Ralph Hall

[Congressional biography]

Born: May 3, 1923 in Fate, TX
Died: March 7, 2019 in Rockwall, TX

Military Service:

Elected Office:

Other notes:

Key House Vote Data for Ralph Hall in 2003

Date	Subject	Result	Conserv. Position	Hall Voted
2003-01-07	Blocking Budget Reform [HRES5]	Failed (200-225)
This resolution would have stopped the government from using "dynamic scoring" of the budget. Static scoring assumes taxpayer behavior will not change if taxes are cut. Dynamic scoring assumes tax cuts produce economic growth, which produce increases in tax revenue.
2003-02-27	Ban on Human Cloning [HR534]	Rejected (174-231)
Greenwood (R-PA) "compromise" amendment which would have allowed cloning of human embryos to initiate a pregnancy.
2003-03-13	Medical Malpractice Reform [HR5]	Passed (229-196)
This bill imposed reasonable limits on attorneys' fees and punitive damages in medical malpractice cases.
2003-04-09	Gun Manufacturer Liability [HR1036]	Rejected (144-280)
Meehan (D-MA) amendment which would have allowed negligence lawsuits against gun manufacturers, sellers and trade associations when criminals used firearms illegally.
2003-04-10	Prohibiting Arctic Energy Development [HR6]	Rejected (197-228)
Markey (D-MA) amendment to the energy bill which would have prohibited opening up needed domestic energy supplies on a tiny area in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
2003-05-20	Forest Management [HR1904]	Passed (256-170)
This legislation allows the Forest Service to more aggressively thin forests to lower risks of wildfires, diseases and insect infestations.
2003-05-22	Military Abortions [HR1588]	Rejected (201-227)
Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) amendment to allow abortions to be performed in U.S. military hospitals at taxpayer expense.
2003-06-12	Class Action Lawsuit Reform [HR1115]	Passed (253-170)
This bill would move many national class-action lawsuits out of local state courts into federal courts and stop the "court shopping" that costs consumers millions and only enriches trial lawyers.
2003-06-18	Death Tax Repeal [HR8]	Passed (264-163)
This measure would make permanent the temporary repeal of the death tax on family inheritances and businesses which was passed in 2001.
2003-06-19	Small Business Health Plans [HRES283]	Agreed To (224-199)
The House agreed to take up a bill allowing small companies to band together and buy low-cost insurance for employees. Note: Once this procedural move was adopted, many members switched their votes to pass the actual bill. ACU has rated the procedural vote as showing members' true position.
2003-06-26	Medical Savings Accounts [HR2596]	Passed (237-191)
This bill would allow individuals to deduct from their taxable income the cost of medical savings accounts designed to cover routine medical costs.
2003-07-15	Defunding International Abortions [HR1950]	Agreed To (216-211)
This bill would maintain the long-standing ban on using taxpayer funds for international population organizations that promote abortion.
2003-07-15	Limiting United Nations Funding [HR1950]	Rejected (187-237)
King (R-IA) amendment which would have capped U.S. contributions to the U.N. at no more than any other permanent member of the Security Council.
2003-07-17	Arts Funding [HR2691]	Agreed To (225-200)
Slaughter (D-NY) amendment to the bill which increased taxpayer funding of the National Endowment for the Arts. ACU opposes taxpayer subsidies for artistic endeavors and the government control of the arts.
2003-07-22	Pledge of Allegiance [HR2799]	Agreed To (307-119)
In the wake of the 9th Circuit Court ruling that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional, the House adopted a resolution supporting the saying of the Pledge in schools.
2003-07-22	Media Ownership [HR2799]	Rejected (174-254)
Hinchey (D-NY) amendment which would have established strict limits on radio and television licenses and increased the power of the federal government over broadcast media.
2003-07-24	Free Trade [HR2738]	Passed (270-156)
This measure would remove trade barriers between the United States and Chile, reducing prices and expanding choices for American consumers.
2003-09-04	Federalization of Local Elections [HR2989]	Rejected (186-228)
Hastings (D-FL) amendment which would have increased the power of the federal government over the conduct of local elections. ACU strongly opposed the trend toward federal control of elections.
2003-09-09	Cuba Travel Ban [HR2989]	Agreed To (227-188)
Flake (R-AZ) amendment to lift the ban on travel to Communist Cuba by U.S. citizens.
2003-09-09	Blocking Private Sector Competition in Government Services [HR2989]	Rejected (205-211)
Hastings (D-FL) amendment which would have blocked federal agencies from outsourcing functions that could be performed better by private sector contractors.
2003-09-09	School Choice [HR2765]	Agreed To (209-208)
Davis (R-VA) amendment which authorized a low-income school voucher program in the District of Columbia.
2003-10-02	Partial-Birth Abortion Ban [S3]	Agreed To (281-142)
This bill would ban "partial-birth" abortion, a procedure in which the baby is almost completely delivered, then killed.
2003-11-20	Intelligence Activities [HR2417]	Agreed To (264-163)
This measure authorized spending for intelligence-related activities. ACU opposed the bill due to civil liberties concerns involving the USA PATRIOT Act.
2003-11-22	Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit [HR1]	Agreed To (220-215)
The Medicare prescription drug benefit bill marked the greatest expansion of a federal program in almost 40 years. The $400 billion bill will add trillions to the unfunded liability of Medicare and cause millions of seniors to lose their current drug coverage. The bill contained a "health savings account" provision favored by ACU, but on balance it could not be justified on conservative principles. ACU opposed it so strongly that the vote is double-weighted in this rating.

Represents a "Yes" vote.   Represents a "No" vote.   Indicates that this member voted against the conservative position on a particular vote. "No vote" means that this member did not cast a vote (or voted 'Present' instead of Yes or No).