Brian Higgins topics and responses

Stimulus Spending to Beat Great Recession

PRO:

• 05/09/2013: Voted NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached
• 03/13/2013: Sponsored investing $1 billion in transportation projects
• 03/21/2013: Sponsored funding re-development of abandoned & foreclosed properties
• 03/06/2013: Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016
• 09/26/2008: Voted YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy
• 07/27/2011: Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion
• 07/29/2009: Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending
• 03/22/2012: Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business

Acknowledging and Addressing Climate Change

PRO:

• 08/01/2000: Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases
• 06/26/2009: Voted YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution
• 04/07/2011: Voted NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases
• 02/10/2005: Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances

Getting Money Out of Politics

PRO:

• 02/09/2012: Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures
• 01/16/2014: No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote
• 05/24/2007: Voted YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations
• 11/15/2011: Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge
• 01/03/2013: Full disclosure of campaign spending
• 04/05/2006: Voted NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees

Saving Elephants, Whales, Dolphins and Lions

PRO:

• 01/04/2007: Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting
• 03/09/2007: Promote conservation of rare felids & canids
• 02/28/2011: Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs
• 07/17/2009: Voted YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros

Renewable Energy

PRO:

• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence
• 09/26/2008: Voted YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets
• 06/29/2006: Voted YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore
• 06/07/2006: Voted NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries
• 08/04/2007: Voted YES on investing in homegrown biofuel
• 01/18/2007: Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies
• 05/21/2008: Voted YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation
• 02/12/2008: Voted YES on tax incentives for renewable energy
• 11/02/2011: Extend through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit

Making it Harder to Get a Gun

PRO:

• 01/03/2013: Ban large-capacity ammunition
• 08/01/2000: Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology

  CON:

• 03/27/2007: Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC
• 10/20/2005: Voted YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers
• 01/25/2011: Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad

GMOs and Food Labeling

CON:

• 09/29/2005: Voted NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species

Cutting the US Military Budget

PRO:

• 03/15/2007: Voted YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts

  CON:

• 02/02/2005: Voted YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses

Legalizing Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

PRO:

• 01/06/2009: Distribute sterile syringes to reduce AIDS and hepatitis
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance
• 01/01/2014: Ranked by NORML, indicating a pro-legalization stance

  CON:

• 06/10/2008: Voted YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs

Abortion Rights

PRO:

• 04/27/2005: Voted NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions
• 01/01/2012: Ranked by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice stance
• 11/13/2013: Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services
• 02/05/2007: Ensure access to and funding for contraception
• 01/11/2007: Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 05/04/2011: Voted NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion
• 01/06/2009: Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance
• 05/24/2005: Voted YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research

Gay Rights and Gay Marriage

PRO:

• 07/18/2006: Voted NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman
• 11/13/2007: Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation
• 03/10/2011: Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools
• 07/08/2013: Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance
• 06/24/2009: ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays
• 03/03/2010: Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays

Repealing ObamaCare

CON:

• 04/13/2011: Voted NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund
• 01/23/2008: Voted YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids
• 01/14/2009: Voted YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 03/04/2009: Expand the National Health Service Corps
• 07/15/2008: Voted YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 03/05/2008: Voted YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health
• 10/25/2007: Voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 01/05/2011: Establish a public insurance option via healthcare Exchanges
• 04/15/2011: Voted NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug
• 02/01/2006: Voted NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay
• 01/05/2011: Require insurers to cover breast cancer treatment
• 04/11/2013: Sponsored merging Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit
• 01/12/2007: Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D
• 08/01/2000: Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care

Addressing and Fighting Income Inequality

PRO:

• 12/12/2007: Voted YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes
• 04/15/2013: Sponsored enforcing against corporate offshore tax haven banking
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation
• 11/02/2004: Bush raided the Social Security trust fund for tax cuts
• 12/08/2005: Voted NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends

  CON:

• 06/25/2008: Voted YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income

Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

CON:

• 05/12/2011: Voted NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling
• 10/07/2005: Voted NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries