Joe Linus Barton MyOcracy topics and responses

Criminal Justice

Support for the construction of prisons or detention centers

• 06/22/2000: Voted NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.
• 09/27/1994: More prisons, more enforcement, effective death penalty

  Increase the number of local prosecutors

• 02/08/1995: Voted YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder
• 04/14/1994: Voted NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment

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

• 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

Civil Rights

Support marriage rights between a man and a woman only

• 04/02/2009: Voted NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes
• 06/25/2008: Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage
• 11/13/2007: Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation
• 12/31/2006: by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance
• 07/18/2006: Voted YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman
• 09/30/2004: Voted YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage
• 07/29/1999: Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC

  Ban abortions except in limited cases

• 01/04/2013: No family planning assistance that includes abortion
• 05/05/2011: Prohibit federal funding for abortion
• 07/29/2010: Bar funding for abortion under federal Obamacare plans
• 04/27/2005: Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get 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

  Support for gun rights

• 01/25/2011: Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad
• 10/20/2005: Voted YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers
• 04/09/2003: Voted YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse

  Abortion rights: Ban all abortions

• 05/04/2011: Voted YES on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion
• 04/05/2000: Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions
• 06/30/1999: Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion

  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

• 01/03/2013: Repeal the death tax, immediately and with no expiration
• 12/31/2006: by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation
• 12/08/2005: Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends
• 04/04/2001: Voted YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax")
• 03/14/2001: Phaseout the death tax

  Implement a flat tax

• 11/06/2007: Member of the Congressional Flat Tax Caucus
• 09/23/2004: Voted YES on providing tax relief and simplification
• 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

  Support a balanced federal budget by constitutional amendment

• 01/05/2011: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution
• 01/06/2009: Balanced Budget Amendment with 3/5 vote to override
• 09/27/1994: Supports balanced budget amendment & line item veto

  Taxes for large corporations: Decrease

• 05/11/2010: No European-style VAT (value-added tax)
• 03/09/2000: Voted YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business

  Reduce taxes for middle class tax payers

• 07/12/2000: Voted YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty"
• 09/27/1994: Repeal marriage tax; cut middle class taxes

  Reduce taxes for small businesses

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

  Increase taxes for all tax payers

• 01/06/2009: Repeal the Death Tax

  Reduce taxes for all tax payers

• 08/12/2010: Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes

Education Issues

Support school vouchers

• 08/06/1998: Voted YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools
• 11/04/1997: Voted YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools

  Support privatization of mass education

• 12/31/2003: by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes

Environmental Issues

Oppose cap-and-trade programs to address industrial emissions

• 11/02/2010: Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP
• 06/26/2009: Voted NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution
• 01/09/2009: Bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules
• 06/26/2000: Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol

  Support off-shore drilling to tap new oil sources

• 05/12/2011: Voted YES on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling
• 01/18/2007: Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies
• 06/29/2006: Voted NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore

  Reduce or remove environmental regulations that address oil refinement

• 09/18/2008: Voted NO on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences
• 09/29/2005: Voted YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species

  Support domestic continental drilling to tap new oil sources

• 08/01/2001: Voted NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR

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

• 02/12/2008: Voted NO on tax incentives for renewable energy

Healthcare Issues

Reduce government involvement in the provision of health insurance for taxpayers

• 04/15/2011: Voted YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 01/23/2008: Voted NO on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids
• 10/25/2007: Voted NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 12/31/2003: by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record
• 10/06/1999: Voted YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts

Immigration

Increase border security between U.S. and Mexico

• 09/14/2006: Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border
• 06/06/2006: Voted YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project

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

• 05/20/2004: Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment

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

• 09/24/1998: Voted YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers