Kamala Harris

We oppose. The act includes spending not only for legitimate national defense, but also for military interventionism in foreign lands that does not make America safer. Also, the legislation undercuts the president’s legitimate authority as commander-in-chief by restricting his ability to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, Germany, and South Korea.

HR 133 Appropriations/Coronavirus (Passed 92 to 6 on 12/21/2020). Spends $1.4 trillion in discretionary appropriations and another $900 billion in Covid aid. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

We oppose. The Affordable Care Act is an unconstitutional monstrosity of government intervention into the healthcare sector and is anything but affordable. ObamaCare reduced individual choice in the health-insurance market, increased costs for many Americans, and has been a poorly run boondoggle from the beginning, exactly what is to be expected when the federal government attempts to regulate and subsidize healthcare, something it has no constitutional authority to do.

We oppose. Congress needs to cut spending to avoid fiscal disaster. Additionally, Congress’ inability to promptly pass a 2021 budget, instead using a continuing appropriations bill, illustrates the breakdown of the federal budgeting process.

We support killing the amendment. The U.S. government should not be attempting to regulate healthcare or health insurance in any way, shape, or form. The Constitution clearly does not allow the federal government to involve itself in healthcare. Decisions about health insurance coverage should be left up to insurance companies. Federal regulations and/or subsidies in the healthcare sector tend to distort the market and have in large part caused the current out-of-control insurance prices we see today.

We oppose. National defense is an essential function of the federal government. This is not to say that the budget is not “bloated” (the Pentagon budget does contain waste, and not all military spending is defense spending), but unnecessary military spending should be cut, not transferred to social-welfare programs falling outside the Constitution’s specified powers.

We oppose. Nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government authorized to subsidize private businesses. If such subsidies are allowed, then any business could potentially be subsidized at the expense of any other, with the government essentially picking winners and losers in the marketplace, causing great economic distortion.

We oppose the Senate's decision to table Senator Paul's amendment. It is long past time to bring the troops home. The AUMF that the amendment would repeal has been used broadly by presidents to send troops into foreign conflicts, despite the fact that under the Constitution only Congress may declare war.

HR 1957 Public Lands (Passed 73 to 25 on 6/17/2020). Permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually. Creates the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (NPPLLRF), funded at $1.9 billion annually for five years. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

We oppose. Profligate spending needs to be immediately brought under control and deficits eliminated to avoid fiscal disaster. Congress is failing to address its fiscally and constitutionally irresponsible spending habits that yielded an annual federal deficit of $3.1 trillion in fiscal 2020.

Senator Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) amendment to HR 6172 Surveilling Americans (Rejected 11 to 85 on 5/14/2020). Prohibits surveillance of American citizens under FISA authorities. See U.S. Const., amend. 4.

We oppose. While many of the proposed FISA modifications positive from a freedom and privacy standpoint, Congress should have instead voted to not reauthorize the FISA and let it expire. Despite the program’s title, the act permits surveillance of Americans who are not charged with any crime.

We oppose. Nowhere in the Constitution is Congress authorized to bail out businesses, industries, and people.

We support. According to the U.S. Constitution, only Congress may declare war. It is unfortunate that Congress has to pass a resolution enforcing this, but doing so puts a check on the war powers assumed by recent presidents.

We oppose. In his actions on Ukraine, Trump did not commit “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors,” the constitutional requirement for impeaching and removing a president or other U.S. “civil officer.” The House presented no evidence of any “high crimes.” Trump was accused of withholding aid from Ukraine, but the aid was provided. Also, there is no crime in making a request to investigate Hunter Biden and Burisma, as was alleged.

We oppose. The “obstruction of Congress” charge does not rise to the level of the “high crimes and misdemeanors” for which a president may be impeached and removed. There is uncontestable truth to the charge: Trump did direct the executive branch to ignore subpoenas issued by highly partisan, pro-impeachment House committees. What is contested is whether a president may constitutionally ignore such subpoenas. But that is an issue for the federal judiciary, not impeachment, to decide.

