Zach Wamp Voted Poorly
SUMMARY:
Zach Wamp voted FOR: War Authorization Against Iraq, Trade Promotion Authority, Homeland Security, Interior Department Appropriations, Prescription Drug Plan — Republican Alternative, National Science Foundation, Unemployment Benefits, Global AIDS Initiative, Special Education, Budget Resolution — Final Version, Fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations, Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan, U.S.-Chile Trade, U.S.-Singapore Trade, Agriculture Appropriations, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Job Training and Worker Services, Surface Transportation, Fiscal 2005 Budget Resolution, North American Development Bank, Child Nutrition Programs, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Foreign Aid, Agriculture Appropriations, UN “Reforms.”, Supplemental Appropriations, Vocational/Technical Training, Head Start Funding, Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations, Surface Transportation, CAFTA, Patriot Act Reauthorization, Foreign Aid, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Agriculture Appropriations, Supplemental Appropriations, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Patriot Act Reauthorization, Foreign Aid, Electronic Surveillance, Military Tribunals, Oman Trade Agreement, Line-item Rescission, Foreign Aid, COPS Funding, Head Start Funding, Minimum Wage, Peru Free Trade Agreement, Thought Crimes, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance, Economic Stimulus, Head Start, Bailout Bill, Employee Verification Program, Warrantless Searches, Supplemental Appropriations, COPS Funding, Energy-Water Appropriations, Cash for Clunkers Funding.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST: Ban on UN Contributions, not funding Mental Health Screening, Online Freedom of Speech, overhaul U.S. Treasury Borrowing, Defunding the NAIS, eliminate some Katrina Funding, bar funding of Iran Military Operations, specific congressional approval for Iran Military Operations, Iraq Troop Withdrawal.
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Cash for Clunkers Funding. The House voted for the “Cash for Clunkers” program in June. After running out of funds almost immediately, Congress quickly introduced yet another bill (H.R. 3435) that would provide an additional $2 billion for the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Under the program consumers were offered rebates of up to $4,500 if they traded in their old cars for more fuel-efficient ones. The vehicles traded in were destroyed, meaning cars not ready for the junkyard would be taken off the road, reducing the stock of used vehicles and inflating the prices of used cars. The House passed H.R. 3435 on July 31, 2009 by a vote of 316-109 (Roll Call 682). The federal government should not be subsidizing the car industry and because it is unconstitutional and wasteful.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Energy-Water Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3183 would appropriate $34 billion in fiscal 2010 for energy and water projects. The funds would provide $27.1 billion for the Energy Department, $5.4 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, and $1.1 billion for the Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation. The House passed the final version of H.R. 3183 on October 1, 2009 by a vote of 308-114 (Roll Call 752). The Department of Energy is not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
COPS Funding. The Community Oriented Policing Services bill (H.R. 1139) would authorize $1.8 billion a year from fiscal 2009 through 2014 for the Justice Department’s COPS program. This is up from the $1.05 billion that was authorized for the COPS program for fiscal years 2006 through 2009. The funds authorized for H.R. 1139 would aid in the hiring of law-enforcement officers. The House passed H.R. 1139 on April 23, 2009, by a vote of 342-78 (Roll Call 206). Providing federal aid to local law-enforcement programs is not only unconstitutional, but it also further federalizes the police system.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Supplemental Appropriations. The Fiscal 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 2346) would provide an additional $96.7 billion in “emergency” funding for the current fiscal year over and above the regular appropriations. Included in the funds for H.R. 2346 is $84.5 billion for the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, $10 billion for foreign aid programs, and $2 billion for flu pandemic preparation. The House passed H.R. 2346 on May 14, 2009, by a vote of 368-60 (Roll Call 265). This 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., foreign aid) is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Warrantless Searches. H.R. 6304, the bill to revamp the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), would allow warrantless electronic surveillance, including monitoring telephone conversations and e-mails, of foreign targets, including those communicating with American citizens in the United States. The final version of the bill would not explicitly grant immunity to telecommunications companies that have assisted President Bush’s warrantless surveillance program. But it would require courts to dismiss lawsuits against such companies if there is “substantial evidence” they were insured in writing the program was legal and authorized by the president. The provision would almost certainly result in the dismissal of the lawsuits. The House passed H.R. 6304 on June 20, 2008 by a vote of 293-129 (Roll Call 437). 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.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Employee Verification Program. H.R. 6633 would reauthorize the EVerify(Internet-based) pilot employment eligibility verification program allowing employers to verify employment eligibility of new hires. The program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security, which would be required to provide funding to the Social Security Administration for checking Social Security numbers submitted by employers under the program. The House passed the bill on July 31, 2008 by a vote of 407-2 (Roll Call 557). Social Security numbers were not intended to be used and should not be used as the basis for a national ID database. An alternative measure (H.R. 5515) would have the screening for employment eligibility verification provided by state-administered private companies that already track employee verification for child-support enforcement.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Bailout Bill. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424) passed 263-171 (Roll Call 681) on October 3, 2008. This bill authorizes the Treasury Department to use $700 billion of taxpayer money to purchase troubled mortgage-related securities from banks and other financial-related institutions, on terms set by the Treasury Secretary, who now has authority to manage and sell those assets. The bailout plan also expands FDIC protection from $100,000 to $250,000 per bank account, extends dozens of expiring tax provisions, expands incentives for renewable energy, provides a one-year adjustment to exempt millions of Americans from the alternative minimum tax, and requires health insurers who provide mental-health coverage to put mental-health benefits on par with other medical benefits. The bill establishes an unconstitutional merger of government with banks and businesses — in other words, corporate fascism — and greatly increases the national debt and monetary inflation by forcing taxpayers to pay the price for the failures of private financial institutions.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Head Start. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 1429, a bill to reauthorize the Head Start program through 2012, was adopted 381-36 on November 14, 2007 (Roll Call 1090). Head Start provides educational activities and social services for children up to age five from low-income families. The program received $6.9 billion in fiscal year 2007. $7 billion was authorized in the fiscal 2008 omnibus bill, but H.R. 1429 increased funding to $7.4 billion for fiscal 2008, $7.7 billion for 2009, and $8 billion for 2010. The income level at which families are eligible to participate was raised from 100 percent of the poverty level to 130 percent ($26,728 for a family of four). Some members opposed the bill because Head Start grants will not be allowed to faith-based organizations that hire employees on the basis of religious preference. The bill advances the federalizing of the educational system, and federal involvement in education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Economic Stimulus. H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, passed 385-35 on January 29, 2008 (Roll Call 25). It would provide about $150 billion in economic stimulus, including $101.1 billion in direct payments of rebate checks (typically $600) to most taxpayers in 2008 and temporary tax breaks for businesses. Creating money out of thin air and then spending the newly created money cannot improve the economy, at least not in the long term. (If it could, why not create even more money for rebates and make every American a millionaire?) The stimulus has no offset and thus increases the federal deficit by the amount of the stimulus because the government must borrow the rebate money. A realistic long-term stimulus can only be achieved by lowering taxes through less government and by reducing regulatory burdens.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance. This bill (S. 1927) would allow warrantless electronic surveillance (eavesdropping) of targets outside the United States regardless of whether they are communicating with someone within the United States. This surveillance had been conducted illegally by the CIA. Under this legislation, communications companies would be required to comply with surveillance requests and would be provided lawsuit protections. The House passed S. 1927 by a vote of 227-183 (Roll Call 836) on August 4, 2007. Warrantless surveillance of American citizens is a violation of the Fourth Amendment provision against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Although the bill includes a sunset provision causing it to expire after six months, President Bush has already called for making the bill permanent.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Thought Crimes. This bill (H.R. 1955), known as the “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007,” could more aptly be titled the “Thought Crimes Act.” The bill would establish a National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism and establish a grant program to prevent radicalization in the United States. However, critics charge that the bill is a thinly disguised attempt to criminalize dissent, based on the bill’s vague and open-ended language that could be used to trample basic rights to free speech and assembly, and turn legitimate dissent into thought crimes. For instance, the bill defines “violent radicalization” as “the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.” The bill does not define either “extremist belief system” or “facilitating ideologically based violence.” The bill also states that “the Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.” The House passed H.R. 1955 by a vote of 404-6 (Roll Call 993) on October 23, 2007. This bill threatens legitimate dissent.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Peru Free Trade Agreement. The Peru Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 3688) is another in a series of free-trade agreements to transfer the power to regulate trade (and other powers as well) to regional arrangements. Other examples include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). However, the Committee on Ways and Means Report accompanying H.R. 3688 noted that “the Peru FTA has become the first U.S. free trade agreement to include, in its core text fully enforceable commitments by the Parties to adopt, maintain, and enforce basic international labor standards, as stated in the 1988 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.” The ILO, or International Labor Organization, is a UN agency. The House passed the bill by a vote of 285-132 (Roll Call 1060) on November 8, 2007. The Peru FTA and other so-called free-trade arrangements threaten our national independence and (as we’ve seen with NAFTA) harm our economy.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Minimum Wage. The minimum-wage increase bill (H.R. 2) would increase the federal minimum wage by $2.10 over two years to $7.25 an hour. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) had repeatedly attempted to pass a minimum-wage increase in recent years, but the Republican-led Congress had always rejected his minimum-wage amendments. The minimum-wage increase represents one of the first major pushes of the newly elected Democratic Congress and was high up on the 100-hour legislative agenda pushed by House leaders at the beginning of the congressional year. In 1996, the federal minimum wage was increased by 90 cents to the current $5.15 an hour. Though many people believe that raising the federal minimum wage is a solution to national poverty, allowing the market to dictate wages allows entry-level workers to get the experience and job training they need to get higher paying jobs. The House passed H.R. 2 on January 10, 2007, by a vote of 315-116 (Roll Call 18it is unconstitutional for the government to prohibit citizens from working for less than a government-set wage.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Head Start Funding. The Head Start reauthorization bill (H.R. 1429) would authorize $7.4 billion for the Head Start program in fiscal 2008. The bill would also disburse “such sums as may be necessary” for fiscal years 2009-2012. The bill would also place more strict requirements on Head Start teachers, such as requiring them to have completed a bachelor’s degree by 2013. The funding for the Head Start program is up from the $6.9 billion that it received in fiscal 2007. The House passed this bill on May 2, 2007, by a vote of 365-48 (Roll Call 285). The bill perpetuates a federally funded educational program, and federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Iraq Troop Withdrawal. This bill to withdraw U.S. troops and Defense Department contractors from Iraq (H.R. 2237) was purely a symbolic bill with little chance of passage by the House. The bill would require the withdrawal of troops and contractors to begin within 90 days of the bill’s enactment, and to be completed within 180 days from the beginning date of the withdrawal. The House rejected this bill on May 10, 2007, by a vote of 171-255 (Roll Call 330). According to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, only Congress can declare war, and consequently our soldiers are not fighting under a constitutional mandate.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
COPS Funding. This bill (H.R. 1700) would provide the annual funds for the Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program for fiscal 2008 through 2013. The bill would authorize $1.15 billion per fiscal year to aid in the hiring of law enforcement officers. The funding would include up to $600 million each year for “officers hired to perform intelligence, anti-terror or homeland security duties.” The House passed H.R. 1700 on May 15, 2007, by a vote of 381-34 (Roll Call 348). Providing federal aid to local law enforcement programs is not only unconstitutional, but it also further federalizes the police system.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Iran Military Operations. During consideration for the fiscal 2008 defense authorization bill (H.R. 1585), Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) offered this amendment that would require President Bush to get specific congressional authorization before engaging in military operations in Iran. The House rejected the DeFazio amendment in a Committee of the Whole on May 16, 2007, by a vote of 136-288. The power to declare war belongs solely to Congress, not the president. Under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress alone has the power to declare war.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Foreign Aid. The fiscal 2007 foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 5522) would authorize $21.3 billion for foreign operations and economic assistance in fiscal 2007. Though foreign aid is supposed to help the poor and suffering in other countries, it instead has served to prop up economically deficient socialist regimes and to transfer wealth from American taxpayers to third-world elites. The House passed H.R. 5522 on June 9, 2006 by a vote of 373-34 (Roll Call 250). Foreign aid is unconstitutional and unworkable.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Iran Military Operations. Representative Maurice Hinchey (DN. Y.) offered this amendment to the 2007 Defense appropriations bill (H.R. 5631). The amendment would bar any funds to initiate military operations in Iran unless it is in accordance with Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress alone the power to declare war. The House rejected Hinchey’s amendment by a vote of 158-262 on June 20, 2006 (Roll Call 300). The power to declare war belongs to Congress, not to the president, and that much power should not be in the hands of one man.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Line-item Rescission. The legislative line-item rescission bill (H.R. 4890) would allow the president to propose cuts in spending bills already enacted by Congress. The cuts would then receive an up-or-down vote with no opportunity to filibuster or add amendments. The House passed H.R. 4890 by a vote of 247-172 on June 22, 2006 (Roll Call 317). The rescission bill, though not a full-fledged line-item veto, would still shift some legislative power from Congress to the president, disrupting the U.S. system of checks and balances.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Oman Trade Agreement. The Oman Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 5684) would reduce most tariffs and duties between Oman and the United States. H.R. 5684 was considered under fast track authority, which requires Congress to expedite consideration of presidentially negotiated trade pacts without offering amendments. The Oman agreement is just one steppingstone
in the White House’s effort to form a Middle Eastern Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013. These so-called free trade agreements have historically failed because they encourage the relocation of U.S. jobs to foreign countries so that the companies can get cheap labor. Meanwhile, they don’t provide the United States with trade benefits — largely because the people in those countries cannot afford to buy our products — thereby harming the U.S. economy. The agreements also put our economic destiny in the hands of unelected foreign bureaucrats, such as those at the World Trade Organization. The House passed H.R. 5684 by a vote of 221-205 on July 20, 2006 (Roll Call 392). Such trade agreements damage the U.S. economy and threaten U.S. sovereignty by the imposition of international regulations.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Military Tribunals. This bill (H.R. 6166) would authorize a new system of military tribunals to try persons designated “unlawful enemy combatants” by the president. The bill defines an unlawful enemy combatant to include a person who “has purposely and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents.” Once designated an unlawful enemy combatant, a defendant’s rights would be curtailed: he would be denied the right of habeas corpus; he could be detained indefinitely; and evidence obtained through coercion could be used against him — so long as the coercion falls outside the administration’s definition of torture. Critics of the tribunals bill are planning to file suit in order to test the constitutionality of the legislation. This legislation was in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29 ruling on the case of Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, which declared that the administration’s current system for trying military detainees was unconstitutional. The House passed the military tribunals bill on September 27, 2006 by a vote of 253-168 (Roll Call 491). The bill would curtail defendant rights.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Electronic Surveillance. The warrantless electronic surveillance bill (H.R. 5825) would allow electronic surveillance of communications with suspected terrorists without first obtaining approval from the secret courts established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Furthermore, the bill would authorize unwarranted surveillance for up to 90 days in some instances if a threat was considered “imminent.” Intelligence agencies would be allowed to conduct warrantless surveillance for seven days prior to gaining court approval if the threat was considered an “emergency situation.” This controversial bill had full support of the Bush administration as a means to provide greater national security in a post-9/11 world. The House passed H.R. 5825 on September 28, 2006 by a vote of 232-191 (Roll Call 502). Such a law would violate the Fourth Amendment by subjecting U.S. citizens to unreasonable searches and seizures.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Aid. The final version (conference report) of this appro¬priations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $21 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006.
The House passed the final version of this legislation on November 4, 2005 by a vote of 358-39 (Roll Call 569). For¬eign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Patriot Act Reauthorization. This is the final version (confer¬ence report) of the Patriot Act reauthori¬zation (H.R. 3199). In the weeks follow¬ing the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress quickly passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelli¬gence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search home and business records, expanded the FBI’s wiretapping and surveillance authority, and expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts. When passed in 2001 the bill included a “sunset” provision under which the new surveillance powers “shall cease to have effect on December 21, 2005.” The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by Congress last year would make permanent 14 of the 16 pro¬visions included in the bill, and extend for four years the two remaining provisions.
The House passed the final version of the bill to reauthorize the Patriot Act on December 14, 2005 by a vote of 251-174 (Roll Call 627). The Patriot Act tramples on the constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropri¬ations. This massive social-wel¬fare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.5 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($474.1 billion), and related agencies. H.R. 3010 is the largest of the appropria¬tions bills considered by Congress this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over a similar appro¬priations bill for fiscal 2005.
The House passed the bill on Decem¬ber 14, 2005 by a vote of 215-213 (Roll Call 628). The bill would provide an increase in spending, and social-welfare programs are unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Katrina Funding. During con¬sideration of the 2006 supplemen¬tal appropriations bill (H.R. 4939), Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to eliminate the $19.2 bil¬lion appropriated in the bill for Hurricane Katrina relief. Neugebauer argued that the supplemental Katrina aid, and the sup¬plemental funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are separate issues and should be voted on separately.
The House rejected the Neugebauer amendment on March 16, 2006 by a vote of 89-332 (Roll Call 57). This bill would have significantly cut uncon¬stitutional federally funded disaster relief.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Supplemental Appropria¬tions. This legislation (H.R. 4939) would appropriate a whopping $91.9 billion for emergency supple¬mental funding in fiscal 2006, including $67.6 billion for the wars in Iraq and Af¬ghanistan, $4.3 billion for foreign aid, and $19.2 billion for Hurricane Katrina relief. Congressional Quarterly noted that the funding in the bill “for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would push to more than $390 billion the war-related supplemental funds appropriated since Sept. 11. It would be the sixth major emergency spending measure for the Bush administration.”
The House passed H.R. 4939 on March 16, 2006 by a vote of 348-71 (Roll Call 65). Even if the spending were con¬stitutional — the funding should be voted on as part of the regular appropriations process and not introduced after the fact as “emergency” spending, ignoring fiscal responsibility.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Defunding the NAIS. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to the fiscal 2007 agriculture appropriations (H.R. 5384). Paul’s amend¬ment would bar the use of funds in the bill to implement the National Animal Iden¬tification System (NAIS), a government program that would electronically track farm cattle and poultry in hopes of pre¬venting the spread of disease. Writing about the program, Paul stated, “NAIS means more gov¬ernment, more reg¬ulations, more fees, more federal spend¬ing, less privacy, and diminished property rights.”
The House re¬jected Paul’s amendment on May 23, 2006, by a vote of 34-389 (Roll Call 184). The program would unconstitution¬ally allocate federal spending, place useless regulations on farmers, and threaten the privacy rights of American citizens.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill would provide $93.6 billion in fiscal 2007 for the Depart¬ment of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. The funding includes $37.9 billion for the food-stamp program, $13.3 billion for the child-nutrition program, and $19.7 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation, a federally funded program that aids farmers. The House passed H.R. 5384 on May 23, 2006 by a vote of 378-46 (Roll Call 193). Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This mammoth social welfare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide a total of $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.7 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($473.8 billion), and related agencies. The bill is by far the largest of the 11 appropriations bills written by the House this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over a similar appropriations bill for the previous year. The House passed this bill on June 24, 2005 by a vote of 250-151 (Roll Call 321). This bill represents a significant increase in spending, and social-welfare programs are unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Aid. This appropriations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $20.3 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006. The House passed the foreign aid bill on June 28, 2005 by a vote of 393-32 (Roll Call 335). Foreign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Patriot Act Reauthorization. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelligence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts; increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search homes and business records; expanded the FBI’s wiretapping and surveillance authority; and provided for nationwide jurisdiction for search warrants and electronic surveillance devices, including the legal extension of those devices to e-mail and the Internet The bill included a “sunset” provision under which the new surveillance powers “shall cease to have effect on December 31, 2005.” The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by the current Congress would make permanent 14 of the 16 provisions set to expire at the end of this year and extend for 10 years the remaining two provisions. The House passed the reauthorization on July 21, 2005 by a vote of 257-171 (Roll Call 414). The Patriot Act tramples on the constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
CAFTA. This bill (H.R. 3045) would implement the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), thereby expanding the devastating consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), including the job losses wrought by NAFTA. CAFTA is intended by the Power Elite to be a steppingstone from NAFTA to the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which would include all of the countries of the Western Hemisphere except (for now) Cuba. Like NAFTA, which has already begun imposing its trade rulings on America, CAFTA and the FTAA would not be genuine free trade arrangements; they would instead manage trade and would gradually exercise more powers on the road to a supranational government modeled after the European Union. The House passed CAFTA on July 28, 2005 by a vote of 217-215 (Roll Call 443). CAFTA would further damage the U.S. economy and threaten U.S. sovereignty.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Surface Transportation. The final version (conference report) of this bill (H.R. 3) would authorize $286.5 billion for federal highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs through fiscal 2009. The bill is laden with thousands of “pork barrel” transportation projects requested by individual lawmakers. The House adopted the final version of this legislation on July 29, 2005 by a vote of 412-8 (Roll Call 453). The bill increases transportation spending and is fiscally irresponsible.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations. In the wake of the devastating hurricane disaster in the Gulf Coast, Congress quickly passed legislation that would appropriate $51.8 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2005 (H.R. 3673) to be used for relief in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Commenting on how the tragic images of Katrina were used to justify more federal welfare and interventionism, as opposed to private charity and initiatives, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) noted on September 15, after the House and Senate votes: “These scenes prompted two emotional reactions. One side claims Katrina proved there was not enough government welfare.... The other side claims we need to pump billions of new dollars into the very federal agency that failed (FEMA).... Both sides support more authoritarianism, more centralization, and even the imposition of martial law in times of natural disasters.” The House passed the Katrina appropriations bill on September 8, 2005 by a vote of 410-11 (Roll Call 460). Federally financing disaster relief is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Head Start Funding. This legislation (H.R. 2123) would reauthorize the Head Start program through fiscal 2011 and provide $6.8 billion for the program in 2006. The bill would also increase educational standards for Head Start teachers. The House passed the Head Start bill on September 22, 2005 by a vote of 231-184 (Roll Call 493). The bill would further federalize the educational system, and federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
U.S. Treasury Borrowing. During consideration of a bill to overhaul the regulation of government-sponsored enterprises, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered this amendment to “eliminate the ability of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board to borrow from the Treasury.” During floor debate on his amendment, Paul stated, “I hope my colleagues join me in protecting taxpayers from having to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when the housing bubble bursts.” The House rejected Paul’s amendment on October 26, 2005 by a vote of 47-371 (Roll Call 544). Paul’s amendment would (in Paul’s words) seek to end a “massive unconstitutional and immoral” transfer of income from working Americans to government-sponsored enterprises.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Online Freedom of Speech. The Online Freedom of Speech Act (H.R. 1606) would exempt the Internet — including blogs, e-mail, and other online speech — from being subject to campaign finance laws and Federal Election Commission regulation. Because supporters attempted to pass the bill under a suspension of the rules, a two-thirds majority of those present and voting was required for passage. Supporters got a solid majority but not the necessary two-thirds, and the legislation was rejected on November 2, 2005 by a vote of 225-182 (Roll Call 559). The bill would protect free speech.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Vocational/Technical Training. This bill (H.R. 366) would reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, which funds vocational and technical education programs. The bill would authorize $1.3 billion in fiscal 2006 and “such funds as necessary” in fiscal 2007-11. It would also merge Perkins funding with “Tech-Prep,” a program that provides certain math and science courses to high school students to “ease the transition” from high school to a vocational or community college. The House passed this bill on May 4, 2005 by a vote of 416-9 (Roll Call 154). Federal aid to education and job training programs is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Supplemental Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of this supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 1268) would add another $82 billion to the federal budget for fiscal 2005. The supplemental spending, even if needed and constitutional, should not have been added on to the annual federal budget after the fact, but should have been included as part of the regular appropriations process. The supplemental spending in this bill includes $75.9 billion for defense-related purposes, most of it for the military occupation of Iraq, and $907 million for tsunami victims, the latter clearly unconstitutional. One particularly objectionable element of this legislation is the REAL ID Act, which was added to the supplemental appropriations bill by the conference committee. The REAL ID Act would authorize the federal government to impose national standards for driver’s licenses and there by develop a national ID system. The House adopted the final version of H.R. 1268 on May 5, 2005 by a vote of 368-58 (Roll Call 161). This bill contains both unconstitutional spending and the REAL ID Act.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
UN “Reforms.” On the surface, this United Nations “reform” bill (H.R. 2745) appears to be a “conservative” get tough response to UN corruption. It would withhold up to 50 percent of U.S. dues to the UN unless the UN makes certain operational changes, and many “conservatives” voted for it. In reality, the legislation calls for strengthening the UN in the name of “reform.” Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) warned in his June 13 Texas Straight Talk column that the “reform” bill supports creation of a “Peace building Commission,” which “will serve as the implementing force for the internationalization of what were formerly internal affairs of sovereign nations.” The House passed the UN “reform” bill on June 17, 2005 by a vote of 221-184 (Roll Call 282). The “reform” bill is a trap, and the solution to the UN threat is not to “reform” the world body but to get the U.S. out.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Mental Health Screening. During consideration of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (H.R. 3010), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered an amendment to “prohibit the use of funds in the bill to create or implement any universal mental health screening program.” The House rejected Paul’s amendment on June 24, 2005 by a vote of 97-304 (Roll Call 317). Federally funding such programs is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 4766) would appropriate $83.7 billion for agriculture, rural development, and nutrition programs in fiscal 2005. Over half ($50.2 billion) of the funding in the so-called agriculture appropriations bill would be for domestic food and nutrition programs, including $33.6 billion for the food stamp program and $11.3 billion for child nutrition programs. Another $27 billion would be for agriculture programs, including $16.5 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation. The House passed H.R. 4766 on July 13, 2004 by a vote of 389 to 31 (Roll Call 370). Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are unconstitutional activities of the federal government.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Aid. The foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 4818) would provide $19.4 billion in fiscal 2005, an 11 percent increase over fiscal 2004 funding. The House passed H.R. 4818 on July 15, 2004 by a vote of 365 to 41 (Roll Call 390). Foreign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This mammoth appropriations bill (H.R. 5006) would provide $496.6 billion in fiscal 2005, including $374.3 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $60.3 billion for the Department of Education, and $14.9 billion for the Department of Labor. Total fiscal 2005 appropriations would be 3.5 percent higher than fiscal 2004 appropriations. The House passed H.R. 5006 on September 9, 2004 by a vote of 388 to 13 (Roll Call 440). These departments are not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Child Nutrition Programs. This bill (H.R. 3873) would reauthorize through fiscal 2008 several child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the After-School Snack Program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 3873 would increase direct spending on these programs by about $226 million over the 2004-2008 period. Since obesity in school-age children has greatly increased since 1980, the school lunch program reauthorization bill has become a popular vehicle for proposals aimed at reducing obesity. This bill would require schools to develop “wellness policies” that establish nutritional guidelines for all food sold in schools; however, it stops short of setting mandatory federal standards. The House agreed to the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3873 on March 24, 2004 by a vote of 419 to 5 (Roll Call 82). Providing food for citizens is an unconstitutional activity of the federal government. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (283 in this case) is required for passage under a suspension of the rules.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
North American Development Bank. This bill (H.R. 254), as amended by the Senate, would implement a U.S.-Mexico agreement that would allow the North American Development Bank (NAD Bank) to make below-market-loans. It would also extend the area in Mexico served by the bank to a zone along the border 186 miles wide (compared to the current 62 miles wide). The NAD Bank was established by the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to finance development on both sides of the U.S.- Mexico border. The bank is funded by both the United States and Mexico. The House agreed to a motion to suspend the rules and passed H.R. 254 on March 25, 2004 by a vote of 377 to 48 (Roll Call 87). Foreign aid to Mexico in the form of below-market-loans funded by U.S. taxpayers is unconstitutional. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (284 in this case) is required for passage under a suspension of the rules.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Fiscal 2005 Budget Resolution. This resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 393) would establish broad spending and revenue targets over the next five years. It calls for $871.3 billion in “discretionary” spending (including $50 billion for supplemental funding of operations in Iraq) and another $1.5 trillion in “mandatory” spending for fiscal 2005. Based on these targets, the “mandatory” spending portion of the budget would increase by 5 percent over last year, and the total budget — a whopping $2.4 trillion — would increase by 3 percent. This resolution projects that the budget deficit would be cut significantly by fiscal 2009 (from $376.8 billion in fiscal 2005 to $234 billion in fiscal 2009); however, according to a Congressional Quarterly Fact Sheet, “Budget Resolution for FY 2005,” these projected deficits are deceptively low due to an accounting sleight-of hand whereby “these deficits are calculated by using the surpluses in the Social Security trust funds to offset spending on other programs. If these Social Security surpluses are not counted, the projected deficits in each fiscal year would be $550.7 billion in FY 2005 and $471.8 billion in FY 2009.” The House adopted this resolution on March 25, 2004 by a vote of 215 to 212 (Roll Call 92). This budget perpetuates the fiscally irresponsible, largely unconstitutional federal spending with its attendant record-breaking deficits of recent years.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Surface Transportation. This bill (H.R. 3550) would authorize $284 billion in federal aid for highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs for fiscal years 2004-2009. This total includes $217 billion for highways, $51.5 billion for mass transit, and $11.1 billion for House members’ transportation projects. The Bush administration had wanted to limit the spending in the bill to $256 billion, which, noted White House spokesman Scott McClellan, would still increase spending by 21 percent. But the House added an additional $28 billion to the bill (11 percent more than the president had requested). The House passed H.R. 3550 on April 2, 2004 by a vote of 357 to 65 (Roll Call 114). This double-digit increase in spending on surface transportation is fiscally irresponsible at a time of record breaking federal deficits.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Job Training and Worker Services. This bill (H.R. 444) would authorize the creation of “personal re-employment accounts” of up to $3,000 for unemployed workers at risk of exhausting their state unemployment benefits. Money in this account could be used for such expenses as education, childcare, healthcare or transportation. Those workers who find a job within 13 weeks would be allowed to take the balance in their account as a “reemployment bonus.” This bill would authorize $50 million in fiscal 2005 for these “personal re-employment accounts.” The House passed H.R. 444 on June 3, 2004 by a vote of 213 to 203 (Roll Call 225). Federal aid for job training or unemployment services is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 2660) would appropriate $470 billion for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments for fiscal 2004, a 10 percent increase over fiscal 2003. This bill, the biggest of the fiscal 2004 domestic spending bills, includes $138 billion for discretionary spending, including $55.4 billion for education and $22.7 billion for the National Institutes of Health. That leaves $332 billion for so-called mandatory spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance. The House passed H.R. 2660 on July 10, 2003 by a vote of 215 to 208 (Roll Call 353). This bill represents a significant increase in spending, and these departments are not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 2673) would appropriate $77.5 billion for agriculture, rural development and nutrition programs in fiscal 2004. Over half of the money appropriated by this “agriculture” bill is earmarked for so-called mandatory spending on nutrition programs, including $28 billion for food stamps and $16 billion for school lunch and other nutrition programs. Total spending for traditional agricultural programs is $26.8 billion, a 5 percent increase. The House passed H.R. 2673 on July 14, 2003 by a vote of 347 to 64 (Roll Call 358). Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are unconstitutional activities of the federal government.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Ban on UN Contributions. This amendment to H.R. 1950 (Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005) by Rep. Ron Paul (R Texas) stated that “none of the funds authorized … by this Act may be obligated or expended to pay any United States contribution to the United Nations or any affiliated agency of the United Nations.” The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 1950 on July 15, 2003 by a vote of 74 to 350 (Roll Call 364). Blocking the funding for the United Nations in this bill would be a first step toward getting our nation out of the UN and fully restoring our national sovereignty.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
U.S.-Singapore Trade. This bill (H.R. 2739) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Singapore. A similar bill, the U.S.-Chile Trade Agreement (H.R. 2738), was presented to Congress at the same time as the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement. These are the first in a series of bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs) that the Bush administration is negotiating, which will culminate in 2005 in the largest and most significant FTA of them all, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The model for the FTAA is the European Union (EU), formerly the “Common Market,” which has grown by design from a supposed free trade agreement into a supranational government for Europe. The world order architects intend for the FTAA to follow the same trajectory for the Americas. The House passed H.R. 2739 on July 24, 2003 by a vote of 272 to 155 (Roll Call 432). These bilateral “free trade” agreements are intended to be stepping stones to the FTAA, which would set trade (and eventually other) policies for the member nations. However, under the U.S. Constitution only Congress has the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states....”
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
U.S.-Chile Trade. This bill (H.R. 2738) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Chile. The significance of this trade agreement, like that of the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement, is described under House vote roll call 432, above. The House passed H.R. 2738 on July 24, 2003 by a vote of 270 to 156 (Roll Call 436). These bilateral “free trade” agreements are intended to be stepping stones to the FTAA, which would set trade (and eventually other) policies for the member nations. However, under the U.S. Constitution only Congress has the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states....”
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3289 would appropriate $87.5 billion in supplemental fiscal 2004 spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the largest supplemental that Congress has ever passed. Of this total, military operations would receive $65.8 billion. Iraq reconstruction would be funded by grants totaling $18.6 billion, while reconstruction in Afghanistan would receive $1.2 billion. William Norman Grigg predicted in the March 24 issue of The New American magazine that “the impending war on, or occupation of, Iraq is intended to carry out the UN Security Council mandates, not to protect our nation or to punish those responsible for the September 11th attack. The war would uphold the UN’s supposed authority and vindicate its role as a de facto world government.” In its November 20 report on President Bush’s speech at London’s Whitehall Palace the Guardian of London provided a concise confirmation of Mr. Grigg’s prediction in its headline “Iraq war saved the UN, says president.” Now American taxpayers must pay tens of billions of dollars, hundreds of billions ultimately, for this latest military intervention to empower the UN. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3289 on October 31, 2003 by a vote of 298 to 121 (Roll Call 601). The U.S. military was sent into Iraq to enforce UN resolutions, when the only proper use of our nation’s armed forces is to protect the lives and property of American citizens, and the huge U.S.-funded infrastructure rebuilding program in Iraq and Afghanistan is another example of unconstitutional
foreign aid.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of House Joint Resolution 2 would provide $397 billion in fiscal 2003 for all Cabinet departments and government agencies covered in 11 unfinished spending bills from the 107th Congress. The bills included are: Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-State, District of Columbia, Energy and Water Development, Foreign Operations, Interior, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch, Transportation, Treasury-Postal Service, and VA-HUD. The problem with the omnibus approach is that thousands of unconstitutional activities are lumped together with legitimate legislation in one massive bill. Thus, big government is perpetuated with a minimum of accountability. The House adopted the conference report on H. J. Res. 2 on February 13, 2003 by a vote of 338 to 83 (Roll Call 32). This bill perpetuates huge amounts of unconstitutional federal spending.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Budget Resolution — Final Version. The final version (conference report) of the budget resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 95) would authorize federal spending for fiscal 2004 of $1,861 billion dollars with a deficit of $558 billion and an increase in the public debt ceiling of $984 billion. This planned deficit of $558 billion dwarfs the previous record federal deficit of $290 billion in 1992. The $984 billion increase in the public debt ceiling authorized in this bill constituted, under Rule XXVII of the House, approval of the debt limit increase bill (House Joint Resolution 51) without having to cast a separate vote just on increasing the debt ceiling. Subsequently the Senate passed H. J. Res. 51 and President Bush signed it into law, increasing the public debt ceiling by $984 billion (for a new total of $7.4 trillion) and giving Congress a green light to continue its fiscally irresponsible ways. This resolution also includes $400 billion for a Medicare prescription drug benefit for 2004-2013. The House adopted the conference report on H. Con. Res. 95 on April 11, 2003 by a vote of 216 to 211 (Roll Call 141). This budget resolution was fiscally irresponsible.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Special Education. This bill (H.R. 1350) would reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. One of its provisions would authorize increasing federal grants to defray more of the state cost of educating special education students, from the current 18 percent to 40 percent by 2010. Other provisions would allow school personnel to discipline special education students the same as nondisabled students, reduce paperwork requirements for special education teachers, and limit parents’ ability to sue school districts. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 1350 would cost $50 billion over the 2004-2009 period. The House passed H.R. 1350 on April 30, 2003 by a vote of 251 to 171 (Roll Call 154). Federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Global AIDS Initiative. This bill (H.R.1298) would authorize $15 billion ($3 billion annually) for fiscal years 2004 through 2008 to provide assistance to foreign countries for the stated purpose of combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Much of this funding will be funneled through the Global AIDS Fund and other UN agencies and programs notorious for promoting abortion, as well as encouraging promiscuity through “sex education” courses supposedly aimed at stemming AIDS. The House passed H.R. 1298 on May 1, 2003 by a vote of 375 to 41 (Roll Call 158). Foreign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Unemployment Benefits. This bill (H.R. 2185) would extend the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 through December 31, 2003. This would provide an additional 13 weeks of federal aid to workers in all states who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits. It would also provide another 13 weeks of federal benefits to workers in states with high unemployment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 2185 would increase federal outlays by a total of $7.9 billion over the fiscal years 2003 and 2004. The House passed H.R. 2185 on May 22, 2003 by a vote of 409 to 19 (Roll Call 223). Federal aid to unemployed workers is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
National Science Foundation. This bill (H.R. 4664) would authorize $5.5 billion (a 15% increase) for the National Science Foundation for fiscal 2003, then increase that amount by an additional 15% annually for each of the next two years. The House passed H.R. 4664 on June 5, 2002 by a vote of 397 to 25 (Roll Call 212).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Prescription Drug Plan — Republican Alternative. This bill (H.R. 4954) would subsidize private insurance companies for offering prescription drug policies to Medicare beneficiaries. Under this Republican plan, the cost would be $33 per month with a $250 annual deductible. Patients would pay 20 percent of costs from $251 to $1,000 and 50 percent from $1,001 to $2,000. Patients would pay all costs from $2,001 to $3,700, with anything above that covered 100% by the insurers. The estimated cost of this socialist-lite prescription plan for seniors is $350 billion over 10 years. The House passed H.R. 4954 on June 28, 2002 by a vote of 221 to 208 (Roll Call 282).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Interior Department Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 5093) would appropriate $19.8 billion in fiscal 2003 for the Department of the Interior, including emergency funds to fight western wildfires. Congress persists in gradually restoring funding for the entirely unconstitutional National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities to the level they enjoyed in 1994 before the Republicans won control of Congress. This bill would award $126 million to the National Endowment for the Arts, a $10 million increase, and $131 million to the National Endowment for the Humanities, a $5 million increase. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The goal of arts supporters is eventually to match, if not surpass 1994 funding levels: $162 million for NEA and $177 million for NEH.” The House passed H.R. 5093 on July 17, 2002 by a vote of 377 to 46 (Roll Call 318).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Homeland Security. This bill (H.R. 5005) would consolidate 22 federal agencies into a new Cabinet-level Homeland Security Department with a $37.5 billion budget and 170,000 employees. Far from being a response to 9-11, the Office of Homeland Security had been in the works long before the terrorist attacks. The basic blueprint for the department was created by the Council on Foreign Relations dominated Hart-Rudman Commission. Creating the Homeland Security Department would be a giant step toward integrating federal, state, and local law enforcement under federal supervision, the hallmark of a police state. For example, the Bush administration’s “National Strategy for Homeland Security” states: “[T]he homeland security community will view the federal, state, and local governments as one entity....” The House passed H.R. 5005 on July 26, 2002 by a vote of 295 to 132 (Roll Call 367).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Trade Promotion Authority. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3009 would give President Bush Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) for congressional consideration of trade agreements reached before June 1, 2005. President Bush has made it abundantly clear that he intends to use TPA to complete negotiations on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by early 2005. The FTAA could be modeled after the EU, but is designed to evolve toward a full-blown regional government at a greatly accelerated pace. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3009 on July 27, 2002 by a vote of 215 to 212 (Roll Call 370).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
War Authorization Against Iraq. This joint resolution (House Joint Resolution 114) authorizes the president “to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to — (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.” However, since the Constitution gives Congress the sole responsibility for declaring war, this resolution represents congressional abdication of its responsibility. Furthermore, the main thrust of the joint resolution is that the president is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States to “strictly enforce through the United Nations Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.” That is, the purpose of the resolution is to enforce UN Security Council dictates.
The House passed H. J. Res. 114 on October 10, 2002 by a vote of 296 to 133
(Roll Call 455).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Zach Wamp voted FOR: War Authorization Against Iraq, Trade Promotion Authority, Homeland Security, Interior Department Appropriations, Prescription Drug Plan — Republican Alternative, National Science Foundation, Unemployment Benefits, Global AIDS Initiative, Special Education, Budget Resolution — Final Version, Fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations, Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan, U.S.-Chile Trade, U.S.-Singapore Trade, Agriculture Appropriations, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Job Training and Worker Services, Surface Transportation, Fiscal 2005 Budget Resolution, North American Development Bank, Child Nutrition Programs, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Foreign Aid, Agriculture Appropriations, UN “Reforms.”, Supplemental Appropriations, Vocational/Technical Training, Head Start Funding, Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations, Surface Transportation, CAFTA, Patriot Act Reauthorization, Foreign Aid, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Agriculture Appropriations, Supplemental Appropriations, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Patriot Act Reauthorization, Foreign Aid, Electronic Surveillance, Military Tribunals, Oman Trade Agreement, Line-item Rescission, Foreign Aid, COPS Funding, Head Start Funding, Minimum Wage, Peru Free Trade Agreement, Thought Crimes, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance, Economic Stimulus, Head Start, Bailout Bill, Employee Verification Program, Warrantless Searches, Supplemental Appropriations, COPS Funding, Energy-Water Appropriations, Cash for Clunkers Funding.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST: Ban on UN Contributions, not funding Mental Health Screening, Online Freedom of Speech, overhaul U.S. Treasury Borrowing, Defunding the NAIS, eliminate some Katrina Funding, bar funding of Iran Military Operations, specific congressional approval for Iran Military Operations, Iraq Troop Withdrawal.
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Cash for Clunkers Funding. The House voted for the “Cash for Clunkers” program in June. After running out of funds almost immediately, Congress quickly introduced yet another bill (H.R. 3435) that would provide an additional $2 billion for the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Under the program consumers were offered rebates of up to $4,500 if they traded in their old cars for more fuel-efficient ones. The vehicles traded in were destroyed, meaning cars not ready for the junkyard would be taken off the road, reducing the stock of used vehicles and inflating the prices of used cars. The House passed H.R. 3435 on July 31, 2009 by a vote of 316-109 (Roll Call 682). The federal government should not be subsidizing the car industry and because it is unconstitutional and wasteful.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Energy-Water Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3183 would appropriate $34 billion in fiscal 2010 for energy and water projects. The funds would provide $27.1 billion for the Energy Department, $5.4 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, and $1.1 billion for the Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation. The House passed the final version of H.R. 3183 on October 1, 2009 by a vote of 308-114 (Roll Call 752). The Department of Energy is not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
COPS Funding. The Community Oriented Policing Services bill (H.R. 1139) would authorize $1.8 billion a year from fiscal 2009 through 2014 for the Justice Department’s COPS program. This is up from the $1.05 billion that was authorized for the COPS program for fiscal years 2006 through 2009. The funds authorized for H.R. 1139 would aid in the hiring of law-enforcement officers. The House passed H.R. 1139 on April 23, 2009, by a vote of 342-78 (Roll Call 206). Providing federal aid to local law-enforcement programs is not only unconstitutional, but it also further federalizes the police system.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Supplemental Appropriations. The Fiscal 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 2346) would provide an additional $96.7 billion in “emergency” funding for the current fiscal year over and above the regular appropriations. Included in the funds for H.R. 2346 is $84.5 billion for the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, $10 billion for foreign aid programs, and $2 billion for flu pandemic preparation. The House passed H.R. 2346 on May 14, 2009, by a vote of 368-60 (Roll Call 265). This 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., foreign aid) is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Warrantless Searches. H.R. 6304, the bill to revamp the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), would allow warrantless electronic surveillance, including monitoring telephone conversations and e-mails, of foreign targets, including those communicating with American citizens in the United States. The final version of the bill would not explicitly grant immunity to telecommunications companies that have assisted President Bush’s warrantless surveillance program. But it would require courts to dismiss lawsuits against such companies if there is “substantial evidence” they were insured in writing the program was legal and authorized by the president. The provision would almost certainly result in the dismissal of the lawsuits. The House passed H.R. 6304 on June 20, 2008 by a vote of 293-129 (Roll Call 437). 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.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Employee Verification Program. H.R. 6633 would reauthorize the EVerify(Internet-based) pilot employment eligibility verification program allowing employers to verify employment eligibility of new hires. The program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security, which would be required to provide funding to the Social Security Administration for checking Social Security numbers submitted by employers under the program. The House passed the bill on July 31, 2008 by a vote of 407-2 (Roll Call 557). Social Security numbers were not intended to be used and should not be used as the basis for a national ID database. An alternative measure (H.R. 5515) would have the screening for employment eligibility verification provided by state-administered private companies that already track employee verification for child-support enforcement.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Bailout Bill. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424) passed 263-171 (Roll Call 681) on October 3, 2008. This bill authorizes the Treasury Department to use $700 billion of taxpayer money to purchase troubled mortgage-related securities from banks and other financial-related institutions, on terms set by the Treasury Secretary, who now has authority to manage and sell those assets. The bailout plan also expands FDIC protection from $100,000 to $250,000 per bank account, extends dozens of expiring tax provisions, expands incentives for renewable energy, provides a one-year adjustment to exempt millions of Americans from the alternative minimum tax, and requires health insurers who provide mental-health coverage to put mental-health benefits on par with other medical benefits. The bill establishes an unconstitutional merger of government with banks and businesses — in other words, corporate fascism — and greatly increases the national debt and monetary inflation by forcing taxpayers to pay the price for the failures of private financial institutions.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Head Start. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 1429, a bill to reauthorize the Head Start program through 2012, was adopted 381-36 on November 14, 2007 (Roll Call 1090). Head Start provides educational activities and social services for children up to age five from low-income families. The program received $6.9 billion in fiscal year 2007. $7 billion was authorized in the fiscal 2008 omnibus bill, but H.R. 1429 increased funding to $7.4 billion for fiscal 2008, $7.7 billion for 2009, and $8 billion for 2010. The income level at which families are eligible to participate was raised from 100 percent of the poverty level to 130 percent ($26,728 for a family of four). Some members opposed the bill because Head Start grants will not be allowed to faith-based organizations that hire employees on the basis of religious preference. The bill advances the federalizing of the educational system, and federal involvement in education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Economic Stimulus. H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, passed 385-35 on January 29, 2008 (Roll Call 25). It would provide about $150 billion in economic stimulus, including $101.1 billion in direct payments of rebate checks (typically $600) to most taxpayers in 2008 and temporary tax breaks for businesses. Creating money out of thin air and then spending the newly created money cannot improve the economy, at least not in the long term. (If it could, why not create even more money for rebates and make every American a millionaire?) The stimulus has no offset and thus increases the federal deficit by the amount of the stimulus because the government must borrow the rebate money. A realistic long-term stimulus can only be achieved by lowering taxes through less government and by reducing regulatory burdens.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance. This bill (S. 1927) would allow warrantless electronic surveillance (eavesdropping) of targets outside the United States regardless of whether they are communicating with someone within the United States. This surveillance had been conducted illegally by the CIA. Under this legislation, communications companies would be required to comply with surveillance requests and would be provided lawsuit protections. The House passed S. 1927 by a vote of 227-183 (Roll Call 836) on August 4, 2007. Warrantless surveillance of American citizens is a violation of the Fourth Amendment provision against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Although the bill includes a sunset provision causing it to expire after six months, President Bush has already called for making the bill permanent.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Thought Crimes. This bill (H.R. 1955), known as the “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007,” could more aptly be titled the “Thought Crimes Act.” The bill would establish a National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism and establish a grant program to prevent radicalization in the United States. However, critics charge that the bill is a thinly disguised attempt to criminalize dissent, based on the bill’s vague and open-ended language that could be used to trample basic rights to free speech and assembly, and turn legitimate dissent into thought crimes. For instance, the bill defines “violent radicalization” as “the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.” The bill does not define either “extremist belief system” or “facilitating ideologically based violence.” The bill also states that “the Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.” The House passed H.R. 1955 by a vote of 404-6 (Roll Call 993) on October 23, 2007. This bill threatens legitimate dissent.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Peru Free Trade Agreement. The Peru Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 3688) is another in a series of free-trade agreements to transfer the power to regulate trade (and other powers as well) to regional arrangements. Other examples include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). However, the Committee on Ways and Means Report accompanying H.R. 3688 noted that “the Peru FTA has become the first U.S. free trade agreement to include, in its core text fully enforceable commitments by the Parties to adopt, maintain, and enforce basic international labor standards, as stated in the 1988 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.” The ILO, or International Labor Organization, is a UN agency. The House passed the bill by a vote of 285-132 (Roll Call 1060) on November 8, 2007. The Peru FTA and other so-called free-trade arrangements threaten our national independence and (as we’ve seen with NAFTA) harm our economy.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Minimum Wage. The minimum-wage increase bill (H.R. 2) would increase the federal minimum wage by $2.10 over two years to $7.25 an hour. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) had repeatedly attempted to pass a minimum-wage increase in recent years, but the Republican-led Congress had always rejected his minimum-wage amendments. The minimum-wage increase represents one of the first major pushes of the newly elected Democratic Congress and was high up on the 100-hour legislative agenda pushed by House leaders at the beginning of the congressional year. In 1996, the federal minimum wage was increased by 90 cents to the current $5.15 an hour. Though many people believe that raising the federal minimum wage is a solution to national poverty, allowing the market to dictate wages allows entry-level workers to get the experience and job training they need to get higher paying jobs. The House passed H.R. 2 on January 10, 2007, by a vote of 315-116 (Roll Call 18it is unconstitutional for the government to prohibit citizens from working for less than a government-set wage.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Head Start Funding. The Head Start reauthorization bill (H.R. 1429) would authorize $7.4 billion for the Head Start program in fiscal 2008. The bill would also disburse “such sums as may be necessary” for fiscal years 2009-2012. The bill would also place more strict requirements on Head Start teachers, such as requiring them to have completed a bachelor’s degree by 2013. The funding for the Head Start program is up from the $6.9 billion that it received in fiscal 2007. The House passed this bill on May 2, 2007, by a vote of 365-48 (Roll Call 285). The bill perpetuates a federally funded educational program, and federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Iraq Troop Withdrawal. This bill to withdraw U.S. troops and Defense Department contractors from Iraq (H.R. 2237) was purely a symbolic bill with little chance of passage by the House. The bill would require the withdrawal of troops and contractors to begin within 90 days of the bill’s enactment, and to be completed within 180 days from the beginning date of the withdrawal. The House rejected this bill on May 10, 2007, by a vote of 171-255 (Roll Call 330). According to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, only Congress can declare war, and consequently our soldiers are not fighting under a constitutional mandate.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
COPS Funding. This bill (H.R. 1700) would provide the annual funds for the Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program for fiscal 2008 through 2013. The bill would authorize $1.15 billion per fiscal year to aid in the hiring of law enforcement officers. The funding would include up to $600 million each year for “officers hired to perform intelligence, anti-terror or homeland security duties.” The House passed H.R. 1700 on May 15, 2007, by a vote of 381-34 (Roll Call 348). Providing federal aid to local law enforcement programs is not only unconstitutional, but it also further federalizes the police system.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Iran Military Operations. During consideration for the fiscal 2008 defense authorization bill (H.R. 1585), Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) offered this amendment that would require President Bush to get specific congressional authorization before engaging in military operations in Iran. The House rejected the DeFazio amendment in a Committee of the Whole on May 16, 2007, by a vote of 136-288. The power to declare war belongs solely to Congress, not the president. Under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress alone has the power to declare war.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Foreign Aid. The fiscal 2007 foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 5522) would authorize $21.3 billion for foreign operations and economic assistance in fiscal 2007. Though foreign aid is supposed to help the poor and suffering in other countries, it instead has served to prop up economically deficient socialist regimes and to transfer wealth from American taxpayers to third-world elites. The House passed H.R. 5522 on June 9, 2006 by a vote of 373-34 (Roll Call 250). Foreign aid is unconstitutional and unworkable.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Iran Military Operations. Representative Maurice Hinchey (DN. Y.) offered this amendment to the 2007 Defense appropriations bill (H.R. 5631). The amendment would bar any funds to initiate military operations in Iran unless it is in accordance with Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress alone the power to declare war. The House rejected Hinchey’s amendment by a vote of 158-262 on June 20, 2006 (Roll Call 300). The power to declare war belongs to Congress, not to the president, and that much power should not be in the hands of one man.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Line-item Rescission. The legislative line-item rescission bill (H.R. 4890) would allow the president to propose cuts in spending bills already enacted by Congress. The cuts would then receive an up-or-down vote with no opportunity to filibuster or add amendments. The House passed H.R. 4890 by a vote of 247-172 on June 22, 2006 (Roll Call 317). The rescission bill, though not a full-fledged line-item veto, would still shift some legislative power from Congress to the president, disrupting the U.S. system of checks and balances.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Oman Trade Agreement. The Oman Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 5684) would reduce most tariffs and duties between Oman and the United States. H.R. 5684 was considered under fast track authority, which requires Congress to expedite consideration of presidentially negotiated trade pacts without offering amendments. The Oman agreement is just one steppingstone
in the White House’s effort to form a Middle Eastern Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013. These so-called free trade agreements have historically failed because they encourage the relocation of U.S. jobs to foreign countries so that the companies can get cheap labor. Meanwhile, they don’t provide the United States with trade benefits — largely because the people in those countries cannot afford to buy our products — thereby harming the U.S. economy. The agreements also put our economic destiny in the hands of unelected foreign bureaucrats, such as those at the World Trade Organization. The House passed H.R. 5684 by a vote of 221-205 on July 20, 2006 (Roll Call 392). Such trade agreements damage the U.S. economy and threaten U.S. sovereignty by the imposition of international regulations.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Military Tribunals. This bill (H.R. 6166) would authorize a new system of military tribunals to try persons designated “unlawful enemy combatants” by the president. The bill defines an unlawful enemy combatant to include a person who “has purposely and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents.” Once designated an unlawful enemy combatant, a defendant’s rights would be curtailed: he would be denied the right of habeas corpus; he could be detained indefinitely; and evidence obtained through coercion could be used against him — so long as the coercion falls outside the administration’s definition of torture. Critics of the tribunals bill are planning to file suit in order to test the constitutionality of the legislation. This legislation was in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29 ruling on the case of Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, which declared that the administration’s current system for trying military detainees was unconstitutional. The House passed the military tribunals bill on September 27, 2006 by a vote of 253-168 (Roll Call 491). The bill would curtail defendant rights.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Electronic Surveillance. The warrantless electronic surveillance bill (H.R. 5825) would allow electronic surveillance of communications with suspected terrorists without first obtaining approval from the secret courts established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Furthermore, the bill would authorize unwarranted surveillance for up to 90 days in some instances if a threat was considered “imminent.” Intelligence agencies would be allowed to conduct warrantless surveillance for seven days prior to gaining court approval if the threat was considered an “emergency situation.” This controversial bill had full support of the Bush administration as a means to provide greater national security in a post-9/11 world. The House passed H.R. 5825 on September 28, 2006 by a vote of 232-191 (Roll Call 502). Such a law would violate the Fourth Amendment by subjecting U.S. citizens to unreasonable searches and seizures.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Aid. The final version (conference report) of this appro¬priations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $21 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006.
The House passed the final version of this legislation on November 4, 2005 by a vote of 358-39 (Roll Call 569). For¬eign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Patriot Act Reauthorization. This is the final version (confer¬ence report) of the Patriot Act reauthori¬zation (H.R. 3199). In the weeks follow¬ing the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress quickly passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelli¬gence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search home and business records, expanded the FBI’s wiretapping and surveillance authority, and expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts. When passed in 2001 the bill included a “sunset” provision under which the new surveillance powers “shall cease to have effect on December 21, 2005.” The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by Congress last year would make permanent 14 of the 16 pro¬visions included in the bill, and extend for four years the two remaining provisions.
The House passed the final version of the bill to reauthorize the Patriot Act on December 14, 2005 by a vote of 251-174 (Roll Call 627). The Patriot Act tramples on the constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropri¬ations. This massive social-wel¬fare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.5 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($474.1 billion), and related agencies. H.R. 3010 is the largest of the appropria¬tions bills considered by Congress this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over a similar appro¬priations bill for fiscal 2005.
The House passed the bill on Decem¬ber 14, 2005 by a vote of 215-213 (Roll Call 628). The bill would provide an increase in spending, and social-welfare programs are unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Katrina Funding. During con¬sideration of the 2006 supplemen¬tal appropriations bill (H.R. 4939), Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to eliminate the $19.2 bil¬lion appropriated in the bill for Hurricane Katrina relief. Neugebauer argued that the supplemental Katrina aid, and the sup¬plemental funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are separate issues and should be voted on separately.
The House rejected the Neugebauer amendment on March 16, 2006 by a vote of 89-332 (Roll Call 57). This bill would have significantly cut uncon¬stitutional federally funded disaster relief.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Supplemental Appropria¬tions. This legislation (H.R. 4939) would appropriate a whopping $91.9 billion for emergency supple¬mental funding in fiscal 2006, including $67.6 billion for the wars in Iraq and Af¬ghanistan, $4.3 billion for foreign aid, and $19.2 billion for Hurricane Katrina relief. Congressional Quarterly noted that the funding in the bill “for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would push to more than $390 billion the war-related supplemental funds appropriated since Sept. 11. It would be the sixth major emergency spending measure for the Bush administration.”
The House passed H.R. 4939 on March 16, 2006 by a vote of 348-71 (Roll Call 65). Even if the spending were con¬stitutional — the funding should be voted on as part of the regular appropriations process and not introduced after the fact as “emergency” spending, ignoring fiscal responsibility.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Defunding the NAIS. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to the fiscal 2007 agriculture appropriations (H.R. 5384). Paul’s amend¬ment would bar the use of funds in the bill to implement the National Animal Iden¬tification System (NAIS), a government program that would electronically track farm cattle and poultry in hopes of pre¬venting the spread of disease. Writing about the program, Paul stated, “NAIS means more gov¬ernment, more reg¬ulations, more fees, more federal spend¬ing, less privacy, and diminished property rights.”
The House re¬jected Paul’s amendment on May 23, 2006, by a vote of 34-389 (Roll Call 184). The program would unconstitution¬ally allocate federal spending, place useless regulations on farmers, and threaten the privacy rights of American citizens.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill would provide $93.6 billion in fiscal 2007 for the Depart¬ment of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. The funding includes $37.9 billion for the food-stamp program, $13.3 billion for the child-nutrition program, and $19.7 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation, a federally funded program that aids farmers. The House passed H.R. 5384 on May 23, 2006 by a vote of 378-46 (Roll Call 193). Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This mammoth social welfare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide a total of $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.7 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($473.8 billion), and related agencies. The bill is by far the largest of the 11 appropriations bills written by the House this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over a similar appropriations bill for the previous year. The House passed this bill on June 24, 2005 by a vote of 250-151 (Roll Call 321). This bill represents a significant increase in spending, and social-welfare programs are unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Aid. This appropriations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $20.3 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006. The House passed the foreign aid bill on June 28, 2005 by a vote of 393-32 (Roll Call 335). Foreign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Patriot Act Reauthorization. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelligence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts; increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search homes and business records; expanded the FBI’s wiretapping and surveillance authority; and provided for nationwide jurisdiction for search warrants and electronic surveillance devices, including the legal extension of those devices to e-mail and the Internet The bill included a “sunset” provision under which the new surveillance powers “shall cease to have effect on December 31, 2005.” The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by the current Congress would make permanent 14 of the 16 provisions set to expire at the end of this year and extend for 10 years the remaining two provisions. The House passed the reauthorization on July 21, 2005 by a vote of 257-171 (Roll Call 414). The Patriot Act tramples on the constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
CAFTA. This bill (H.R. 3045) would implement the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), thereby expanding the devastating consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), including the job losses wrought by NAFTA. CAFTA is intended by the Power Elite to be a steppingstone from NAFTA to the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which would include all of the countries of the Western Hemisphere except (for now) Cuba. Like NAFTA, which has already begun imposing its trade rulings on America, CAFTA and the FTAA would not be genuine free trade arrangements; they would instead manage trade and would gradually exercise more powers on the road to a supranational government modeled after the European Union. The House passed CAFTA on July 28, 2005 by a vote of 217-215 (Roll Call 443). CAFTA would further damage the U.S. economy and threaten U.S. sovereignty.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Surface Transportation. The final version (conference report) of this bill (H.R. 3) would authorize $286.5 billion for federal highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs through fiscal 2009. The bill is laden with thousands of “pork barrel” transportation projects requested by individual lawmakers. The House adopted the final version of this legislation on July 29, 2005 by a vote of 412-8 (Roll Call 453). The bill increases transportation spending and is fiscally irresponsible.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations. In the wake of the devastating hurricane disaster in the Gulf Coast, Congress quickly passed legislation that would appropriate $51.8 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2005 (H.R. 3673) to be used for relief in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Commenting on how the tragic images of Katrina were used to justify more federal welfare and interventionism, as opposed to private charity and initiatives, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) noted on September 15, after the House and Senate votes: “These scenes prompted two emotional reactions. One side claims Katrina proved there was not enough government welfare.... The other side claims we need to pump billions of new dollars into the very federal agency that failed (FEMA).... Both sides support more authoritarianism, more centralization, and even the imposition of martial law in times of natural disasters.” The House passed the Katrina appropriations bill on September 8, 2005 by a vote of 410-11 (Roll Call 460). Federally financing disaster relief is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Head Start Funding. This legislation (H.R. 2123) would reauthorize the Head Start program through fiscal 2011 and provide $6.8 billion for the program in 2006. The bill would also increase educational standards for Head Start teachers. The House passed the Head Start bill on September 22, 2005 by a vote of 231-184 (Roll Call 493). The bill would further federalize the educational system, and federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
U.S. Treasury Borrowing. During consideration of a bill to overhaul the regulation of government-sponsored enterprises, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered this amendment to “eliminate the ability of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board to borrow from the Treasury.” During floor debate on his amendment, Paul stated, “I hope my colleagues join me in protecting taxpayers from having to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when the housing bubble bursts.” The House rejected Paul’s amendment on October 26, 2005 by a vote of 47-371 (Roll Call 544). Paul’s amendment would (in Paul’s words) seek to end a “massive unconstitutional and immoral” transfer of income from working Americans to government-sponsored enterprises.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Online Freedom of Speech. The Online Freedom of Speech Act (H.R. 1606) would exempt the Internet — including blogs, e-mail, and other online speech — from being subject to campaign finance laws and Federal Election Commission regulation. Because supporters attempted to pass the bill under a suspension of the rules, a two-thirds majority of those present and voting was required for passage. Supporters got a solid majority but not the necessary two-thirds, and the legislation was rejected on November 2, 2005 by a vote of 225-182 (Roll Call 559). The bill would protect free speech.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Vocational/Technical Training. This bill (H.R. 366) would reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, which funds vocational and technical education programs. The bill would authorize $1.3 billion in fiscal 2006 and “such funds as necessary” in fiscal 2007-11. It would also merge Perkins funding with “Tech-Prep,” a program that provides certain math and science courses to high school students to “ease the transition” from high school to a vocational or community college. The House passed this bill on May 4, 2005 by a vote of 416-9 (Roll Call 154). Federal aid to education and job training programs is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Supplemental Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of this supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 1268) would add another $82 billion to the federal budget for fiscal 2005. The supplemental spending, even if needed and constitutional, should not have been added on to the annual federal budget after the fact, but should have been included as part of the regular appropriations process. The supplemental spending in this bill includes $75.9 billion for defense-related purposes, most of it for the military occupation of Iraq, and $907 million for tsunami victims, the latter clearly unconstitutional. One particularly objectionable element of this legislation is the REAL ID Act, which was added to the supplemental appropriations bill by the conference committee. The REAL ID Act would authorize the federal government to impose national standards for driver’s licenses and there by develop a national ID system. The House adopted the final version of H.R. 1268 on May 5, 2005 by a vote of 368-58 (Roll Call 161). This bill contains both unconstitutional spending and the REAL ID Act.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
UN “Reforms.” On the surface, this United Nations “reform” bill (H.R. 2745) appears to be a “conservative” get tough response to UN corruption. It would withhold up to 50 percent of U.S. dues to the UN unless the UN makes certain operational changes, and many “conservatives” voted for it. In reality, the legislation calls for strengthening the UN in the name of “reform.” Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) warned in his June 13 Texas Straight Talk column that the “reform” bill supports creation of a “Peace building Commission,” which “will serve as the implementing force for the internationalization of what were formerly internal affairs of sovereign nations.” The House passed the UN “reform” bill on June 17, 2005 by a vote of 221-184 (Roll Call 282). The “reform” bill is a trap, and the solution to the UN threat is not to “reform” the world body but to get the U.S. out.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Mental Health Screening. During consideration of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (H.R. 3010), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) offered an amendment to “prohibit the use of funds in the bill to create or implement any universal mental health screening program.” The House rejected Paul’s amendment on June 24, 2005 by a vote of 97-304 (Roll Call 317). Federally funding such programs is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 4766) would appropriate $83.7 billion for agriculture, rural development, and nutrition programs in fiscal 2005. Over half ($50.2 billion) of the funding in the so-called agriculture appropriations bill would be for domestic food and nutrition programs, including $33.6 billion for the food stamp program and $11.3 billion for child nutrition programs. Another $27 billion would be for agriculture programs, including $16.5 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation. The House passed H.R. 4766 on July 13, 2004 by a vote of 389 to 31 (Roll Call 370). Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are unconstitutional activities of the federal government.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Foreign Aid. The foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 4818) would provide $19.4 billion in fiscal 2005, an 11 percent increase over fiscal 2004 funding. The House passed H.R. 4818 on July 15, 2004 by a vote of 365 to 41 (Roll Call 390). Foreign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This mammoth appropriations bill (H.R. 5006) would provide $496.6 billion in fiscal 2005, including $374.3 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $60.3 billion for the Department of Education, and $14.9 billion for the Department of Labor. Total fiscal 2005 appropriations would be 3.5 percent higher than fiscal 2004 appropriations. The House passed H.R. 5006 on September 9, 2004 by a vote of 388 to 13 (Roll Call 440). These departments are not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Child Nutrition Programs. This bill (H.R. 3873) would reauthorize through fiscal 2008 several child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the After-School Snack Program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 3873 would increase direct spending on these programs by about $226 million over the 2004-2008 period. Since obesity in school-age children has greatly increased since 1980, the school lunch program reauthorization bill has become a popular vehicle for proposals aimed at reducing obesity. This bill would require schools to develop “wellness policies” that establish nutritional guidelines for all food sold in schools; however, it stops short of setting mandatory federal standards. The House agreed to the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3873 on March 24, 2004 by a vote of 419 to 5 (Roll Call 82). Providing food for citizens is an unconstitutional activity of the federal government. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (283 in this case) is required for passage under a suspension of the rules.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
North American Development Bank. This bill (H.R. 254), as amended by the Senate, would implement a U.S.-Mexico agreement that would allow the North American Development Bank (NAD Bank) to make below-market-loans. It would also extend the area in Mexico served by the bank to a zone along the border 186 miles wide (compared to the current 62 miles wide). The NAD Bank was established by the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to finance development on both sides of the U.S.- Mexico border. The bank is funded by both the United States and Mexico. The House agreed to a motion to suspend the rules and passed H.R. 254 on March 25, 2004 by a vote of 377 to 48 (Roll Call 87). Foreign aid to Mexico in the form of below-market-loans funded by U.S. taxpayers is unconstitutional. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (284 in this case) is required for passage under a suspension of the rules.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Fiscal 2005 Budget Resolution. This resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 393) would establish broad spending and revenue targets over the next five years. It calls for $871.3 billion in “discretionary” spending (including $50 billion for supplemental funding of operations in Iraq) and another $1.5 trillion in “mandatory” spending for fiscal 2005. Based on these targets, the “mandatory” spending portion of the budget would increase by 5 percent over last year, and the total budget — a whopping $2.4 trillion — would increase by 3 percent. This resolution projects that the budget deficit would be cut significantly by fiscal 2009 (from $376.8 billion in fiscal 2005 to $234 billion in fiscal 2009); however, according to a Congressional Quarterly Fact Sheet, “Budget Resolution for FY 2005,” these projected deficits are deceptively low due to an accounting sleight-of hand whereby “these deficits are calculated by using the surpluses in the Social Security trust funds to offset spending on other programs. If these Social Security surpluses are not counted, the projected deficits in each fiscal year would be $550.7 billion in FY 2005 and $471.8 billion in FY 2009.” The House adopted this resolution on March 25, 2004 by a vote of 215 to 212 (Roll Call 92). This budget perpetuates the fiscally irresponsible, largely unconstitutional federal spending with its attendant record-breaking deficits of recent years.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Surface Transportation. This bill (H.R. 3550) would authorize $284 billion in federal aid for highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs for fiscal years 2004-2009. This total includes $217 billion for highways, $51.5 billion for mass transit, and $11.1 billion for House members’ transportation projects. The Bush administration had wanted to limit the spending in the bill to $256 billion, which, noted White House spokesman Scott McClellan, would still increase spending by 21 percent. But the House added an additional $28 billion to the bill (11 percent more than the president had requested). The House passed H.R. 3550 on April 2, 2004 by a vote of 357 to 65 (Roll Call 114). This double-digit increase in spending on surface transportation is fiscally irresponsible at a time of record breaking federal deficits.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Job Training and Worker Services. This bill (H.R. 444) would authorize the creation of “personal re-employment accounts” of up to $3,000 for unemployed workers at risk of exhausting their state unemployment benefits. Money in this account could be used for such expenses as education, childcare, healthcare or transportation. Those workers who find a job within 13 weeks would be allowed to take the balance in their account as a “reemployment bonus.” This bill would authorize $50 million in fiscal 2005 for these “personal re-employment accounts.” The House passed H.R. 444 on June 3, 2004 by a vote of 213 to 203 (Roll Call 225). Federal aid for job training or unemployment services is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 2660) would appropriate $470 billion for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments for fiscal 2004, a 10 percent increase over fiscal 2003. This bill, the biggest of the fiscal 2004 domestic spending bills, includes $138 billion for discretionary spending, including $55.4 billion for education and $22.7 billion for the National Institutes of Health. That leaves $332 billion for so-called mandatory spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance. The House passed H.R. 2660 on July 10, 2003 by a vote of 215 to 208 (Roll Call 353). This bill represents a significant increase in spending, and these departments are not authorized by the Constitution.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Agriculture Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 2673) would appropriate $77.5 billion for agriculture, rural development and nutrition programs in fiscal 2004. Over half of the money appropriated by this “agriculture” bill is earmarked for so-called mandatory spending on nutrition programs, including $28 billion for food stamps and $16 billion for school lunch and other nutrition programs. Total spending for traditional agricultural programs is $26.8 billion, a 5 percent increase. The House passed H.R. 2673 on July 14, 2003 by a vote of 347 to 64 (Roll Call 358). Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are unconstitutional activities of the federal government.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Ban on UN Contributions. This amendment to H.R. 1950 (Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005) by Rep. Ron Paul (R Texas) stated that “none of the funds authorized … by this Act may be obligated or expended to pay any United States contribution to the United Nations or any affiliated agency of the United Nations.” The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 1950 on July 15, 2003 by a vote of 74 to 350 (Roll Call 364). Blocking the funding for the United Nations in this bill would be a first step toward getting our nation out of the UN and fully restoring our national sovereignty.
