Kay Bailey Hutchison

[Congressional biography]

Born: July 22, 1943 in Galveston, TX

Education:

Career:

Elected Office:

Key Senate Vote Data for Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2009

Date	Subject	Result	Conserv. Position	Hutchison Voted
2009-01-15	Blocking Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) [SJRES5]	Defeated (42-52)
The Senate defeated a measure that would have prevented the release of the remaining $350 billion under the financial industry bailout law. ACU supported this effort to recapture some of the taxpayer money in this program.
2009-01-28	Banning Abortion Promotion [HR2]	Rejected (37-60)
The Senate defeated an amendment that would have reinstated the ban on U.S. aid to organizations that promote abortion.
2009-01-29	Unborn Children Health Care [HR2]	Rejected (39-59)
The Senate defeated an amendment that would have expanded the definition of "low-income children" to include unborn children. ACU opposed the massive expansion of the SCHIP Program but supported this expanded definition.
2009-01-29	State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) [HR2]	Passed (66-32)
The Senate voted to re-authorize the SCHIP and increase its funding by $32.8 billion. The bill raises taxes, expands the program to include legal immigrants and pregnant women, and loosens citizenship requirements. Although the program was designed to help poor children, the bill prohibits the government from covering poor children first.
2009-02-02	Confirmation of Eric Holder as Attorney General	Confirmed (75-21)
The Senate voted to confirm Eric Holder as Attorney General of the United States. ACU opposed this nomination because of Mr. Holder's role in granting presidential pardons at the end of the Clinton administration, his disdain of Second Amendment rights, and other issues.
2009-02-04	Tax Cuts [HR1]	Rejected (36-61)
The Senate rejected a substitute to the "Stimulus" bill which would have replaced government spending with tax cuts. It would have made permanent the tax cuts passed temporarily in 2001 and 2003. These include elimination of the marriage penalty, a $1,000 per child tax credit, a 15 percent rate on capital gains, and a repeal of the death tax on estates under $5 million. The proposal also lowered the corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 percent and repealed the Alternative Minimum Tax.
2009-02-05	"Earmarks" Reform [HR1]	Rejected (32-65)
The Senate rejected an effort to require 60 votes to approve unauthorized "earmarks" and require disclosure of lobbying by recipients of such spending.
2009-02-06	Barring ACORN Funding [HR1]	Rejected (45-51)		No Vote
The Senate rejected an amendment barring stimulus funds from going to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). ACU supported this amendment because of ACORN's record of corruption.
2009-02-09	Economic Stimulus [HR1]	Agreed To (61-36)
The Senate agreed to stop debate and move to final passage of the Economic Stimulus Bill, providing $838 billion in an effort to stimulate the economy.
2009-02-26	Repealing D.C. Gun Laws [S160]	Agreed To (62-36)
The Senate adopted an amendment lifting the District of Columbia ban on firearms ownership, and other restrictions on firearms.
2009-02-26	D.C. Voting Rights [S160]	Passed (61-37)
The Senate passed a bill adding two seats to the House of Representatives, one temporarily for Utah and one permanently for the District of Columbia.
2009-03-03	Spending Freeze [HR1105]	Rejected (32-63)
The Senate defeated an amendment freezing spending for most domestic programs at FY 2008 levels through September 2009.
2009-03-10	"Fairness" Doctrine [HR1105]	Rejected (47-50)
The Senate defeated an amendment that would bar the use of federal funds to reinstate the "fairness doctrine", which required broadcasters to give equal time to different viewpoints, thus discouraging broadcasters from airing successful conservative talk shows.
2009-03-10	D.C. School Vouchers [HR1105]	Rejected (39-58)
The Senate defeated an amendment to preserve funds for the District of Columbia school voucher program after the 2009-10 school year.
2009-04-02	Legislative Transparency [SCONRES13]	Rejected (46-52)
The Senate killed an effort to require 60 votes to pass any legislation that has not been available for public review for five days. ACU supported this effort to help citizens be aware of what Congress is doing.
2009-05-21	International Monetary Fund (IMF) [HR2346]	Rejected (30-64)
The Senate defeated an amendment striking an additional $5 billion no-strings-attached commitment to the IMF requested by Treasury Secretary Geitner who used to work there. ACU opposes giving a blank check to multilateral aid agencies.
2009-08-06	Sonia Sotomayor Nomination	Confirmed (68-31)
The Senate voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. ACU opposed this nomination because of her record as a District Court judge and her positions on ethnic discrimination issues.
2009-08-06	Cash for Clunkers [HR3435]	Passed (60-37)
The Senate voted to provide $2 billion more to the program under which the Department of Transportation buys old cars from people for up to $4,500 each, so that they can buy new, more fuel-efficient cars. ACU opposed the original program as wasteful and ineffective, which it proved to be, and opposed this extension of it.
2009-09-16	Firearms on Amtrak [HR3288]	Agreed To (68-30)
The Senate adopted an amendment the effect of which was to allow Amtrak passengers to transport firearms in their checked baggage.
2009-11-17	Defunding Terrorist Detention Facilities [HR3082]	Agreed To (57-43)
The Senate voted to kill an attempt to stop construction within the U.S. of facilities designed to house terrorist suspects now held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
2009-11-21	Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") [HR3590]	Agreed To (60-39)
The Senate agreed to proceed to the health care overhaul bill which allowed the changes needed that resulted in final passage.
2009-12-04	Community Living Support [HR3590]	Rejected (51-47)
The House defeated an amendment designed to stop the establishment of a new entitlement program for community living assistance services as part of the Health Care Overhaul.
2009-12-04	Medicare Advantage [HR3590]	Rejected (41-57)
A motion to eliminate cuts in the Medicare Advantage program as part of health care overhaul. ACU supported this effort, since Medicare Advantage uses private incentives to control Medicare costs.
2009-12-06	Medical Malpractice [HR3590]	Rejected (32-66)
The Senate defeated an amendment limiting attorney fees in medical malpractice suits.
2009-12-24	Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") [HR3590]	Passed (60-39)
The Senate passed legislation overhauling the health care industry. Provisions include federal supervision of private insurance plans, state-run insurance exchanges, mandatory purchase of government approved insurance by individuals or the payment of a steep excise tax, requirements that employers offer insurance or face fines, subsidies for individuals to purchase government approved insurance up to 400 percent of the poverty level. The bill raises numerous taxes, including a tax on health insurance plans, medical devices and tanning salons. Insurance companies could not deny coverage to those already sick, and Medicare and Medicaid would be expanded. All states except Nebraska would share in the Medicaid cost. The bill reduces support for Medicare Advantage except for designated counties in Florida and includes $300 million in unrelated spending for the state of Louisiana.

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).