John Thune topics and responses

Stimulus Spending to Beat Great Recession

CON:

• 01/23/2012: Disapprove of increasing the debt limit
• 02/10/2009: Voted NO on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package
• 07/30/2009: Voted NO on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending
• 02/04/2013: Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans
• 05/02/2012: Ranked by UFCW, indicating a pro-management voting record
• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million

Acknowledging and Addressing Climate Change

CON:

• 06/26/2000: Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol
• 05/15/2007: Voted NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning
• 05/15/2008: Voted NO on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax
• 04/06/2011: Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases
• 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

Getting Money Out of Politics

PRO:

• 02/25/2009: Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad
• 05/11/2010: Require Internet disclosure of all earmarks
• 09/14/1999: Voted YES on banning soft money and issue ads
• 07/12/2001: Voted YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties

  CON:

• 03/28/2006: Voted NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity
• 03/29/2006: Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress

Saving Elephants, Whales, Dolphins and Lions

CON:

• 01/13/2012: Ranked by HSLF, indicating an anti-animal welfare voting record
• 05/08/2013: Voted NO on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems

Renewable Energy

PRO:

• 06/21/2007: Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies
• 01/17/2007: Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025

  CON:

• 08/01/2001: Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels
• 06/17/2008: Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation
• 06/16/2005: Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%)

Making it Harder to Get a Gun

PRO:

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

  CON:

• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains
• 03/23/2009: Dangerousness, not mental incompetence, limits gun rights
• 03/27/2007: Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC
• 01/06/2009: Sponsored bill for national standard for concealed carry
• 04/17/2013: Voted NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets
• 04/12/2011: Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad
• 08/11/2010: Ranked by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record
• 07/29/2005: Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers
• 02/08/2008: Allow firearms in National Parks
• 09/06/2007: Voted YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership
• 02/03/2009: Sponsored bill to apply concealed carry permit to all states

Cutting the US Military Budget

PRO:

• 04/20/2005: Voted YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding

  CON:

• 07/11/2007: Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months
• 07/22/1999: Voted YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill
• 03/18/1999: Voted YES on deploying SDI
• 12/19/2007: Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11

Legalizing Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

CON:

• 09/25/2001: Voted YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism
• 10/14/1999: Voted YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC

Abortion Rights

CON:

• 03/17/2005: Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives
• 04/11/2007: Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 06/30/1999: Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion
• 01/22/2008: Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion
• 03/14/2008: Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP
• 10/18/2007: Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions
• 04/05/2000: Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion
• 05/16/2001: Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad
• 05/05/2011: Prohibit federal funding for abortion
• 07/25/2006: Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions
• 03/05/2009: Voted YES on restricting UN funding for population control policies
• 06/11/2008: Apply 14th amendment protections to pre-born fetuses
• 02/04/2009: Declare preborn as persons under 14th amendment

Gay Rights and Gay Marriage

CON:

• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance
• 07/29/1999: Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC
• 06/25/2008: Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage
• 06/07/2006: Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage

Repealing ObamaCare

PRO:

• 06/28/2000: Voted YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium
• 10/06/1999: Voted YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts
• 07/15/2008: Voted NO on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 05/25/2011: Voted YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D
• 01/29/2009: Voted NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 04/18/2007: Voted NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D
• 03/07/2002: Limit anti-trust lawsuits on health plans and insurers
• 11/01/2007: Voted NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 03/17/2005: Voted NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug
• 11/03/2005: Voted NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics

  CON:

• 05/08/2006: Voted YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000
• 06/11/2009: Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug
• 02/14/2008: Voted NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare

Addressing and Fighting Income Inequality

CON:

• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut
• 03/29/2001: Voted YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years
• 08/12/2010: Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes
• 03/11/2009: Keep reduction of capital gains tax
• 08/03/2006: Voted YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts
• 05/16/2001: Voted YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years
• 06/08/2006: Voted YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`
• 02/13/2008: Voted YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M
• 03/14/2001: Phaseout the death tax
• 07/12/2000: Voted YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty"
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset
• 03/23/2007: Voted YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax
• 02/02/2006: Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends
• 01/01/2012: Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation
• 03/21/2007: Voted YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million
• 04/04/2001: Voted YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax")
• 11/18/2005: Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends
• 03/09/2000: Voted YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business

Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

PRO:

• 06/26/2008: Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing
• 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