FRC Scorecard on Rep. Herseth Sandlin

The Family Research Council and Focus on the Family Action have released their scorecard of the 110th Congress on key votes of interest to pro-family voters.

South Dakota Democrat Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is being challenged this year by Republican Chris Lien of Rapid City.

This is how Herseth Sandlin voted on these key issues:




1. Prohibition on Funding Human Cloning
Offered by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), this motion to recommit the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Act (H.R. 3) would have amended the bill to ensure that no taxpayer funds could be used for any human cloning.
(Failed 1/11/2007, 189 yeas to 238 nays, Roll Call No. 19)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Motion.

2. Embryonic Stem Cell Research Act
Sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Act (H.R. 3) would overturn President Bush’s policy on funding human embryonic stem cell research by authorizing the National Institutes of Health to fund stem cell research that requires the destruction of human embryos. President Bush vetoed this bill (H.R. 810) last year. A similar bill to this one passed in the Senate and then later in the House, but it was vetoed on June 20th.
(Passed 1/11/2007, 253 yeas to 174 nays, Roll Call No. 20)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.

3. Prevent Faith-Based Discrimination in Head Start Program
Offered by Rep. Howard McKeon (R-CA), this motion to recommit the Head Start Reauthorization bill (H.R. 1429) would have amended the bill to remove the current discrimination provision in the Head Start program that prevents faith-based organizations from hiring according to their faith tradition.
(Failed 5/2/2007, 195 yeas to 222 nays, Roll Call No. 284)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Motion.

4. Federal Hate Crimes Act
Sponsored by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), this thought crimes bill (H.R. 1592) would establish federal “hate crimes” for certain violent acts based on the actual or perceived race, religion, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation of
any person.
(Passed 5/3/2007, 237 yeas to 180 nays, Roll Call No. 299)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.

5. Human Cloning Protection Act
Sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), this bill (H.R. 2560) would directly sanction the creation of cloned human embryos for destructive research. It would be the first federal law requiring the destruction of human life.
(Failed 6/6/2007, 204 yeas to 213 nays, Roll Call No. 439)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.

6. Embryonic Stem Cell Research Act
Sponsored by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Act (S. 5) would overturn President Bush’s policy on funding human embryonic stem cell research by authorizing the National Institutes of Health to fund stem cell research that requires the destruction of human embryos. This bill is similar to the previous House-passed bill (H.R. 3). President George W. Bush vetoed S. 5 on June 20, 2007.
(Passed 6/7/2007, 247 yeas to 176 nays, Roll Call No. 443)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.

7. Maintain Abstinence and Faithfulness Programs to Prevent Spread of HIV/AIDs
Offered by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), this amendment (H.AMDT. 364) to the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 2764) would have restored a carefully negotiated prevention policy which requires a third of HIV/AIDs prevention funding to be spent for “abstinence-until-marriage” and “be-faithful” programs as part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
(Failed 6/21/2007, 200 yeas to 226 nays, Roll Call No. 532)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Amendment.

8. Undermine Mexico City Policy by Funding International Abortion Groups
Offered by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), this amendment (H.AMDT. 367) to the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 2764) would have gutted the Mexico City Policy, thus allowing taxpayer funded contraceptives to be given to international organizations that perform and promote abortions as a method of family planning.
(Passed 6/21/2007, 223 yeas to 201 nays, Roll Call No. 533)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Amendment.

9. Maintain Mexico City Policy on International Abortion Funding
Sponsored by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Bart Stupak (D-MI), this amendment (H.AMDT. 368) to the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 2764) would have removed language that undermines the Mexico City Policy, and instead, would have upheld the prohibition against federal funding of international organizations that perform or promote abortion as a method of family planning.
(Failed 6/21/2007, 205 yeas to 218 nays, Roll Call No. 534)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Amendment.

10. Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill
Sponsored by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 2764) undermines two important policies: first, the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits federal funding for international organizations that perform or promote abortion as a method of family planning; and second, the appropriation of funds for “abstinence-until-marriage” and “be-faithful” programs as part of HIV/AIDs prevention programs in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
(Passed 6/22/2007, 241 yeas to 178 nays, Roll Call No. 542)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.

11. Prohibit Funding for Washington DC Needle Exchange Program
Offered by Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), this amendment (H.AMDT. 465) to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 2829) would have restored the restrictions on the use of any funds for needle exchange programs in the District of Columbia.
(Failed 6/28/2007, 208 yeas to 216 nays, Roll Call No. 589)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Amendment.

12. Prohibits Federal Implementation of Fairness Doctrine
Introduced by Rep. Mike Pence, this amendment (H.AMDT. 484) to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 2829) strips the Federal Communications Commission of its authority to reinstitute the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” which would order broadcasters to give equal air time to both sides of controversial issues.
(Passed 6/28/2007, 309 yeas to 115 nays, Roll Call No. 599)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Amendment.

13. Prevent DC Gay Marriage
Offered by Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), this amendment (H.AMDT. 489) to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 2829) would restore a provision adopted by Congress over a decade ago that prevents federal funds from being used by the District of Columbia to grant domestic partner benefits.
(Passed 6/28/2007, 224 yeas to 200 nays, Roll Call No. 603)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Amendment.

14. Restrict Funding to Planned Parenthood
Sponsored by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), this amendment (H.AMDT. 594) to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2008 (H.R. 3043) would have restricted federal funding for abortions by withholding from Planned Parenthood any of the $331 million appropriated for Title X family planning services.
(Failed 7/19/2007, 189 yeas to 231 nays, Roll Call No. 684)
FRC Action and Focus Action Supported this Amendment.

15. Children’s Health Bill for Low-Income Families
Sponsored by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007, or the CHAMP bill (H.R. 3162), reauthorizes and expands the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The CHAMP bill would undermine state health coverage for unborn children, allow states to cover family planning services for individuals not currently eligible for Medicaid services, mandate that states fund family planning services as part of their Medicaid benchmark programs and undermine the Title V state abstinence education program.
(Passed 8/1/2007, 225 yeas to 204 nays, Roll Call No. 787)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.

16. Employment Non-Discrimination Act
Sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (H.R. 3685) is aimed at providing heightened protections for homosexuality and is a radical transformation of workplace discrimination law. H.R. 3685 would grant special consideration on the basis of “sexual orientation” that would not be extended to other employees in the workplace.
(Passed 11/7/2007, 235 yeas to 184 nays, Roll Call No. 1057)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.

17. Exploit the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA)
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) offered a bill (H.R. 2176) that would set a dangerous precedent by authorizing two Michigan tribes, the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, to exploit the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and build two casinos located more than 350 miles from their respective reservations.
(Failed 6/25/08, 121 yeas to 298 nays, Roll Call No. 458)
FRC Action and Focus Action Opposed this Bill.