Melquiades Martinez

The Senate voted against moving ahead with a bill bailing out the three Detroit-based auto manufacturers. ACU opposed this effort. Although it did receive a majority 52-35 vote on December 11, 2008, under Senate procedures 60 votes were required, so the motion was defeated.

The Senate passed a bill bailing out the financial industry by giving sole authority to the Secretary of the Treasury to disburse $700 billion “without restriction.” ACU opposes this nationalization of an industry but the bill passed October 1, 2008 by a vote of 74-25.

The Senate defeated an attempt to pass a bill expanding federal spending for unemployment, food assistance, roads and bridge projects, and state Medicaid spending. ACU opposes this kind of “emergency” spending, and although the effort did get a majority 52-42 vote on September 26, 2008, under Senate procedures 60 votes were needed to pass it, so it was defeated.

The Senate rejected an amendment exempting 22 million middle-class taxpayers from this “millionaire’s tax” for one year while permanently raising taxes on domestic energy producers. ACU opposes the AMT in all its forms but opposes tax increases. The amendment received a majority of the Senate (53-42) on September 23, 2008 but under Senate procedures, 60 votes were required to pass the amendment.

The Senate rejected an amendment designed to strengthen the nation’s immediate anti-ballistic missile program. ACU regards national defense as the first priority of the federal government and supported this amendment, which was defeated September 10, 2008 by a vote of 39-57.

The Senate adopted a House-passed mortgage bailout plan that would further nationalize the mortgage industry, raise limits on some risky loans, and added another $4 billion grant program to be handed out by local governments. ACU opposes this nationalization of a major industry, but the measure was adopted July 26, 2008 by a vote of 72-13.

The Senate rejected an effort to impose some program accountability on funding for the global anti-AIDS/HIV program. ACU favors closer monitoring of spending on this program and supported the amendment, which was defeated July 16, 2008 by a vote of 44-51.

The Senate adopted a bill that would discriminate against private insurance carriers under Medicare, keeping doctor payments (and taxpayer costs) high. ACU opposed the bill, but it was passed July 9, 2008 by a vote of 69-30.

The Senate passed, over the president’s veto, a farm bill that continues subsidies for farmers making up to $2 million annually and for crops that have increased in price. ACU opposes federal interference in the nation’s agriculture, but the bill was passed June 18, 2008 by a more than two-thirds Constitutional majority vote of 80-14.

The Senate rejected an effort to impose higher taxes on energy companies and to direct the revenue to “renewable energy” initiatives. ACU opposes higher taxes on energy providers. Although this measure received a majority vote of 51-43 on June 10, 2008, under Senate rules 60 votes were required.

The Senate defeated an effort to impose a nationwide cap on CO2 and other “greenhouse gasses.” ACU opposes drastic interference in the economy in the name of preventing “climate change.” In this case, although the amendment received a majority Senate vote on June 6, 2008 of 48-36, 60 votes were required under Senate rules to move ahead on the amendment.

The Senate defeated an effort to place severe restrictions on U.S. combat troops in Iraq by June of 2009. ACU opposes efforts by Congress to micro-manage U.S. military operations. This effort was defeated May 22, 2008 by a vote of 34-63.

The Senate rejected an effort to limit discretionary spending in the Congressional Budget Resolution to $1 trillion. ACU supports efforts to bring federal spending under control, but this effort was defeated May 15, 2008 by a vote of 47-48.

The Senate rejected an effort to permit increased exploration for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf. ACU supports these efforts to increase domestic energy supplies, but this one was defeated May 15, 2008 by a vote of 44-51.

The Senate rejected an amendment allowing energy exploration in a small portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and allowing states to authorize oil drilling in their coastal waters. ACU favors these efforts to increase domestic energy supplies, but the amendment was defeated May 13, 2008 by a vote of 42-56.

The Senate defeated an amendment launching an investigation into how a $10 million earmark for a road project in Florida was added to a transportation bill after it was passed by Congress. ACU strongly favors transparency in legislating, and supported this amendment. The amendment did receive a 49-43 vote majority on April 17, 2008, but under Senate procedures, a 60-vote supermajority was required.

The Senate passed a bill providing for a taxpayer bailout of the mortgage entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. A $4 billion trust fund was created allowing grants to ACORN and other activist organizations and requiring everyone in the mortgage industry to submit to a federal fingerprint registry. ACU opposed this vast expansion of federal involvement in the real estate industry, but the bill passed April 10, 2008 by a vote of 84-12.

The Senate defeated an effort to include the unborn in eligibility for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). While ACU opposes an expanded federal role in health care, if it is provided it should include the unborn, so ACU favored this amendment. However, it was defeated March 14, 2008 by a vote of 46-52.

The Senate defeated an amendment eliminating earmarked taxpayer spending for the city of Berkeley, Calif., after the City Council denounced the Marine Corps and encouraged protestors to stop recruitment. Funds saved would have been transferred to the Marine Corps. ACU supports our service men and women and favored this amendment, which failed March 14, 2008 by a vote of 41-57.

The Senate defeated an effort to halt all pork barrel “earmarks” for one year and make it more difficult to pass them in the future. ACU supports efforts against this type of pork barrel spending, but the effort was defeated March 13, 2008 by a vote of 29-71.