Tom Coburn

HR83 Executive Action on Immigration (Rejected 22 to 74 on 12/13/2014, Roll Call 353). Senator Cruz raised a constitutional point of order that the bill violates the Constitution's separation of powers because the bill would fund President Obama's executive action on amnesty. 

With this fiscal 2015 omnibus appropriations bill, Congress is failing to address its fiscally and constitutionally irresponsible budgeting and appropriating process that is currently yielding annual federal deficits measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars that contribute directly to the dramatic growth of our already $18 trillion national debt.

This bill essentially gets the federal government out of the way of economic development. While one could correctly argue that the federal government should not have been involved in this issue in the first place, and that from a constitutional standpoint it should be left up to the states, private property owners, and TransCanada to work out an arrangement, this bill is definitely a step in the right direction since it would remove unconstitutional federal regulatory road blocks against the pipeline project.

The federal government has no constitutional authorization to determine the value of employees' labor in the private sector, whether in the absolute sense or relative to other wages. Wages instead should be determined by the market.

This proposed constitutional amendment would effectively repeal the free speech provision of the First Amendment, since restricting the amount of money that may be spent on political speech would restrict political speech.

most of the $3.6 billion requested by President Obama would be used to expand his amnesty program of deferred action for childhood arrivals, an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress' power to "to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization."

Amendment to HR5021 Gas Tax (Rejected 28 to 69 on 7/29/2014, Roll Call 246). Transfers local transportation infrastructure projects to the states.

S2578 Contraception (Rejected 56 to 43 on 7/16/2014, Roll Call 228). Would force employers to pay for contraceptives (including abortifacients) even when they object on religious grounds. 

There is no constitutional authorization for federal workforce-training programs. This is not to say that workforce training is a bad thing, but such programs are best handled by the private sector, which would surely provide more and better jobs if the federal government were to siphon less money out of the economy for programs to improve the economy.

Fischer's record indicates that he is supportive of central bank inflationary policies that create economic havoc. Moreover, the Federal Reserve, America's central bank that creates money out of thin air, is unconstitutional.

Opposing the nomination of such a high-ranking establishment operative to be point person for implementing the unconstitutional ObamaCare law should be a no-brainer for Constitution-supporting senators.

Any debate on the Senate floor that could prevent a federal minimum wage increase is a good thing. A federal minimum wage is unconstitutional, since nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government authorized to dictate how much private businesses pay their employees for services performed as part of a private, voluntary contract. Furthermore, many studies have demonstrated that minimum wage increases always lead to more unemployment among the poor and unskilled workers, the very people whom the wage increase is ostensibly intended to help.

By paying people unemployment benefits, the federal government is essentially subsidizing unemployment. That the federal government does this in the first place is bad enough, but any extension of said benefits is even worse. At a time when government debt is nearly $17 trillion, paying unemployment benefits is fiscally irresponsible. Furthermore, the U.S. Constitution nowhere authorizes the federal government to provide unemployment benefits to workers. This type of welfare should be handled on the state or local level, if handled by the government at all.

HR4152 Ukraine Aid (Passed 98 to 2 on 3/27/2014, Roll Call 88). Provides $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine.

Childcare funding is an unconstitutional activity of the federal government.

The federal government should live within its means, suspending the debt limit is even worse than raising it, and most of the spending responsible for the ballooning national debt is unconstitutional.

Both farm aid and food aid are unconstitutional. The food subsidy programs are supposed to help the poor, but in practice they have done little to lift people out of poverty, as evidenced by the growing number of recipients of these programs.

This budget agreement Congress is failing to address its fiscally and constitutionally irresponsible budgeting and appropriating process that is currently yielding annual federal deficits measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars that contribute directly to the dramatic growth of our $17 trillion national debt.

The economic havoc, caused by inflation, that Yellen contributed to as vice-chair and that she intends to continue as the new chair of the Fed. Furthermore, a central bank, such as the Fed, that creates money out of thin air is not authorized by the Constitution.

This budget agreement Congress is failing to address its fiscally and constitutionally irresponsible budgeting and appropriating process that is currently yielding annual federal deficits measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars that contribute directly to the dramatic growth of our $17 trillion national debt.

