John Cornyn

[Congressional biography]

Born: February 2, 1952 in Houston, TX

Education:

Career:

Elected Office:

Key Senate Vote Data for John Cornyn in 2016

Date	Subject	Result	Conserv. Position	Cornyn Voted
2016	Garland Supreme Court Nomination
The most consequential question addressed in the 2016 session was whether to confirm Merrick Garland to the US Supreme Court to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. ACU supported Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's historic efforts to allow the electorate to determine the next Supreme Court appointment via casting a vote in the presidential election. ACU gives credit to those 48 Senators who did not waver on whether Merrick Garland should have a hearing or a vote in the 114th Congress. This matter is double-weighted due to its impact.
2016-01-12	Audit of the Federal Reserve System [S2232]	Rejected (53-44)
Motion to invoke cloture (end debate) on a bill which requires a full audit of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Reserve banks by the Comptroller General. ACU supports increasing accountability in government agencies that significantly impact our nation's financial well-being (60 votes were required to invoke cloture).
2016-01-19	Nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to the US District Court	Confirmed (58-36)		No Vote
This vote confirms the nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to be United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota. ACU opposed the nomination of Wright, who has equated property rights with racism and wrote that a free market economy is responsible for bigotry, poverty, and poor educational opportunities for most public school students.
2016-01-21	Rejecting the Waters of the United States Rule [SJRES22]	Rejected (52-40)
Under the Congressional Review Act, the Senate voted on and passed a Resolution of Disapproval to reject the Waters of the United States rule. That rule dramatically expands the federal government's definition of "navigable waterways" to give it authority over streams and ponds. The resolution was vetoed by the president. ACU opposes the absurd desire of federal bureaucrats to expand the government's regulatory scope by claiming ownership over small amounts of water (60 votes were required).
2016-02-02	Restricting Presidential Authority to Declare National Monuments [S2012]	Rejected (47-48)
Lee (R-UT) amendment to the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2016 ("Energy Bill"), which would put restrictions on the president's ability to declare national monuments by requiring federal and state laws also approving the monuments. ACU opposes the overuse of national monument designations, which are supposed to be reserved for important historical landmarks.
2016-03-02	More "Emergency" Spending [S524]	Rejected (48-47)
Shaheen (D-NH) amendment to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which adds $600 million in additional "emergency" spending, thus adding to the deficit. ACU opposes the constant use of "emergency" spending, which avoids offsetting spending reductions to pay for it.
2016-03-14	Nomination of John King as Secretary of Education	Confirmed (49-40)
This vote confirms the nomination of John King as Secretary of Education. ACU opposed the nomination of someone who, as New York State Education Commissioner, imposed Common Core and advocated for a national student database that would share nationwide children's sensitive information, such as disabilities and disciplinary records.
2016-04-07	Federal Mandate for Airplane Seats [HR636]	Rejected (42-54)		No Vote
Schumer (D-NY) amendment to the Small Business Tax Relief Act requires the Federal Aviation Administration to establish minimum requirements regarding seating space for passengers on commercial aircrafts. ACU does not believe it is a proper function of government to mandate the size of airline seats.
2016-04-19	Mortgage Underwriting Mandate [S2012]	Agreed To (66-31)
Isakson (R-GA) amendment to the Energy bill requires the Federal Housing Administration to give special favor to borrowers who use "green" energy in their homes. ACU opposes adding more taxpayer risk to these loans via mandates.
2016-04-19	Land and Water Conservation Fund Spending [S2012]	Rejected (34-63)
Lankford (R-OK) amendment to the Energy bill, which includes the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, requiring that half of any funds spent to acquire new land go to the land's maintenance. ACU opposes the continued acquisition of federal lands with no plan to maintain them.
2016-04-20	Energy Policy Modernization Act [S2012]	Passed (85-12)
This bill provides for a series of initiatives that increases the federal government's role in the energy sector by promoting energy projects favored by the government. These would include carbon capture, methane hydrates, industrial bioheat systems, the use of disaster relief to promote favored government energy systems, and other programs that have failed in the past and can be funded by the private sector. The bill also permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has nothing to do with energy programs and should be handled as a separate bill. ACU supports all forms of energy and believes government should not favor one form of energy over another.
2016-04-20	Eliminating Wasteful Government Agencies [HR2028]	Rejected (25-71)
