Friday, November 16, 2012

Pete Sessions

Rules Committee Chairman
            - gatekeeper for legislation that reaches the House floor

Pete Sessions

Congressman                            32nd District, Texas                   Republican
Elected 1996

Committees:
Rules - Chairman

Ratings for 2010:

ADA    Americans for Democratic Action                                                     0
            Liberal:             less defense spending   
                                      protect civil liberties, human rights

ACLU  American Civil Liberties Union                                                       13
            Protect individuals from legal infringements on rights

AFS     American Federation of Government Employees                           0       
            Liberal labor

LCV    League of Conservation Voters                                                       10  
            Pro-environmental protection

ITIC     Information Technology Industry Council                                          33
            Promote electronic commerce and innovation

NTU    National Taxpayers Union                                                                 91
            Pro-taxpayer rights

COC    US Chamber of Commerce                                                             88
            Pro-business

ACU    American Conservative Union                                                        100
            Conservative:    foreign policy
                                       social and budget issues

CFG    Club for Growth                                                                                   97
            Pro-tax limitation

FRC     Family Research Council                                                               100
            Conservative:    promotes marriage and family
                                       oppose abortion

Votes in 111th Congress:           2009 - 2010

No       Overturn Ledbetter
            Extend statute of limitations in pay discrimination
No       $820 billion stimulus   
            Funds to revive U.S. economy
Yes      Let guns in national parks
            Permit people carrying guns in parks
No       Cap and Trade
            Industry measure to reduce greenhouse gases               
Yes      Bar federal abortion funds
            No federal funds for health plans covering abortion
No       Health Care Bill
            Provides insurance for people without health insurance              
No       Financial Firm Regulation
            Regulations on financial services firms
No       Pass tax cuts for some
            Bush era tax cuts to continue for incomes under $250,000
Yes      Stop detainee transfers
            Prohibit defense funds used to transfer detainees to U.S. facilities                      
No       Legalize Immigrants’ Kids
            Give children of illegal parents path to legal status
No       Repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
            Lift ban on openly gay people in military           
No       Limit Campaign Funds
            Requires sponsors of campaign ads to identify themselves

Year                 Candidate                     Vote                                         Campaign Chest

2010                Pete Sessions (R)           79,433  63%                          2,153,120
                         Grier Raggio (D)             44,258  35                                 669,552
                        John Myers (Lib)                3,178    3                                      7,210

2010 primary    Pete Sessions (R)           30,509  84%
                          David Smith (R)                  5,937  16

2008                Pete Sessions (R)         116,283  57%                          1,629,824
                           Eric Roberson (D)         82,406  41                                110,003
                           Alex Bischoff (Lib)           4,421    2

2006                Pete Sessions (R)           71,461  56%                          1,762,182
                             Will Pryor (D)                52,269  41                                460,074

2004                Pete Sessions (R)         109,859  54%                          4,512,464
                            Martin Frost (D)             89,030  44                             4,761,288

2002                Pete Sessions (R)         100,226  68%                             530,671
                           Pauline Dixon (D)           44,886  30                                  10,578
                       
2002 primary    Pete Sessions (R)           19,973  93%
                             Danny Davis (R)               1,391    7

2000 (TX 5th)   Pete Sessions (R)         100,487  54%                          1,826,456
                           Regina Coggins (D)        82,629  44                             1,636,875

1998                Pete Sessions (R)           61,714  56%                             747,685
                           Victor Morales (D)         48,073  43                                107,870
                       
1996                Pete Sessions (R)           80,196  53%                          1,091,122
                          John Pouland (D)            70,922  47                                602,884

                        Lib       Libertarian Party





Population 2010:                      640,419
Change since 2000:                down 1.7%

Urban:                                      100%
Rural:                                        0

Median Age:                             32 years
Over 65:                                    10%
Under 18:                                  27

High School Graduate:              76%
College Graduate:                     37
Graduate Degree:                     13

Median Income:                          49,692
Median Home Value:                180,000                      

Private Employment:                 86%
Government Employment:           7
Self Employed:                             7
Blue Collar:                              23
White Collar:                            61

White:                                      42%
Black:                                         8
Hispanic:                                 42
Asian                                          5

2008 Presidential Vote:
John McCain (R) -                   110,397           53%
Barack Obama (D) -                  96,203           46

2004 Presidential Vote:
George W. Bush (R) -            120,970           60%
John Kerry (D) -                        81,846           40


Pete Sessions' Voting History

Votes in 110th Congress:           2007 – 2008

No       Increase Minimum Wage
            Raise minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour
No       Expand SCHIP
            Expand State Children’s Health Insurance Program
No       Raise CAFE Standards
            Increase fuel efficiency to 35 mpg by 2020
Yes      Bail Out Financial Markets
            $700 billion to bail out financial industry
*          Share Immigration Data
            Bar funds to governments refusing to share immigration information
Yes      Foreign Aid Abortion Ban
            Bar funds for abortions in foreign aid programs
No       Ban Gay Bias in Workplace
            Prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation
Yes      Repeal DC Gun Law
            Repeal local prohibition of firearms
No       Withdraw Troops 8/08
            Requires withdrawal of troops by August, 2008
No       No Operations in Iraq
            Bar military funds for contingency operations in Iraq
Yes      Free Trade with Peru
            Implement free trade agreement with Peru
Yes      Overhaul FISA
            Overhaul Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