We oppose. Congress is not authorized by the Constitution to surrender our national sovereignty to any transnational regional government, including the nascent North American Union.

We oppose. Most of the spending programs in this appropriations bill are unconstitutional. Also, congressional spending for fiscal 2020 is grossly fiscally irresponsible. In mid-2020, our national debt was about $26 trillion, and the federal budget deficit for 2020 was expected to be an astounding $3.8 trillion.

HR 1158 Appropriations (Passed 81 to 11 on 12/19/2019). Provides $860.3 billion in discretionary spending for four of the 12 fiscal 2020 appropriations bills. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

We oppose. The United States should stay out of entangling alliances like NATO. Also, the NATO provision that obligates the United States to go to war if any NATO member is attacked undermines the U.S. Constitution’s assignment to Congress the power to declare war.

Senator Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) amendment to HR 4378 Spending Cut (Rejected 24 to 73 on 9/26/2019). Cuts the appropriation bill’s funding for federal operations and services by 2 percent.

We oppose. Congress is failing to address its fiscally- and constitutionally-irresponsible budgeting and appropriating process that is yielding annual federal deficits of about $1 trillion. This directly contributes to the national debt’s growth.

We oppose. Spending must be brought under control, and deficits must be eliminated to avoid fiscal disaster — not “down the road,” but now. Additionally, much of the bill’s spending is unconstitutional.

We support Senator Udall's amendment. Hostilities conducted against a sovereign nation – in this case Iran – constitute an act of war and, thus, constitutionally requires a declaration of war by Congress.

We support Senator Rand Paul’s amendment and oppose the Senate’s vote to kill it. Nowhere in the Constitution is Congress authorized to fund the foreign aid funding that Paul sought to eliminate, and which had nothing to do with border appropriations. These types of programs should be handled privately, not with U.S. taxpayers’ money.

We oppose. The federal government has no constitutional authority to rebuild areas stricken by natural disasters. Such activity should be undertaken by private companies and charities first, and, as a last resort, handled by local or state governments. Disasters would arguably be handled more effectively this way compared to the feds.

We support. Congress has the power to declare war, and it has not authorized any intervention or war in Yemen. Nor should Congress do so since the civil war in Yemen does not threaten the U.S.

We oppose. Most of the bill’s spending programs are unconstitutional and unacceptably expand our debt and deficit.

We oppose. The Constitution does not authorize Congress to purchase private property except “all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings.”

S 109 Abortion Funding (Rejected 48 to 47 on 1/17/2019). Prohibits the use of federal funds to cover the cost of most abortions.

Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) motion on SJR 54 Yemen (Agreed 63 to 37 on 11/28/2018, Roll Call 250). To advance Senate Joint Res. 54, which would remove U.S. Armed Forces from "hostilities" in Yemen that have "not been authorized by Congress.”

SJR 63 Short-Term Health Insurance Plans (Rejected 50 to 50 on 10/10/2018, Roll Call 226). Would nullify the rule from the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and HHS that would expand the duration of short-term health insurance plans. See U.S. Const., amend. 10.

HR 302 FAA Reauthorization and Supplemental Disaster Appropriations (Passed 93 to 6 on 10/3/2018, Roll Call 220). Reauthorizes appropriations for the FAA and TSA, as well as $1.7 billion for Hurricane Florence disaster relief. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

HR 6157 Defense-Labor-HHS-Education and Continuing Appropriations (Adopted 93 to 7 on 9/18/2018, Roll Call 212). Would provide $855.1 billion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2019.

Medicare and Medicaid are both unconstitutional programs. The U.S. Constitution gives no authority to the federal government to pay people’s medical expenses, no matter how poor or disabled they are. Such assistance should be handled by states, charity, or the free market. Any expansion of Medicare or Medicaid, which is what this bill authorizes, should be voted against.

Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) amendment to HR 6157 Planned Parenthood (Rejected 45 to 48 on 8/23/2018, Roll Call 191). To prohibit federal funding of Planned Parenthood.

Much of this spending falls outside the federal government’s constitutionally delegated powers. The unconstitutional spending includes federal social-welfare programs such as food and farm subsidies and housing subsidies (under HUD). Also, lumping multiple appropriations bills together, as opposed to voting on them separately, reduces lawmakers’ accountability.

The federal government needs to start reining in climbing federal spending (and deficits) somewhere in order to avert fiscal disaster.

Sen. Jack Reed's (D-R.I.) motion on HR 5515 NATO (Agreed 97 to 2 on 7/10/2018, Roll Call 149). To reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO.

The Constitution does not authorize the federal government to subsidize food or agriculture. Moreover, food subsidies have done little to lift people out of poverty, and farm subsidies have caused market distortions as the government essentially picks winners and losers in the food production industry.

Sen. Mike Lee's (R-Utah) amendment to HR 5895 Waters of the United States (Tabled 62 to 34 on 6/21/2018, Roll Call 138). To repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's 2015 “Waters of the United States” rule.

This spending falls outside the scope of constitutionally authorized federal powers, and the federal government needs to start reining in ballooning federal spending (and debt) somewhere in order to avert fiscal disaster. The cuts in this bill comprise only a fraction of one percent of total federal spending, and according to the Congressional Budget Office, most of the unspent funding targeted by the bill would not be spent anyway. Yet modest cuts are better than none at all.

Sen. Mike Lee's (R-Utah) amendment to HR 5515 Indefinite Detention (Rejected Motion to Table 30 to 68 on 6/13/2018, Roll Call 122). To uphold the right to due process for U.S. citizens and permanent residents on American soil.

Haspel was complicit in the use of torture, including waterboarding, a violation of U.S. law as well as the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment prohibition against “cruel and unusual punishments.”

Regulation of the Internet is not a proper function of the federal government under the Constitution. The new FCC rule under Commissioner Pai was more of a hands-off approach to the Internet, allowing service providers to set their own rules. This is the correct approach, as any provider “throttling” service or overcharging customers will lose business to more competitive providers in a free market setting. Government, in scenarios such as these, will nearly always cause more problems than it claims to attempt to solve. Case in point: Regulations are not always applied equally, as under the Obama FCC rule some sites were forced to “play fair,” while some of the big guys, such as Netflix and Google, could still set their own rules.

HR 1625 Omnibus Appropriations (Passed 65 to 32 on 3/23/2018, Roll Call 63). Would provide $1.3 trillion in wasteful and unconstitutional government spending. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

SJR 54 U.S. Military Intervention in Yemen (Tabled 55 to 44 on 3/20/2018, Roll Call 58). Would remove U.S. Armed Forces from "hostilities" in Yemen that have "not been authorized by Congress.”

Sen. Christopher Coon's (D-Del.) amendment to HR 2579 Immigration (Rejected 52 to 47 on 2/15/2018, Roll Call 33). To provide “conditional permanent residence” (i.e., amnesty) to DACA program recipients.

The flood of illegal immigrants into the United States has risen to the level of an invasion swamping our Republic, and political entities that provide sanctuary to illegal aliens in contravention of federal immigration laws should not expect to do so while receiving federal aid.

S 139 Warrantless Surveillance (Passed 65 to 34 on 1/18/2018, Roll Call 12). Would reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) through 2023, allowing secret FISA Court-approved surveillance of American citizens. See U.S. Const., amend. 4.

The tax cuts in this bill will keep more money in the hands of American businesses and consumers, where it can be invested into the economy, thus spurring economic growth. Unfortunately, however, the bill does not address federal spending, which needs to be reined in via other legislation.

