Over the course of his career as a legislator, Ben Ray Luján has voted on a variety of major issues as follows:
ABORTION & THE RIGHTS OF THE UNBORN
NO on HR 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017, a bill to prohibit the use of any federal funds for abortion services.
NO on S 304, the Conscience Protection Act of 2016, a bill to prohibit the government from penalizing healthcare providers that decline to cover abortions.
NO on HR 3504, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (2015), a bill requiring healthcare practitioners who are present when an infant survives an attempted abortion, to exercises the same degree of care as would be provided to any infant born at the same gestational age.
NO on HR 3134, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, a bill to rescind federal funds for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for one year, unless Planned Parenthood could certify that its clinics and affiliates would not use the funds to perform an abortion during that year.
NO on HR 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2015, a bill to prohibit federal funding of any abortion services and of health benefits coverage for such services.
NO on HR 1797, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (2013), a bill to prohibit abortions after a fetus has reached 20 weeks of age, except in cases where: (a) the abortion is necessary to avert the death of the pregnant woman, or (b) the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest against a minor.
NO on HR 3541, the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2012, a bill to prohibit abortions sought due to the sex, gender, color, or race of the fetus, or the race of a parent of the fetus
NO on H Amdt 95, Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood (2011), a bill to prevent federal funds from being made available to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, or to any of its state or local affiliates, for any purpose.
NO on HR 358, a 2011 bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), so as to prohibit the use of federal funds to pay for any part of any health care plan that provides coverage for abortions.
NO on HR 3, Prohibiting Taxpayer Funding of Abortion (2011), a bill to prohibit any federal funds from being used for the purpose of providing abortions, unless the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, or the woman’s life is in danger because of the pregnancy.
NO on H Amdt 509, Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services (2009), an amendment to prohibit funds from being used to pay for abortions or to cover any part of the costs of a health plan that includes abortion coverage, unless the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, or the woman’s life is in danger because of the pregnancy.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES
NO on HR 115, the Thin Blue Line Act (2017), a bill authorizing the death penalty in cases of the murder or attempted murder of a police officer or other first responder.
YES on HR 1913 – Hate Crimes Expansion (2009), a bill to expand the definition of a hate crime to include felonies motivated by prejudice based on national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity of the victim.
EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
NO on HR 30, the Save American Workers Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of hours that an employee is required to work per week from 30 to 40, in order to be considered a full-time employee for the purpose of the employer mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
NO on HR 2575, the Save American Workers Act of 2014, a bill to increase the number of hours that an employee is required to work per week from 30 to 40, in order to be considered a full-time employee for the purpose of the employer mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
YES on S 181, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, a bill that sought to count each paycheck as an offense if a woman’s salary was determined to be unjustly low, and to allow the recovery of back pay for up to two years prior to the complaint in addition to existing penalties.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
NO on S 1, A Bill to Approve the Keystone XL Pipeline (2015), which authorized the construction and operation of the Keystone XL Pipeline and cross-border facilities.
NO on HR 161, the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act (2015), a bill requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve or deny an application for a natural gas pipeline within 12 months.
NO on HR 3, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act (2015), a bill authorizing the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Keystone XL Pipeline project.
NO on HR 5682, To Approve the Keystone XL Pipeline (2014), a bill authorizing the construction and operation of the Keystone XL Pipeline and cross-border facilities.
NO on H Amdt 585, Prohibits the Social Cost of Carbon from Being Included in Agency Determinations (2014), an amendment to prohibit the social cost of carbon from being used in an environmental review or decision-making process of a regulatory agency.
NO on HR 2231, the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act (2013), a bill to increase lease sales for offshore oil and gas.
NO on HR 6213, the No More Solyndras Act (2012), a bill to limit the continuation of loan guarantees under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
NO on HR 3409, the Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012, a bill to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from taking any action related to the emission of “greenhouse gases,” and to temporarily bar the Secretary of the Interior from issuing or approving regulations that would adversely impact employment in U.S. coal mines.
YES on HR 2454, Energy and Environmental Law Amendments (2009)(a.k.a. “Cap and Trade”) (Click here for details about Cap and Trade.)
[sta_anchor id=”foreign-affairs” unsan=”Foreign Affairs”]FOREIGN AFFAIRS[/sta_anchor]
NO on HR 3457, the Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act (2015), a bill to prohibit sanctions against Iran from being lifted until Iran pays court-ruled fines for judgments related to terrorism.
NO on HR 3460, To Suspend Until January 21, 2017, the Authority of the President to Waive, Suspend, Reduce, Provide Relief from, or Otherwise Limit the Application of Sanctions Pursuant to an Agreement Related to the Nuclear Program of Iran (2015): This bill sought to prohibit the President (Barack Obama) from reducing certain sanctions on Iran until January 21, 2017, when a new President would be in office.
NO on H Res 411, Finding that the President Has Not Complied with Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, a call to pass a resolution alleging that President Obama had not transmitted the Iran nuclear agreement to the appropriate Congressional committees.
NO on H Amdt 226, Limits Use of Funds to Implement New START Treaty (2015), an amendment to HR 1735 that prohibited funding the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) unless certain conditions regarding the Russian Federation were met.
NO on H Amdt 679, Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Implement the New START Treaty (2014), an amendment to HR 4435 that prohibited funds appropriated to the Department of Defense from being used to implement the New START Treaty.
NO on H Amdt 167, Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to Yemen (2013), an amendment to HR 1960 that prohibited the funds appropriated to the Department of Defense to be used to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release of an individual detained at Guantanamo Bay, to the custody or control of Yemen or any entity within Yemen, until December 31, 2014.
HEALTH CARE ISSUES
YES on HR 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010(Obamacare)
YES on HR 2, the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion (2009), a bill to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
IMMIGRATION, NATIONALITY, & ENGLISH LANGUAGE ISSUES
NO on HR 3009, the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act (2015), a bill to cut off federal funding to state or local governments that restrict law enforcement from inquiring about an individual’s citizenship or immigration status.
NO on HR 5759, the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014, a bill to prohibit the executive branch from exempting or deferring, by executive order or otherwise, illegal immigrants from deportation pursuant to existing immigration law.
NO on HR 5272, To Prohibit Certain Actions with Respect to Deferred Action for Aliens Not Lawfully Present in the United States, and for Other Purposes (2014): This bill aimed to prohibit any federal agency from using funds to consider any application of any illegal immigrant requesting consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals, to authorize deferred action for any illegal immigrant, or to authorize any illegal immigrant to work in the United States.
NO on H Amdt 136, Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order (2013), an amendment designed to prevent the enforcement of the Obama Administration’s controversial “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) program. Initiated in June 2012, that executive action guaranteed that most DREAM Act-eligible individuals would be granted legal status, work permits, access to certain publicly funded social services, and protection from deportation for a period of two years.
YES on HR 3012, Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations (2011), a bill that sought to repeal country limits for immigrant visas made available to employment-based immigrants, whereas existing law specified that no more than 7 percent of the total number of family-sponsored and employment-based visas could be awarded to natives of any one country.
YES on HR 5281, the DREAM Act (2010), a bill offering permanent legal status to illegal immigrants up to age 35 who arrived in the United States before age 16, provided they complete two years of college (for which they can receive in-state-resident tuition discounts).
TAXATION AND ECONOMIC ISSUES
NO on HR 1105, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015, a bill to repeal the estate tax and the generation-skipping transfer tax.
NO on HR 3865, the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014, a bill to prohibit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from issuing, revising, or finalizing any regulation that was in effect on January 1, 2010 regarding an organization that claims a tax exempt status under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
NO on H Amdt 448, Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions (2013), an amendment to HR 367 that requires congressional approval in order for a carbon tax to be imposed.
NO on HR 249, the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2013, a bill to prohibit any individual who has a delinquent tax debt from being an employee of the federal government.
NO on HR 828, the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012, a bill to prohibit any individual who has a delinquent tax debt from being an employee of the federal government.
NO on HR 436, Repeals Excise Tax on Medical Devices (2012), a bill to repeal the 2.3 percent tax on medical devices previously imposed on manufactures, producers and importers.
NO on HR 9, Income Tax Deduction for Small Businesses (2012), a bill to establish an income tax deduction of 20 percent for small businesses, beginning in the 2012 tax year.
NO on HR 4853, Temporary Extension of Tax Relief (2010), a bill to: amend and extend provisions of the “Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001”; extend the period of time in which the allowable credit for the Child Tax Credit can be increased; extend the reduced marriage penalty of $5,000, and the increased credit percentage of 45 percent for taxpayers with 3 or more qualifying children; increase the Alternative Minimum Tax exemption amount for taxpayers other than corporations; and reduce estate taxes.
WELFARE & ENTITLEMENTS ISSUES
NO on H Amdt 231, Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (2013), an amendment to HR 1947 that authorized states to require federal welfare work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For a more comprehensive look at Ben Luján’s voting record, visit VoteSmart.org, OnTheIssues.org, and GovTrack.us.
NOTE: Voting records and legislation descriptions, courtesy of VoteSmart.org.