The federal government is overstepping its constitutional boundaries by dictating the hiring practices of private employers. While the exemption for religious organizations is a good thing, the bill is still a serious infringement on private property rights as it limits what a person can and cannot do on his or her private property, in this case a business.

The federal government should live within its means and because most of the spending responsible for the ballooning national debt is unconstitutional.

Amendment to HR2775 Continuing Resolution (Passed 81 to 18 on 10/16/2013, Roll Call 219). Continues funding government operations, including ObamaCare.

The bill contains appropriations for huge amounts of unconstitutional spending.

Amendment to HJR59 Continuing Resolution (Passed 54 to 44 on 9/27/2013, Roll Call 209). Continues funding the federal government, including ObamaCare.

The bill called for more spending and of the spending is unconstitutional.

a reduction in foreign aid, particularly in the form of military assistance, is a good thing. The Constitution does not authorize the government to give foreign aid and meddle in other nations internal affairs, so while Paul's amendment would allow for the resumption of aid to Egypt, it would still be an improvement on the status quo.

forcing a vote on an unconstitutional action of the federal government is a bad thing. The U.S. government should not be in the business of subsidizing higher education to begin with, and continuing a low interest rate on student loans would merely encourage this unconstitutional activity. Additionally, owing to the ease of obtaining government loans for education and the sheer amount of unpaid student debt, the nation is now facing a colossal "student debt bubble" that could have severe negative economic consequences.

The large-scale amnesty and new visa programs coupled with a lack of effective border security would lead to both large increases in legal immigration and continuing large-scale illegal immigration, even though the U.S. government has the duty under Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution to "protect [every state] against Invasion." Furthermore, we have assigned pluses to the nays because, by granting amnesty, increasing levels of legal immigration, and permitting continued large-scale illegal immigration, this bill provides a transition to the open borders sought by the advocates of a North American Union and other regional government schemes threatening our national sovereignty.

It is the constitutional duty of the United States to "protect [every state] against Invasion" (Article IV, Section 4).

Both federal food and farm subsidies are unconstitutional. Though the CBO estimates that S. 954 would cost $18 billion less over 10 years than under current law, this reduction would only be 1.9 percent of projected spending.

The federal government does not have the constitutional authority to prevent states from enacting their own product-labeling requirements.

The Internet sales tax would essentially be a tax on interstate commerce, which is unconstitutional according to Article I Section 9: \"No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.\" Furthermore, requiring online retailers to collect sales taxes from numerous states would pose onerous burdens to small businesses and hinder economic growth.

Amendment to S649 "Assault Weapons" Ban (Rejected 40 to 60 on 4/17/2013, Roll Call 101). Sen. Feinstein offered an amendment that would ban the future manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of certain semi-automatic firearms.

Banning high-capacity ammunition clips for law-abiding citizens is a clear violation of the Constitution - the Second Amendment guarantees that our "right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

Amendment to S.Con.Res 8 UN Arms Trade Treaty (Passed 53 to 46 on 3/23/2013, Roll Call 91). Sen. Inhofe offered an amendment to "uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty." 

The federal government should allow entrepreneurs to develop energy resources, rather than deny access.

Any reduction of unconstitutional federal agencies and massive amounts of debt-laden, unconstitutional federal spending, without revenue increases, is desirable.

The federal government should live within its means and because most of the spending responsible for the ballooning national debt is unconstitutional.

Federally financing disaster relief is unconstitutional.

Passage of this mammoth continuing resolution provided a way for Congress to perpetuate its fiscally irresponsible, unconstitutional spending habits with a minimum of accountability to its constituents.

The private owners of critical infrastructure are already heavily regulated and don't need to be further burdened with additional supposedly voluntary regulations in the name of cybersecurity.

Extending the tax cuts keeps more money in the hands of citizens, where it can be invested into the economy, thus spurring economic growth. Of course, the deficits need to be eliminated, but the way to accomplish this is to cut spending, not increase taxes. (After the substitute amendment was rejected, the Senate passed Reid's bill to raise taxes for the "rich.")

