++---+
Mark Pryor D AR 33% +-+---
John Reed D RI 50% +-++--
Harry Reid D NV 33% --++--
James Risch R ID 67% +++--+
Pat Roberts R KS 60% -++-.+
John Rockefeller D WV 33% --++--
Marco Rubio R FL 40% +---.+
Bernard Sanders I VT 33% --++--
Charles Schumer D NY 40% --++.-
Tim Scott R SC NA ......
Jefferson Sessions R AL 50% ++---+
Jeanne Shaheen D NH 33% --++--
Richard Shelby R AL 83% +++-++
Olympia Snowe R ME 33% --++--
Debbie Stabenow D MI 33% --++--
Jon Tester D MT 50% --+++-
John Thune R SD 33% -+---+
Patrick Toomey R PA 50% ++---+
Mark Udall D CO 33% --++--
Tom Udall D NM 33% --++--
Chris Van Hollen D MD NA ......
David Vitter R LA 50% ++---+
Mark Warner D VA 33% --++--
Jim Webb D VA 33% --++--
Peter Welch D VT NA ......
Sheldon Whitehouse D RI 50% +-++--
Roger Wicker R MS 67% +++--+
Ron Wyden D OR 33% --++--
Todd Young R IN NA ......

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 30.2%
Republican 44.5%
Independent 25%