Scorecard 109-1 - The New American
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Freedom Index

A Congressional Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

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 109-1

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 109th Congress (January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007) and ranks congressmen based on his or her fidelity to constitutional and limited-government principles.

Senate

1. Abortion

Good Vote: No

Sen. Barbara Boxer's (D-CA) amendment to S 600 Abortion (Adopted 52 to 46 on 4/5/2005, Roll Call 83). To repeal the rule prohibiting U.S. foreign aid from going to organizations that provide or promote abortions.

2. Patriot Act Reauthorization

Good Vote: No

HR 3199 Patriot Act Reauthorization (Adopted 89 to 10 on 3/2/2006, Roll Call 29). Would reauthorize the unconstitutional and so-called Patriot Act. See U.S. Const., amend. 4.

3. National Debt Limit

Good Vote: No

HJR 47 National Debt Limit (Adopted 52 to 48 on 3/16/2006, Roll Call 54). Would increase the national debt limit to $8.97 trillion. See U.S. Const., Art. 1, Sec. 8.

4. Guest-worker/Amnesty Immigration "Reform"

Good Vote: No

S 2611 Guest-Workers/Amnesty (Passed 62 to 36 on 5/25/2006, Roll Call 157). Would effectively grant amnesty to the 12 million illegal immigrants who already reside in the United States and create a guest-worker program for up to 200,000 immigrants a year.

5. Iraq Troop Withdrawal

Good Vote: Yes

Sen. John Kerry's (D-MA.) amendment to S 2766 Iraq Troop Withdrawal (Rejected 13 to 86 on 6/22/2006, Roll Call 181). Would require a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by July 2007.

6. Firearm Seizure

Good Vote: Yes

Sen. David Vitter's (R-LA.) amendment to HR 5441 Firearm Seizure (Passed 84 to 16 on 7/13/2006, Roll Call 202). Would prohibit any Homeland Security funds from being used to seize lawfully owned firearms during a state of emergency.

Legislator Scores

Legend: [ + ] Constitutional Vote[ - ] Unconstitutional Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party State Score 123456
Daniel Akaka D HI 50% -++-+-
Lamar Alexander R TN 50% +--+-+
Wayne Allard R CO 40% .--+-+
George Allen R VA 50% +--+-+
Tammy Baldwin D WI NA ......
Max Baucus D MT 33% --+--+
Evan Bayh D IN 33% --+--+
Robert Bennett R UT 33% +----+
Joseph Biden D DE 33% --+--+
Jeff Bingaman D NM 50% -++--+
Marsha Blackburn R TN NA ......
Roy Blunt R MO NA ......
Christopher Bond R MO 50% +--+-+
John Boozman R AR NA ......
Barbara Boxer D CA 33% --+-+-
Sherrod Brown D OH NA ......
Samuel Brownback R KS 33% +----+
Jim Bunning R KY 50% +--+-+
Conrad Burns R MT 67% +-++-+
Richard Burr R NC 50% +--+-+
Robert Byrd D WV 67% -+++-+
Maria Cantwell D WA 33% --+--+
Shelley Capito R WV NA ......
Benjamin Cardin D MD NA ......
Thomas Carper D DE 33% --+--+
Lincoln Chafee R RI 17% -----+
Saxby Chambliss R GA 50% +--+-+
Hillary Clinton D NY 17% --+---
Thomas Coburn R OK 67% +-++-+
Thad Cochran R MS 50% +--+-+
Norm Coleman R MN 33% +----+
Susan Collins R ME 17% -----+
Kent Conrad D ND 33% --+--+
John Cornyn R TX 50% +--+-+
Jon Corzine D NJ 0% -.....
Larry Craig R ID 33% +----+
Michael Crapo R ID 50% +--+-+
Mark Dayton D MN 33% --+--+
Jim DeMint R SC 50% +--+-+
Michael DeWine R OH 33% +----+
Christopher Dodd D CT 17% --+---
Elizabeth Dole R NC 50% +--+-+
Pete Domenici R NM 33% +----+
Byron Dorgan D ND 50% --++-+
Richard Durbin D IL 33% --+-+-
John Ensign R NV 67% +-++-+
Michael Enzi R WY 50% +--+-+
Russell Feingold D WI 67% -++-++
Dianne Feinstein D CA 17% --+---
Jeff Flake R AZ NA ......
William Frist R TN 33% +----+
Lindsey Graham R SC 33% +----+
Charles Grassley R IA 50% +--+-+
Judd Gregg R NH 33% +----+
Charles Hagel R NE 33% +----+
Thomas Harkin D IA 50% -++-+-
Orrin Hatch R UT 50% +--+-+
Kay Hutchison R TX 50% +--+-+
James Inhofe R OK 50% +--+-+
Daniel Inouye D HI 40% -.+-+-
John Isakson R GA 50% +--+-+
James Jeffords I VT 67% -++-++
Tim Johnson D SD 33% --+--+
Ted Kennedy D MA 40% .-+-+-
John Kerry D MA 50% --+-++
Mark Kirk R IL NA ......
Herbert Kohl D WI 33% --+--+
Jon Kyl R AZ 50% +--+-+
Mary Landrieu D LA 33% --+--+
Frank Lautenberg D NJ 33% --+-+-
Patrick Leahy D VT 67% -++-++
Carl Levin D MI 33% -++---
Joseph Lieberman I CT 33% --+--+
Blanche Lincoln D AR 33% --+--+
Trent Lott R MS 50% +--+-+
Richard Lugar R IN 33% +----+
Edward Markey D MA NA ......
Mel Martinez R FL 33% +----+
John McCain R AZ 33% +----+
Mitch McConnell R KY 33% +----+
Robert Menendez D NJ 40% .-+-+-
Barbara Mikulski D MD 17% --+---
Jerry Moran R KS NA ......
Lisa Murkowski R AK 17% -----+
Patty Murray D WA 50% -++--+
Ben Nelson D NE 50% --++-+
Bill Nelson D FL 33% --+--+
Barack Obama D IL 33% --+--+
Robert Portman R OH NA ......
Mark Pryor D AR 33% --+--+
John Reed D RI 17% --+---
Harry Reid D NV 33% --+--+
Pat Roberts R KS 50% +--+-+
John Rockefeller D WV 50% --+..+
Ken Salazar D CO 40% --+.-+
Bernard Sanders I VT NA ......
Rick Santorum R PA 50% +--+-+
Paul Sarbanes D MD 17% --+---
Charles Schumer D NY 17% --+---
Jefferson Sessions R AL 50% +--+-+
Richard Shelby R AL 50% +--+-+
Gordon Smith R OR 17% -----+
Olympia Snowe R ME 17% -----+
Arlen Specter D PA 17% -----+
Debbie Stabenow D MI 50% --++-+
Ted Stevens R AK 17% -----+
John Sununu R NH 50% +--+-+
James Talent R MO 50% +--+-+
Craig Thomas R WY 50% +--+-+
John Thune R SD 50% +--+-+
Mark Udall D CO NA ......
Tom Udall D NM NA ......
Chris Van Hollen D MD NA ......
David Vitter R LA 50% +--+-+
George Voinovich R OH 33% +----+
John Warner R VA 17% -----+
Roger Wicker R MS NA ......
Ron Wyden D OR 67% -++-++

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 31.6%
Republican 35.8%
Independent 33.3%