*          Absent

Votes in 109th Congress:           2005 – 2006

Yes      Estate Tax Repeal
            Permanently repeal federal estate and gift taxes
Yes      Limit CAFE standards
            Less stringent auto fuel efficiency standards
Yes      FY06 Spending Curb
            Curb federal entitlement spending
Yes      Drilling in ANWR
            Oil and gas leases for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Yes      Limit Interstate Abortion
            No minors across state lines for abortions without parental consent
Yes      Extend Patriot Act
            Reauthorize USA Patriot Act expanding law enforcement authority
Yes      Bar Same Sex Marriage
            Amend Constitution to define marriage as between man and woman
No       Stem Cell Research Funds
            Override veto to fund embryonic stem cell research
Yes      Build Border Fence
            700 miles of fencing along border with Mexico
Yes      CAFTA
            Approve Central American Free Trade Agreement
*          Oppose Iraq Withdrawal
            Oppose setting date for withdrawal of US forces from Iraq
Yes      Detainee Tribunals
            Create military tribunals to try detainees

*          Absent

Votes in 108th Congress:           2003 – 2004

Yes      Drilling in ANWR
            Permit oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Yes      Approve Bush Tax Cuts
            Reduce taxes by $350 billion through 2013
Yes      Medicare/Rx Bill
            Medicare prescription drug legislation
No       Bar Overtime Pay Regulations
            Oppose federal overtime pay regulations
Yes      DC School Vouchers
            Funds for private schools in DC
Yes      Ban Human Cloning
            Criminal sanctions for human cloning
Yes      Restrict Gun Liability
            Restrict liability lawsuits against gun manufacturers, sellers
Yes      Ban Partial Birth Abortion
            Criminal sanctions for “partial birth” abortions
Yes      Ban Same-Sex Marriage
            Amend Constitution to ban same-sex marriage
Yes      Fund Iraq War
            Approve appropriations for U.S. military operations in Iraq
No       Bar Cuba Embargo Funds
            Prohibit funds to enforce economic embargo of Cuba
Yes      Intelligence Reorganization
            Reorganize intelligence agencies; create national director
Votes in 107th Congress:           2001 – 2002

Yes      Approve Bush Tax Cuts
            $1.35 trillion in tax cuts
Yes      Limit Patients’ Bill of Rights
            Limit non-economic damages in liability awards
No       Campaign Finance Reform
            Eliminate most uses of soft money; limit pre-election advertising
No       Ban ANWR Development
            Protect Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil development
Yes      Faith Based Charities
            Federal incentives for religious social services
Yes      Bar Gays in the Boy Scouts
            Do not enforce anti-discrimination rulings against Boy Scouts
Yes      Ban Partial Birth Abortions
            Criminal penalties for “partial birth” abortions
Yes      Arm Commercial Pilots
            Commercial pilots able to carry fire arms in flight
Yes      Trade Promotion Authority
            Authority for president to negotiate international trade agreements
Yes      Bar Funds for International Court
            No federal funds for International Criminal Court
Yes      Authorize Force in Iraq
            Authorizes U.S. military force in Iraq
Yes      Deny Home Security Department Union
            Deny employees of Homeland Security from joining union

Votes in 106th Congress:           1999 – 2000

Yes      Patient Bill of Rights
            Bill of Rights dealing with health maintenance organizations
No       Accelerate Minimum Wage
            Increase minimum wage by $1.00 in two instead of three years
No       Strike Ban on Ergonomic Standards
            Strike ban on federal standard for ergonomic protection
Yes      Override Estate Tax Veto
            Override veto of phase-out of estate and gift taxes
Yes      Bar RU-486 Funds for FDA
            Bar FDA funding of chemical induced abortion drug
Yes      Display 10 Commandments
            Permit state and local governments display Ten Commandments
No       Gun Show Background Checks
            Require gun show dealers to perform background checks
Yes      Ban Partial Birth Abortion
            Ban partial birth abortions
No       NATO War in Serbia
            Authorize deployment of US military forces for Kosovo
Yes      Permanent Trade with China
            Authorize permanent trade relations with China
No       Debt Relief for Third World
            Provide debt relief for heavily indebted nations
Yes      Drop Cuba Economic Embargo
            Drop enforcement of US economic embargo of Cuba

Votes in 105th Congress:           1997 - 98

Yes      Clinton Budget Deal                          
            Approve budget reconciliation bill implementing required tax cuts
Yes      Education IRAs
            Expand retirement accounts to be spent on education expenses
Yes      Required 2/3 vote to Raise Taxes
            Amend Constitution for 2/3 votes to raise taxes
Yes      Fast Track Trade
            Negotiate trade agreements on “fast track” congressional authority                                
No       Puerto Rico Statehood Referendum    
            Referendum on statehood in Puerto Rico
Yes      End Highway Set-asides
            End minority set-aside funding benefits in highway program
Yes      School Prayer Amendment
            Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing right of prayer in school
Yes      Override Partial Birth Veto
            Override President Clinton’s veto of partial birth abortions ban             
No       Cut money for B-2 Bombers    
            Cut funding for additional B-2 stealth bombers 
*          Human Rights in China
            Require preference to U.S. firms in China with human rights code of conduct    
Yes      Withdraw Bosnia Troops
            Invoke War Powers Resolution to withdraw U.S. military forces in Bosnia        
No       End Cuban TV – Marti
            End funding for television broadcasts to Cuba   

*          Absent


No comments:

Post a Comment