The legislation would have a chilling effect on political free speech by exposing donors to threats and intimidation. Free speech is protected by the First Amendment, which makes no exceptions for anonymous political donors, stating simply: "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." In fact, some of the Founding Fathers engaged in anonymous free speech at times, such as when Madison, Jay, and Hamilton wrote The Federalist Papers under the pseudonym "Publius."

Much of the spending is unconstitutional.

The EPA is an unconstitutional agency created by executive order. It should not even exist, let alone engage in aerial surveillance for the purpose of detecting supposed violations of its regulations. Furthermore, while the surveillance is conducted from "public" airspace, so to speak, the air is not the subject of the surveillance. The use of the air is not unconstitutional, but the purpose of that use is unconstitutional, since it violates the Fourth Amendment protection against search of one's person, house, papers, and effects without probable cause and a warrant "particularly describing ... the persons or things to be seized."

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.

North Korea is a totalitarian regime and foreign aid is unconstitutional.

The Constitution does not grant Congress the legislative power to acquire ownership of or conservation easement rights over large tracts of land within the states.

FDA censorship of health claims is a violation of the right to free speech protected by the First Amendment, and because the federal government is using armed agents to enforce unconstitutional regulations -- e.g., against the selling of raw milk.

The federal government has no constitutional authority risking taxpayers' money to provide loans the private sector considers too risky to provide. Indeed, U.S. government backed export financing is a form of corporate welfare, and if the Ex-Im Bank goes bust (as happened to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae), the taxpayers will get stuck holding the bag.

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.

The government has no constitutional business rewarding government-favored business interests. Instead, the market should decide "winners" and "losers" in the energy sector, as in other sectors of the economy, to ensure that wasteful, harmful, or inefficient entities are kept to a minimum.

The federal government should allow entrepreneurs to develop energy resources, rather than deny access to the resources.

The EPA is unconstitutional and EPA regulations harm the economy. Though Collins' amendment would not have killed the boiler regulations, it would at least have delayed them.

To quote Thomas Jefferson, "No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority."

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.

The federal government should live within its means and because most of the spending responsible for the ballooning national debt is unconstitutional.

Many of the bill's spending programs -- e.g., education, housing, foreign aid, etc. -- are unconstitutional, and the country is running trillion-dollar annual deficits.

The War on Terror must not be allowed to destroy legal protections stretching back to the Magna Carta.

Congress has no constitutional authority to fund many of the programs in the bill, including the farm programs, food programs, and housing (under HUD).

The federal government has no business serving as a gatekeeper for the Internet, and such a role could eventually threaten what has become an important public square for circulating ideas and information.

These rules will further damage the economy and also because the federal government has no constitutional authority to regulate power plant emissions.

Agreements such as this one are intended to transfer trade (and other) powers to super-national arrangements, despite the fact that under the Constitution only Congress has the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations."

The way to create jobs is not to provide them via government financing of certain sectors of the economy, but to reduce the government's burden on the economy.

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.

The debt deal allows both the national debt and spending to continue their upward trajectories.

There is no authority in the U.S. Constitution for redistributing American wealth to other countries.

The Constitution does not authorize the federal government to subsidize alternative energy sources.

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.

The extended provisions, and the Patriot Act as a whole, violate the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

There is no constitutional authority for the federal government to require individuals to purchase health insurance or to manage the healthcare industry.

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

Restricting greenhouse-gas emissions would be harmful to the economy, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are not pollutants, and the federal government has no constitutional authority to limit such emissions.

The burdensome 1099 reporting requirement was added to the ObamaCare legislation as a way to help pay for this unconstitutional program.

The U.S. Constitution assigns to Congress the power "to declare war."

The federal government has no constitutional authority to subsidize private airlines, and the free market should be allowed to determine which communities commercial airlines service, as well as the cost and extent of that service.

The 2010 healthcare overhaul law (PL 111-148 and 111-152), popularly known as ObamaCare, is unconstitutional. There is no constitutional authority for the federal government to require individuals to purchase health insurance or to manage the healthcare industry.

invoking cloture would have permitted a vote on, and certain passage of, the unconstitutional DISCLOSE Act to restrict the free speech rights of corporations, unions, and special interest groups.

Invoking cloture would have permitted a vote on, and likely approval of, the DREAM Act amendment to provide amnesty to certain groups of illegal immigrants.

Invoking cloture would have permitted a vote on an amendment to repeal the highly unpopular 1099 IRS reporting provision of the unconstitutional ObamaCare law.

The federal government has no constitutional authority to pay for healthcare for the poor or to fund education. Also, there is no statistical evidence showing that federal involvement in education has increased learning -- though it certainly has increased federal bureaucracy and control.

Kagan is not committed to adhering to the original intent of the Constitution in her judicial decisions. Instead, her public record indicates that she is a legal positivist who will interpret law based on her own ideological bent and effectively revise and rewrite law by judicial fiat.

The estate tax should be permanently eliminated.

Amendment to HR4213 Arizona Immigration Law (Rejected 43 to 55 on 7/21/2010, Roll Call 214). Offered a measure to recommit the bill to the Judiciary Committee with instructions to include language that no funds in any provision of law may be used to participate in a lawsuit against Arizona's immigration law.

Ramping up regulatory control of the financial sector by the Fed and the federal government is not only unconstitutional but will make it exceedingly more difficult for the economy to recover.

SJR26 Greenhouse Gas Regulation (Rejected 47 to 53 on 6/10/2010, Roll Call 184). Would disapprove an Environmental Protection Agency endangerment finding that greenhouse gases may be regulated as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. 

The spending is over and above what the federal government already budgeted for the current fiscal year, Congress never declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the spending (e.g., foreign aid) is unconstitutional.

More government control of the economy will do more harm than good.

S3217 Audit the Fed (Rejected 37 to 52 on 5/11/2010, Roll Call 138). Amendment to audit the Federal Reserve.

The federal government has no constitutional authority to manage the healthcare industry.

Raising the national debt limit allows the federal government to borrow more money and continue its gross fiscal irresponsibility.

The economic havoc Bernanke is accountable for at the Fed, a central bank that should not even exist.

HR3590 ObamaCare (Passed 60 to 39 on 12/24/2009, Roll Call 396). Popularly known as "ObamaCare," this bill essentially completed the government takeover of the American healthcare system.

Requiring Americans to buy a particular product -- health insurance in this instance -- is both unconstitutional and an abridgment of economic freedom. The same day, the Senate also rejected by 39-60 a point of order raised by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison that the legislation violates the 10th Amendment.

HR3288 Omnibus Appropriations (Passed 57 to 35 on 12/13/2009, Roll Call 374). Comprised of six appropriations bills that Congress failed to complete separately. The price tag in the final version of HR3288 is $1.1 trillion.

Amendment to HR3590 Abortion (Passed 54 to 45 on 12/8/2009, Roll Call 369). Offered an amendment to prohibit the use of any funding authorized by the bill to pay for abortions or for health plans that cover abortions, except in cases of rape or incest or to protect the mother.

Spending needs to be cut, not increased.

The majority of funding in the bill is unconstitutional and wasteful.

The Department of Energy is not authorized by the Constitution.

Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are not authorized by the Constitution.

Virtually every dollar assigned to this bill, whether it is for transportation or housing assistance, is unconstitutional and unaffordable.

Federal government funding of community organizations is not authorized by the Constitution.

Judge Sotomayor is not committed to adhering to the original intent of the Constitution in her judicial decisions.

The federal government should not be subsidizing the car industry and because it is unconstitutional and wasteful.

This legislation would further federalize the criminal code, as well as punish not only criminal acts but the thoughts behind them.

Subordination of U.S. sovereignty to international law and international organizations would undermine the Constitution.

The spending is over and above what the federal government had already budgeted, the United States never declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the spending (e.g., Cash for Clunkers and foreign aid) is unconstitutional.

Foreign aid is unconstitutional, and this is deficit spending.

The spending is over and above what the federal government had already budgeted, Congress never declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the spending (e.g., foreign aid) is unconstitutional.

Much of the budget is unconstitutional (e.g., foreign aid, education, healthcare, etc.), and the federal government should end deficit spending and live within its means.

National-service programs are not authorized by the Constitution.

Reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine would be an unconstitutional infringement on the right to free speech.

Article 1 Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states, "The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states." The District of Columbia is not a state, and can only become a state (and be entitled to representation in Congress) via a constitutional amendment.

Much of the spending would be unconstitutional and government cannot stimulate the economy by draining money from the private sector.

Federal healthcare programs are unconstitutional and would likely lower the quality of healthcare.

Foreign aid is unconstitutional and the amendment would have helped to protect the right to life.

The Constitution does not authorize Congress to grant financial aid or loans to private companies, i.e., banks and automakers.

HR1424 Bailout Bill (Passed 74 to 25 on 10/01/2008, Roll Call 681). Authorizes the Treasury Department to use $700 billion of taxpayer money to purchase troubled mortgage-related securities from banks and other financial-related institutions.

Education aid is not authorized by the Constitution.

The federal government acting as an insurer, a micromanager of markets, and a wealth redistributor is unconstitutional and will undoubtedly affect market behavior, leading to more and worse market strife.

The federal government should stop over-regulating and interfering with the energy industry and get out of the unconstitutional welfare business.

Foreign aid is unconstitutional.

Warrantless searches are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires that any searches be conducted only upon issuance of a warrant under conditions of probable cause. Moreover, Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution forbids "ex post facto laws" -- laws having a retroactive effect.

Congress continues to fund a war it never authorized under Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution. Also, the federal government is unconstitutionally involved as an individual and corporate insurer at taxpayer expense.

HR6124 Farm Bill (Veto Override) (Passed 80 to 14 on 6/18/2008, Roll Call 151). Would authorize the nation's farm programs for the next five years, including crop subsidies and nutrition programs. 

Increasing taxes on the profits of U.S. oil producers would drive gasoline, heating oil, and natural gas prices higher, as the increased tax expense would simply be passed on to consumers. Targeting the largest U.S. oil companies for making higher profits creates a disincentive to increasing exploration and production, and undermines the exceedingly large capital base required to rebuild after hurricanes devastate the oil patch. Moreover, it is unfair because other companies and sectors with even higher profit margins are ignored. Finally, the government should not be subsidizing energy development.

Amendment to S3036 Global Warming (Failed 48 to 36 on 6/6/2008, Roll Call 145). Would have created a cap-and-trade system for reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Inflation and the national debt are skyrocketing as Congress persistently disregards constitutional limits on spending.

Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are not authorized by the Constitution.

America is dangerously dependent on foreign oil and we should increase domestic oil production to mitigate an expected decline in foreign oil exports to America. Time is fleeting for preparing for a supply crisis.

It is unconstitutional for the federal government to be an insurer, and wealth redistributor.

Congress must discontinue unconstitutional and deficit spending. Otherwise the dollar could collapse.

Warrantless wiretaps are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires that any searches be conducted only upon issuance of a warrant under conditions of probable cause. Moreover, Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution forbids "ex post facto laws" -- laws having a retroactive effect.

Creating money out of thin air (which was what was done for the rebate checks) cannot improve the economy.

HR3688 Peru Free Trade Agreement (Passed 77 to 18 on 12/4/2007, Roll Call 413). Transfers the power to regulate trade (and other powers as well) to regional arrangements.

Federalized educational system is an unconstitutional and wasteful bureaucracy.

By confirming Mukasey, the U.S. Senate demonstrated its willingness to tolerate torture -- which is anathema to American values -- and its willingness to allow the president to trump laws passed by Congress in the name of national security.

The Constitution does not authorize federal involvement in healthcare, even for children.

Spending billions of tax dollars for federal grants and subsidies for Amtrak transportation is unconstitutional.

The DREAM Act would implement an amnesty program by placing millions of illegal immigrants on a path toward citizenship.

Social-welfare programs and federal involvement in education are unconstitutional.

HJR43 Debt Limit Increase (Passed 53 to 42 on 9/27/2007, Roll Call 354). Would increase the national debt limit to an astronomical $9.8 trillion, an $850 billion increase. 

Allowing Mexican trucks to travel freely across U.S. highways presents a threat to our national security and displaces American truckers whose jobs would be lost to Mexican workers.

The United States should not be funding UN "peacekeeping" period -- let alone increasing the amount.

Foreign aid is unconstitutional.

Warrantless surveillance of American citizens is a violation of the Fourth Amendment's prohibition "against unreasonable searches and seizures."

Taxpayer-financed federal health insurance is unconstitutional.