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 2005

Date	Subject	Result	Conserv. Position	Hall Voted
2005-03-09	New Interstate Tolls [HR3]	Rejected (155-265)
Kennedy (R-MN) amendment that would have authorized new tolls on any existing toll road or newly constructed lane on the interstate system to lower congestion or improve air quality. It also would have allowed new, toll-eligible express traffic lanes.
2005-03-17	Republican Study Committee Substitute Budget [HCONRES95]	Rejected (102-320)
Hensarling (R-TX) Republican Study Committee amendment that called for a substitute budget with $58 billion more in mandatory spending cuts, for a total of $125 billion over five years. It would have reduced non-defense and non-homeland discretionary spending by 2 percent, and protected all $106 billion in tax cuts. It proposed a number of procedures to curtail new spending.
2005-04-13	Estate Tax Permanent Repeal [HR8]	Passed (272-162)
A bill making permanent the repeal of the estate tax ("death tax") contained in the 2001 tax cut law, which is set to expire after 2010.
2005-04-14	Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act [S256]	Passed (302-126)
A bill requiring debtors who have the ability to pay, to pay back at least a portion of their debts. The bill also requires credit card companies to let card holders know up front what they are expected to pay and the penalties for late payment. The bill makes it more difficult for serial bankruptcy filers to abuse the system by imposing an eight year waiting period between bankruptcy declarations. The bill also allows the federal government to clamp down on bankruptcy mills that make money advising bankruptcy abusers on how to game the system.
2005-04-20	CAFE Standards [HR6]	Rejected (177-254)
Boehlert (R-NY) amendment that would have required the Transportation Department to issue regulations raising fuel efficiency standards to at least 33 miles per gallon in automobiles manufactured by model year 2015.
2005-04-20	ANWR Leasing [HR6]	Rejected (200-231)
Markey (D-MA) amendment that would have prevented leases for oil and gas exploration in a small portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
2005-04-27	Abortion Notification [HR748]	Passed (270-157)
A bill barring the transportation of a minor girl across state lines to obtain an abortion without the consent of a parent, guardian, or judge.
2005-04-28	Fiscal 2006 Budget Resolution -- Conference Report [HCONRES95]	Agreed To (214-211)
Adoption of the conference report on the Fiscal 2006 budget resolution, setting broad spending and revenue targets for five years, limiting discretionary spending to $843 billion in fiscal 2006, and requiring $70 billion in tax cuts and $34.7 billion in savings.
2005-05-19	Natural Gas Moratorium [HR2361]	Rejected (157-262)
Peterson (R-PA) amendment that would have lifted the moratorium on natural gas production in the Outer Continental Shelf.
2005-05-24	Embryonic Stem Cell Research [HR810]	Passed (238-194)
A bill that would allow the use of federal funds in research on embryonic stem cell lines derived from surplus embryos at in-vitro fertilization clinics, but only if donors give their consent and are not paid for the embryos.
2005-06-15	Ten Commandments Court Ruling [HR2862]	Agreed To (242-182)
Hostettler (R-IN) amendment that would nullify a ruling by a U.S. District Court in Indiana that a monument representing the Ten Commandments must be removed from a county courthouse.
2005-06-16	Firearms Exportation [HR2862]	Rejected (149-278)
Moran (D-VA) amendment that would have prohibited the exportation of non-automatic or semi-automatic .50 caliber firearms.
2005-06-16	United Nations Population Fund [HR2862]	Rejected (192-233)
Maloney (D-NY) amendment that would have allowed funding for the United Nations Population Fund.
2005-06-17	United Nations Overhaul [HR2745]	Passed (221-184)
A bill that withholds up to 50 percent of U.S. payments to the United Nations unless the U.N. changes its operations to provide more rigorous budget control, oversight, and financial disclosure for top officials. Overall U.S. contributions under the bill are capped at 22 percent of the U.N. budget.
2005-06-23	Corporation for Public Broadcasting [HR3010]	Agreed To (284-140)
Obey (D-WI) amendment adding $100 million in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
2005-06-30	Reforming Eminent Domain [HR3058]	Agreed To (231-189)
Garrett (R-NJ) amendment that prohibits any use of federal funds on private property obtained through the power of eminent domain for private development.
2005-07-28	Medical Malpractice Reform [HR5]	Passed (230-194)
A bill capping non-economic and punitive damages that plaintiffs and their attorneys receive in medical malpractice cases. Punitive damages would be barred against makers and distributors of medical products if those products were approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The bill does not pre-empt state damage caps but imposes federal caps where states do not have their own. The bill limits attorneys' contingency fees.
2005-09-14	Sex Offender Registration [HR3132]	Agreed To (223-199)
Conyers (D-MI) amendment broadening the categories covered by the federal "hate crimes" statute to include crimes motivated by the victim's gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
2005-09-29	Endangered Species Act Overhaul [HR3824]	Passed (229-193)
A bill overhauling and reauthorizing the Endangered Species Act through 2010. It replaces the critical habitat designation which has been used to infringe on property rights and requires the government to reimburse landowners when they are not allowed to develop their land because of protections for endangered species. It also authorizes grants for private landowners to protect endangered species.
2005-10-07	Oil Refinery Construction [HR3893]	Passed (212-210)
A bill streamlining approvals for refinery expansion and construction projects. It requires the President to designate federal sites for new oil refineries and allows the federal government to pay new refineries for the costs due to lawsuits and government regulations. Price gouging on gasoline is banned in times of emergencies. ACU favored the bill while recognizing that it contains some questionable provisions.
2005-10-20	Limiting Gun Manufacturer Liability [S397]	Passed (283-144)
A bill barring lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of firearms and ammunition making them liable for gun violence. Penalties for violent or drug trafficking crimes using armor-piercing ammunition are increased to a minimum of 15 years imprisonment, or, if death resulted from the use of such ammunition, life in prison or the death penalty.
2005-10-26	Government-Sponsored Enterprises [HR1461]	Agreed To (210-205)
Oxley (R-OH) amendment reforming the quasi-government enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by prohibiting their funds for political activities, advocacy, lobbying, counseling services, travel expenses, or preparing or providing advice on tax returns.
2005-11-02	Online Freedom of Speech [HR1606]	Failed (225-182)		No Vote
An attempt to exempt the internet, including blogs and e-mail, from the definition of "public communication" and thus subject to Federal Election Commission regulation and disclosure requirements. Although the bill got a majority, under House procedures a two-thirds vote was required.
2005-11-18	Deficit Reduction Act [HR4241]	Passed (217-215)
A bill to reduce the FY 2006 deficit. Among many other provisions, it allowed oil and natural gas leasing and pre-leasing activities for Outer Continental Shelf areas, terminated subsidies for broadband telecommunications services in rural areas, and provided for energy production on a small portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and established a national mining and minerals policy.
2005-12-16	Blocking the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act [HR4437]	Failed (198-221)
An attempt to send the immigration reform bill back to a conference committee. Such a recommittal would have killed the immigration reform effort. Notable provisions of the bill include the expansion of the expedited alien removal program and expansion of the categories and types of crimes that make non-citizens removable.

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).