Zach Wamp voted AGAINST this bill.
U.S.-Singapore Trade. This bill (H.R. 2739) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Singapore. A similar bill, the U.S.-Chile Trade Agreement (H.R. 2738), was presented to Congress at the same time as the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement. These are the first in a series of bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs) that the Bush administration is negotiating, which will culminate in 2005 in the largest and most significant FTA of them all, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The model for the FTAA is the European Union (EU), formerly the “Common Market,” which has grown by design from a supposed free trade agreement into a supranational government for Europe. The world order architects intend for the FTAA to follow the same trajectory for the Americas. The House passed H.R. 2739 on July 24, 2003 by a vote of 272 to 155 (Roll Call 432). These bilateral “free trade” agreements are intended to be stepping stones to the FTAA, which would set trade (and eventually other) policies for the member nations. However, under the U.S. Constitution only Congress has the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states....”
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
U.S.-Chile Trade. This bill (H.R. 2738) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Chile. The significance of this trade agreement, like that of the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement, is described under House vote roll call 432, above. The House passed H.R. 2738 on July 24, 2003 by a vote of 270 to 156 (Roll Call 436). These bilateral “free trade” agreements are intended to be stepping stones to the FTAA, which would set trade (and eventually other) policies for the member nations. However, under the U.S. Constitution only Congress has the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states....”
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3289 would appropriate $87.5 billion in supplemental fiscal 2004 spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the largest supplemental that Congress has ever passed. Of this total, military operations would receive $65.8 billion. Iraq reconstruction would be funded by grants totaling $18.6 billion, while reconstruction in Afghanistan would receive $1.2 billion. William Norman Grigg predicted in the March 24 issue of The New American magazine that “the impending war on, or occupation of, Iraq is intended to carry out the UN Security Council mandates, not to protect our nation or to punish those responsible for the September 11th attack. The war would uphold the UN’s supposed authority and vindicate its role as a de facto world government.” In its November 20 report on President Bush’s speech at London’s Whitehall Palace the Guardian of London provided a concise confirmation of Mr. Grigg’s prediction in its headline “Iraq war saved the UN, says president.” Now American taxpayers must pay tens of billions of dollars, hundreds of billions ultimately, for this latest military intervention to empower the UN. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3289 on October 31, 2003 by a vote of 298 to 121 (Roll Call 601). The U.S. military was sent into Iraq to enforce UN resolutions, when the only proper use of our nation’s armed forces is to protect the lives and property of American citizens, and the huge U.S.-funded infrastructure rebuilding program in Iraq and Afghanistan is another example of unconstitutional
foreign aid.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations. The final version (conference report) of House Joint Resolution 2 would provide $397 billion in fiscal 2003 for all Cabinet departments and government agencies covered in 11 unfinished spending bills from the 107th Congress. The bills included are: Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-State, District of Columbia, Energy and Water Development, Foreign Operations, Interior, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch, Transportation, Treasury-Postal Service, and VA-HUD. The problem with the omnibus approach is that thousands of unconstitutional activities are lumped together with legitimate legislation in one massive bill. Thus, big government is perpetuated with a minimum of accountability. The House adopted the conference report on H. J. Res. 2 on February 13, 2003 by a vote of 338 to 83 (Roll Call 32). This bill perpetuates huge amounts of unconstitutional federal spending.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Budget Resolution — Final Version. The final version (conference report) of the budget resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 95) would authorize federal spending for fiscal 2004 of $1,861 billion dollars with a deficit of $558 billion and an increase in the public debt ceiling of $984 billion. This planned deficit of $558 billion dwarfs the previous record federal deficit of $290 billion in 1992. The $984 billion increase in the public debt ceiling authorized in this bill constituted, under Rule XXVII of the House, approval of the debt limit increase bill (House Joint Resolution 51) without having to cast a separate vote just on increasing the debt ceiling. Subsequently the Senate passed H. J. Res. 51 and President Bush signed it into law, increasing the public debt ceiling by $984 billion (for a new total of $7.4 trillion) and giving Congress a green light to continue its fiscally irresponsible ways. This resolution also includes $400 billion for a Medicare prescription drug benefit for 2004-2013. The House adopted the conference report on H. Con. Res. 95 on April 11, 2003 by a vote of 216 to 211 (Roll Call 141). This budget resolution was fiscally irresponsible.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Special Education. This bill (H.R. 1350) would reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. One of its provisions would authorize increasing federal grants to defray more of the state cost of educating special education students, from the current 18 percent to 40 percent by 2010. Other provisions would allow school personnel to discipline special education students the same as nondisabled students, reduce paperwork requirements for special education teachers, and limit parents’ ability to sue school districts. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 1350 would cost $50 billion over the 2004-2009 period. The House passed H.R. 1350 on April 30, 2003 by a vote of 251 to 171 (Roll Call 154). Federal aid to education is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Global AIDS Initiative. This bill (H.R.1298) would authorize $15 billion ($3 billion annually) for fiscal years 2004 through 2008 to provide assistance to foreign countries for the stated purpose of combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Much of this funding will be funneled through the Global AIDS Fund and other UN agencies and programs notorious for promoting abortion, as well as encouraging promiscuity through “sex education” courses supposedly aimed at stemming AIDS. The House passed H.R. 1298 on May 1, 2003 by a vote of 375 to 41 (Roll Call 158). Foreign aid is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Unemployment Benefits. This bill (H.R. 2185) would extend the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 through December 31, 2003. This would provide an additional 13 weeks of federal aid to workers in all states who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits. It would also provide another 13 weeks of federal benefits to workers in states with high unemployment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 2185 would increase federal outlays by a total of $7.9 billion over the fiscal years 2003 and 2004. The House passed H.R. 2185 on May 22, 2003 by a vote of 409 to 19 (Roll Call 223). Federal aid to unemployed workers is unconstitutional.
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
National Science Foundation. This bill (H.R. 4664) would authorize $5.5 billion (a 15% increase) for the National Science Foundation for fiscal 2003, then increase that amount by an additional 15% annually for each of the next two years. The House passed H.R. 4664 on June 5, 2002 by a vote of 397 to 25 (Roll Call 212).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Prescription Drug Plan — Republican Alternative. This bill (H.R. 4954) would subsidize private insurance companies for offering prescription drug policies to Medicare beneficiaries. Under this Republican plan, the cost would be $33 per month with a $250 annual deductible. Patients would pay 20 percent of costs from $251 to $1,000 and 50 percent from $1,001 to $2,000. Patients would pay all costs from $2,001 to $3,700, with anything above that covered 100% by the insurers. The estimated cost of this socialist-lite prescription plan for seniors is $350 billion over 10 years. The House passed H.R. 4954 on June 28, 2002 by a vote of 221 to 208 (Roll Call 282).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Interior Department Appropriations. This bill (H.R. 5093) would appropriate $19.8 billion in fiscal 2003 for the Department of the Interior, including emergency funds to fight western wildfires. Congress persists in gradually restoring funding for the entirely unconstitutional National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities to the level they enjoyed in 1994 before the Republicans won control of Congress. This bill would award $126 million to the National Endowment for the Arts, a $10 million increase, and $131 million to the National Endowment for the Humanities, a $5 million increase. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The goal of arts supporters is eventually to match, if not surpass 1994 funding levels: $162 million for NEA and $177 million for NEH.” The House passed H.R. 5093 on July 17, 2002 by a vote of 377 to 46 (Roll Call 318).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Homeland Security. This bill (H.R. 5005) would consolidate 22 federal agencies into a new Cabinet-level Homeland Security Department with a $37.5 billion budget and 170,000 employees. Far from being a response to 9-11, the Office of Homeland Security had been in the works long before the terrorist attacks. The basic blueprint for the department was created by the Council on Foreign Relations dominated Hart-Rudman Commission. Creating the Homeland Security Department would be a giant step toward integrating federal, state, and local law enforcement under federal supervision, the hallmark of a police state. For example, the Bush administration’s “National Strategy for Homeland Security” states: “[T]he homeland security community will view the federal, state, and local governments as one entity....” The House passed H.R. 5005 on July 26, 2002 by a vote of 295 to 132 (Roll Call 367).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
Trade Promotion Authority. The final version (conference report) of H.R. 3009 would give President Bush Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) for congressional consideration of trade agreements reached before June 1, 2005. President Bush has made it abundantly clear that he intends to use TPA to complete negotiations on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by early 2005. The FTAA could be modeled after the EU, but is designed to evolve toward a full-blown regional government at a greatly accelerated pace. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3009 on July 27, 2002 by a vote of 215 to 212 (Roll Call 370).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
War Authorization Against Iraq. This joint resolution (House Joint Resolution 114) authorizes the president “to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to — (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.” However, since the Constitution gives Congress the sole responsibility for declaring war, this resolution represents congressional abdication of its responsibility. Furthermore, the main thrust of the joint resolution is that the president is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States to “strictly enforce through the United Nations Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.” That is, the purpose of the resolution is to enforce UN Security Council dictates.
The House passed H. J. Res. 114 on October 10, 2002 by a vote of 296 to 133
(Roll Call 455).
Zach Wamp voted FOR this bill.
posted by MickeyWhite at 6/12/2010 09:33:00 PM
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