Freedom Index 115-1

The New American Magazine
The Freedom Index is published twice yearly by The New American Magazine.

Our first look at the 115th Congress shows how every member of the House and Senate voted on key issues such as the GOP’s ObamaCare replacement bill (House), federal funding for abortion (House), and NATO (Senate).

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Senate Votes
House Votes

Senate Votes

1. Balancing the Budget

Would remove $9.7 trillion worth of new debt and balance the budget by 2024.
Read More Constitutional Vote: Yes Benefit per household: +$76,027.00/year
S.Amdt. 1 to S.Con.Res. 3

2. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

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.
Read More Constitutional Vote: No
S.Amdt. 19 to S.Con.Res. 3

3. Stream Protection Rule

Would nullify the "Stream Protection Rule" issued in 2016 by the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
Read More Constitutional Vote: Yes
H.J.Res.38

4. Firearms Purchases

Would nullify a Social Security rule that outlines reporting information on individuals to the FBI's firearm background checks system (NICS).
Read More Constitutional Vote: Yes
H.J.Res.40

5. Predator Control

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.
Read More Constitutional Vote: Yes
H.J.Res.69

6. Montenegro NATO Membership

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.
Read More Constitutional Vote: No
Treaty Doc. 114-12

7. Federal Family Planning

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.
Read More Constitutional Vote: Yes
H.J.Res.43

8. Omnibus Appropriations

Would provide $1.16 trillion in discretionary appropriations through September 30, 2017.
Read More Constitutional Vote: No Cost per household: -$9,190.00/year
H.R. 244 See Article I Section 8

9. Blocking U.S. Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia

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.
Read More Constitutional Vote: Yes
S.J.Res. 42

10. Iranian and Russian Sanctions

Would impose new sanctions on Iran and Russia, and codify sanctions imposed by the Obama administration on Russia.
Read More Constitutional Vote: No
S. 722

How did they vote?

Grid View
Legend: Constitutional Unconstitutional Did not vote
Name Party State Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Lamar Alexander R TN 50%
Tammy Baldwin D WI 10%
John Barrasso R WY 50%
Michael F. Bennet D CO 10%
Richard Blumenthal D CT 10%
Roy Blunt R MO 56%
Cory A. Booker D NJ 10%
John Boozman R AR 50%
Sherrod Brown D OH 10%
Richard Burr R NC 50%
Maria Cantwell D WA 10%
Shelley Moore Capito R WV 50%
Benjamin Cardin D MD 10%
Thomas Carper D DE 10%
Robert Casey D PA 10%
Bill Cassidy R LA 50%
Thad Cochran R MS 50%
Susan M. Collins R ME 20%
Chris Coons D DE 10%
Bob Corker R TN 60%
John Cornyn R TX 50%
Catherine Cortez Masto D NV 10%
Tom Cotton R AR 60%
Mike Crapo R ID 70%
Ted Cruz R TX 70%
Steve Daines R MT 70%
Joe Donnelly D IN 20%
Tammy Duckworth D IL 10%
Dick Durbin D IL 11%
Michael Enzi R WY 50%
Joni Ernst R IA 60%
Dianne Feinstein D CA 10%
Deb Fischer R NE 60%
Jeff Flake R AZ 70%
Al Franken D MN 10%
Cory Gardner R CO 50%
Kirsten E. Gillibrand D NY 10%
Lindsey Graham R SC 67%
Chuck Grassley R IA 60%
Kamala Harris D CA 10%
Margaret Wood Hassan D NH 10%
Orrin Hatch R UT 50%
Martin Heinrich D NM 10%
Heidi Heitkamp D ND 30%
Dean Heller R NV 70%
Mazie K. Hirono D HI 10%
John Hoeven R ND 50%
James Inhofe R OK 50%
John Isakson R GA 57%
Ron Johnson R WI 50%
Tim Kaine D VA 10%
John Kennedy R LA 70%
Angus S. King I ME 30%
Amy Klobuchar D MN 10%
James Lankford R OK 60%
Patrick Leahy D VT 10%
Mike Lee R UT 90%
Joe Manchin D WV 20%
Ed Markey D MA 10%
John McCain R AZ 50%
Claire McCaskill D MO 10%
Mitch McConnell R KY 50%
Bob Menendez D NJ 10%
Jeff Merkley D OR 10%
Jerry Moran R KS 60%
Lisa Murkowski R AK 40%
Chris Murphy D CT 10%
Patty Murray D WA 10%
Bill Nelson D FL 0%
Rand Paul R KY 100%
David Perdue R GA 50%
Gary Peters D MI 10%
Rob Portman R OH 50%
Jack Reed D RI 10%
James E. Risch R ID 70%
Pat Roberts R KS 50%
Mike Rounds R SD 50%
Marco Rubio R FL 60%
Bernie Sanders I VT 20%
Benjamin Sasse R NE 67%
Brian Schatz D HI 10%
Chuck Schumer D NY 10%
Tim Scott R SC 70%
Jefferson Sessions R AL N/A
Jeanne Shaheen D NH 10%
Richard Shelby R AL 50%
Debbie Stabenow D MI 10%
Luther Strange R AL 57%
Dan Sullivan R AK 50%
Jon Tester D MT 20%
John Thune R SD 50%
Thom Tillis R NC 50%
Pat Toomey R PA 70%
Tom Udall D NM 10%
Chris Van Hollen D MD 10%
Mark R. Warner D VA 0%
Elizabeth Warren D MA 10%
Sheldon Whitehouse D RI 10%
Roger Wicker R MS 50%
Ron Wyden D OR 10%
Todd Young R IN 60%

Average Freedom Score by Party

PartyScore
Democrat10.7%
Independent25%
Republican57.2%
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