Ruben Kihuen

Decisions regarding human interaction with various animal species, if handled by government at all, should be handled at the state and local levels. The U.S. Constitution does not give the federal government the authority to declare animals endangered and thus off-limits to hunt or otherwise manage. The growing gray wolf population has been a menace to farmers and ranchers in many states, and farmers are not allowed to protect their own property owing to federal regulations. Working to overturn such regulations is a good thing.

HR 6760 Tax Cuts (Passed 220 to 191 on 9/28/2018, Roll Call 414). Would make permanent the tax cuts for individuals in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that were set to expire at the end of 2025.

HR 6 Opioid Abuse Prevention and Health Programs (Passed 393 to 8 on 9/28/2018, Roll Call 415). Expands Medicare and Medicaid to cover medication-assisted treatment for substance abuse.

HR 6157 Defense-Labor-HHS-Education and Continuing Appropriations (Adopted 361 to 61 on 9/26/2018, Roll Call 405). Would provide $855.1 billion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2019.

HR 302 FAA Reauthorization and Supplemental Disaster Appropriations (Passed 398 to 23 on 9/26/2018, Roll Call 407). 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.

The Constitution does not give the federal government authority to get into the insurance business. Having the federal government as an insurer essentially subsidizes risky behavior, such as building in flood-, fire-, and earthquake-prone areas, and forces the taxpayer to pick up the tab. Insurance policies for natural disasters should be offered by private insurers, with the market setting the rates for such coverage.

This particular excise tax was put in place to help pay for an unconstitutional program — the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare. Repealing part of the funding for such an unconstitutional federal healthcare program is a good thing and should be supported.

HCR 119 Carbon Tax (Adopted 229 to 180 on 7/19/2018, Roll Call 363). Declares that a carbon tax would be "detrimental to American families and businesses" and "not in the best interest of the United States.”

The Constitution does not authorize the federal government to regulate the environment in general, let alone regulate methane emissions that accompany oil and natural gas production, processing, and distribution.

HR 3 Appropriations Cuts (Passed 210 to 206 on 6/7/2018). Would cut nearly $15 billion from previously approved, unspent, and wasteful spending. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

HR 3249 Law Enforcement Partnership Grants (Passed 394 to 13 on 6/6/2018, Roll Call 239). Authorizes $50 million a year from 2019-2021 for the Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program.

S 204 Experimental Drugs (Passed 250 to 169 on 5/22/2018, Roll Call 214). Would allow patients with life-threatening conditions to seek access to experimental drugs directly from a manufacturer without FDA approval.

The U.S. Constitution does not give the federal government any authority over what foods a person chooses to consume. In other words, it is illegal for the federal government to make raw milk illegal. While the federal government does have authority to “regulate Commerce … among the several States,” there is no reason for federal interference in a scenario such as this, where a product is legally sold in each of the states in question.

Rep. Jim Banks' (R-Ind.) amendment to HR 2 Waters of the United States (Adopted 238 to 173 on 5/18/2018, Roll Call 203). To repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2015 “Waters of the United States” rule.

Rep. Tom McClintock's (R-Ca.) amendment to HR 2 Agricultural Crop Subsidies (Rejected 34 to 380 on 5/17/2018, Roll Call 194). Would have phased out agricultural crop subsidies by fiscal year 2030.

HR 1625 Omnibus Appropriations (Passed 256 to 167 on 3/22/2018, Roll Call 127). Would provide $1.3 trillion in wasteful and unconstitutional government spending. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

HR 4909 STOP School Violence Act (Passed 407 to 10 on 3/14/2018, Roll Call 106). Would authorize $75 million a year through 2028 for the Justice Department’s Secure Our Schools grant program. See U.S. Const., amend. 10.

HR 3326 World Bank (Passed 237 to 184 on 1/17/2018, Roll Call 24). Would authorize $3.29 billion in foreign aid to the World Bank International Development Association.

Rep. Justin Amash's (L-Mi.) amendment to S 139 Warrantless Surveillance (Rejected 183 to 233 on 1/11/2018, Roll Call 14). To end NSA collection of communications data that is neither to nor from an approved foreign target, but rather communications “about” a foreign target entirely between American citizens.