Federal involvement in natural disaster relief is not only unconstitutional, but also wasteful, inefficient, ineffective, and often harmful. Disaster relief is much better handled by states, counties, and local communities, coupled with volunteer efforts from across the country.

Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) amendment to HCR 71 Budget Cut (Rejected 5 to 95 on 10/17/2017, Roll Call 236). Would cut $43 billion in federal budget authority in fiscal 2018. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8

The U.S. Constitution does not authorize the federal government to get involved in healthcare, and all government meddling causes more healthcare problems, such as rising healthcare costs.

The U.S. Constitution does not authorize the federal government to get involved in the Internet, which operates best without intrusive government regulation.

Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) amendment to HR 2810 War Authorization (Tabled 61 to 36 on 9/13/2017, Roll Call 195). To repeal, six months after the bill’s enactment, the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF).

HR 3364 Sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea (Passed 98 to 2 on 7/27/2017, Roll Call 175). Would establish new sanctions and expand certain existing sanctions on Russian, Iran, and North Korea.

Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) amendment to HR 1628 Repeal of Obamacare (Rejected 45 to 55 on 7/26/2017, Roll Call 169). Would have expired the expansion of Medicaid, prohibited tax credits for healthcare plans that provide abortion coverage, banned federal funds for abortion, and repealed the ObamaCare mandates.

John Kenneth Bush Nomination (Passed 51 to 47 on 7/20/2017, Roll Call 164). Confirms President Trump's appointment of John Kenneth Bush to the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

S 722 Iranian and Russian Sanctions (Passed 98 to 2 on 6/15/2017, Roll Call 147). Would impose new sanctions on Iran and Russia, and codify sanctions imposed by the Obama administration on Russia.

Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC.) amendment to S 722 NATO (Passed 100 to 0 on 6/15/2017, Roll Call 146). To "affirm" that the U.S. remains "fully committed" to NATO.

The United States should not interject itself in foreign conflicts such as the civil war in Yemen (via arms sales to one of the combatants in that conflict -- Saudi Arabia), and should not take steps tantamount to going to war without a declaration of war by Congress.

HR 244 Omnibus Appropriations (Passed 79 to 18 on 5/4/2017, Roll Call 121). Would provide $1.16 trillion in discretionary appropriations through September 30, 2017. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

HJR 43 Federal Family Planning (Passed 50 to 50 on 3/30/2017, Roll Call 101). Would nullify a HHS rule that prevents states that distribute federal family planning funding from prohibiting receipt of funds by abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood.

The United States should stay clear of entangling alliances such as NATO. Moreover, NATO also obligates that the United States go to war if any member of NATO is attacked, which undermines the provision in the U.S. Constitution that assigns to Congress the power to declare war. Montenegro, which was part of communist Yugoslavia during the Cold War era, is now one of 28 countries the United States is obligated to defend under NATO.

Since the power of wildlife management was not granted to the federal government by the Constitution, it is reserved to Alaska and the other 49 states according to the 10th Amendment.

HJR 40 Firearms Purchases (Passed 57 to 43 on 2/15/2017, Roll Call 66). Would nullify a Social Security rule that outlines reporting information on individuals to the FBI's firearm background checks system (NICS).

HJR 38 Stream Protection Rule (Passed 54 to 45 on 2/2/2017, Roll Call 43). Would nullify the "Stream Protection Rule" issued in 2016 by the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

The rapid projected growth in future spending for social "entitlement" programs under current law is unsustainable due to both the declining ratio between workers and Social Security recipients, and also the fact that people are living longer. Plus, there is no constitutional authorization for these programs. Those who genuinely want to help the needy should recognize that the best way to do it is to phase out government social-welfare programs in favor of private alternatives.

Senator Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) amendment to SCR 14 Balancing the Budget (Rejected 14 to 83 on 1/9/2017, Roll Call 3). Would remove $9.7 trillion worth of new debt and balance the budget by 2024.