Ernst (R-IA) amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill eliminates funding for a number of outdated agencies and commissions, including the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Delta Regional Authority, and the Northern Border Regional Commission. ACU supports the elimination of wasteful bureaucracies, which, in some cases, go back to the New Deal era.
2016-04-21	Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program [HR2028]	Rejected (48-49)
Coats (R-IN) amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill phases out an alternative energy vehicle loan program, which, after nine years, has billions of dollars in unspent funds and gave loans to companies that went bankrupt. ACU opposes such wasteful government programs, which favor one form of energy over another.
2016-04-26	Wind Energy Subsidies [HR2028]	Agreed To (54-42)
Merkley (D-OR) amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill adds $95 million for wind energy research, an industry that already receives subsidies through tax credits. ACU supports all forms of energy and believes government should not support one form of energy over another.
2016-05-16	Nomination of Paula Xinis to the US District Court	Confirmed (53-34)
This vote confirms Paula Xinis to be the United States District Judge for the District of Maryland. ACU opposed the nomination of Xinis, who was opposed by the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police for her record of bias against law enforcement.
2016-05-19	Funds to Combat the Zika Virus [HR2577]	Agreed To (68-30)
This amendment to a broad appropriations bill covering numerous departments adds $1.1 billion in funds for combating the Zika virus with no offset reductions. ACU opposes the constant use of "emergency" funds, which increases the deficit, instead of setting spending priorities.
2016-05-19	New Federal Fair Housing Rule [HR2577]	Agreed To (60-37)
Motion to invoke cloture (end debate) on the Lee (R-UT) amendment to a broad appropriations bill covering numerous departments, prohibiting the use of funds to carry out the "Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule." ACU opposes this rule, which creates what is in effect a national zoning board directing local governments to submit plans to increase "fair housing" until local governments meet certain criteria.
2016-05-25	Disapproval of the Catfish Inspection Program [SJRES28]	Passed (55-43)
This Resolution of Disapproval, sponsored by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), uses the Congressional Review Act to stop a duplicative federal catfish inspection program at the Department of Agriculture. The program has been cited as wasteful by the Government Accountability Office ten times and costs the taxpayers $14 million dollars a year. The catfish inspection programs are examples of overregulation by the federal government.
2016-06-07	Non-Defense Spending at the Department of Defense [S2943]	Agreed To (66-32)
Durbin (D-IL) amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would increase spending on medical research unrelated to defense issues. ACU supports using funds only for their allocated purposes.
2016-06-07	Privatization of Commissaries [S2943]	Agreed To (70-28)
Inhofe (R-OK) amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act eliminates a pilot program privatizing five commissaries to determine if a new system would work. ACU supports increasing the role of the private sector to improve government programs where possible.
2016-06-20	Attorney General Authority over Firearm Transfers [HR2578]	Rejected (47-53)
Motion to invoke cloture (end debate) on the Feinstein (D-CA) amendment to the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill allowing the U.S. Attorney General to unilaterally deny requests to transfer a firearm to certain law-abiding citizens. ACU opposes placing such power in the hands of one person without due process, which could be used for political purposes.
2016-07-06	Defunding Sanctuary Cities [S3100]	Rejected (53-44)
Motion to invoke cloture (end debate) on a bill which reduces funds for sanctuary cities, where local officials refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, and makes it clear that local officials are required to detain illegal immigrants when requested to do so by the Department of Homeland Security. ACU supports the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
2016-07-06	Stopping Illegal Reentry for Deportees [S2193]	Rejected (55-42)
Motion to invoke cloture (end debate) on a bill known as "Kate's Law," which increases penalties for those who illegally re-enter the U.S. after being deported. ACU supports protecting citizens from individuals who desire to break the law and supports increasing the penalties for those who continually do so.
2016-07-13	Nomination of Carla Hayden as Librarian of Congress	Confirmed (74-18)
This vote confirms Carla Hayden to be Librarian of Congress. ACU opposed the nomination of someone who has been more of a political activist than a librarian as head of the American Library Association. ACU also opposed confirming anyone to a ten year term of office mere months before a presidential election.
2016-11-17	Energy Development on Public Land [S3110]	Rejected (51-47)
Motion to invoke cloture (end debate) on a bill which reforms the administration of the Outer Continental Shelf to allow for energy exploration offshore and on other public lands. ACU supports increasing access to public lands for energy exploration.

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).