S 139 Warrantless Surveillance (Passed 256 to 164 on 1/11/2018, Roll Call 16). 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.

HR 1 Tax Cuts (Passed 224 to 201 on 12/20/2017, Roll Call 699). Would cut the corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent and individual income tax rates through 2025, and effectively eliminate the tax penalty on Americans who do not purchase health insurance.

The Constitution does not authorize the federal government to interfere in healthcare, let alone ration it by deciding who should and should not receive medical care.

HR 36 Abortion (Passed 237 to 189 on 10/3/2017, Roll Call 549). Bans abortion when the age of the pre-born baby is 20 weeks or longer.

Going into homes to check up on the physical, emotional, and economic “wellness” of families not only goes way beyond the few and defined federal powers authorized by the Constitution, but also is part of a dangerous trend of government further interjecting itself into the family.

Rep. Salud Carbajal's (D-Calif.) amendment to HR 3354 Fracking (Rejected 177 to 230 on 9/8/2017). Would effectively prohibit fracking in the Pacific outer continental shelf. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

Rep. Ted Yoho's (R-Fla.) amendment to HR 3354 UN Human Rights Agencies (Rejected 199 to 212 on 9/7/2017, Roll Call 470). Prohibits the use of federal funds for making contributions to various UN human rights agencies. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

HR 3180 Intelligence Authorization (Passed 380 to 35 on 7/28/2017, Roll Call 437). Authorizes classified amounts of funding through fiscal 2018 for 16 U.S. intelligence agencies and intelligence-related activities, including the Office of the National Intelligence Director, the CIA, and the National Security Agency.

This bill provides temporary relief from having to immediately implement the new ozone reduction standards. Ideally, the EPA should be abolished and the Clean Air Act repealed, since both are unconstitutional infringements on state responsibilities.

HR 397 NATO (Passed 423 to 4 on 6/27/2017, Roll Call 328). "[S]olemnly reaffirms" the U.S. commitment to NATO based on principle of "collective defense."

HR 10 Dodd-Frank Financial Regulations (Passed 233 to 186 on 6/8/2017, Roll Call 299). Would overhaul financial industry regulations and repeal many provisions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law.

Providing federal equipment and training to state and local law-enforcement officers not only is unconstitutional, but also further federalizes the police system.

HR 1628 ObamaCare Replacement (Passed 217 to 213 on 5/4/2017, Roll Call 256). Would retain much of ObamaCare under the guise of "repeal and replace."

HR 244 Omnibus Appropriations (Passed 309 to 118 on 5/3/2017, Roll Call 249). Would provide $1.16 trillion in wasteful and unconstitutional government spending over the span of just under five months. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 8.

This bill expands the "War on Terror" to include the fictitious and non-existent threat of "agro-terrorism" in the American homeland, thereby further interjecting the U.S. government into the agriculture sector, despite the absence of any constitutional power to manage this or any other sector of the American economy.

HR 1181 Veteran Gun Purchases (Passed 240 to 175 on 3/16/2017, Roll Call 169). Prohibits the U.S. government from preventing individuals from purchasing a gun simply by claiming the individual is "mentally incompetent." See U.S. Const., Amend. 2.

This legislation reaffirms Alaska's sovereign power to manage its wildlife. 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.

This bill limits the power of an unconstitutional federal government agency. The U.S. Constitution does not authorize the federal government to get involved in healthcare, much less establish a Department of Health and Human Services, so any attempt to limit the power of an unconstitutional federal agency is a step in the right direction.

HJR 38 Stream Protection Rule (Passed 228 to 194 on 2/1/2017, Roll Call 73). Would nullify the "Stream Protection Rule" issued in 2016 by the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

HR 7 Federal Funding for Abortion (Passed 238 to 183 on 1/24/2017, Roll Call 65). Would prohibit both federal funds and the District of Columbia's funds from being used to pay for abortions.

HR 26 Major Regulations (Passed 237 to 187 on 1/5/2017, Roll Call 23). Would require congressional approval before any "major rule" issued by an executive branch agency could go into effect. See U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 1.