45 Senators who voted against bipartisan gun control

Want to contact the Senators who voted against background checks? Here is their info:

Alexander, Lamar - (R - TN)	Class II
455 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4944
Contact: www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email
Ayotte, Kelly - (R - NH)	Class III
144 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3324
Contact: www.ayotte.senate.gov/?p=contact
Barrasso, John - (R - WY)	Class I
307 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6441
Contact: www.barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Conta...
Baucus, Max - (D - MT)	Class II
511 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2651
Contact: www.baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue
Begich, Mark - (D - AK)	Class II
111 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3004
Contact: www.begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailSenator
Blunt, Roy - (R - MO)	Class III
260 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5721
Contact: www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form?p=cont...
Boozman, John - (R - AR)	Class III
320 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4843
Contact: www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me
Burr, Richard - (R - NC)	Class III
217 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3154
Contact: www.burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.C...
Chambliss, Saxby - (R - GA)	Class II
416 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3521
Contact: www.chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email
Coats, Daniel - (R - IN)	Class III
493 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5623
Contact: www.coats.senate.gov/contact/
Coburn, Tom - (R - OK)	Class III
172 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5754
Contact: www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactsenatorcobu...
Cochran, Thad - (R - MS)	Class II
113 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5054
Contact: www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me
Corker, Bob - (R - TN)	Class I
425 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3344
Contact: www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe
Cornyn, John - (R - TX)	Class II
517 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2934
Contact: www.cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm
Crapo, Mike - (R - ID)	Class III
239 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6142
Contact: www.crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
Cruz, Ted - (R - TX)	Class I
B40B DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5922
Contact: www.durbin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Enzi, Michael B. - (R - WY)	Class II
379A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3424
Contact: www.enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=e-mail-sen...
Fischer, Deb - (R - NE)	Class I
825 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6551
Contact: www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me
Flake, Jeff - (R - AZ)	Class I
B85 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4521
Contact: www.flake.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Graham, Lindsey - (R - SC)	Class II
290 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5972
Contact: lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.La...
Grassley, Chuck - (R - IA)	Class III
135 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3744
Contact: www.grassley.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm
Hatch, Orrin G. - (R - UT)	Class I
104 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5251
Contact: www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=Email-Orrin
Heitkamp, Heidi - (D - ND)	Class I
G55 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2043
Contact: www.heitkamp.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Heller, Dean - (R - NV)	Class I
361A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6244
Contact: www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form
Hirono, Mazie K. - (D - HI)	Class I
B40E DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6361
Contact: www.hirono.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Hoeven, John - (R - ND)	Class III
120 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2551
Contact: www.hoeven.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-the-senator
Inhofe, James M. - (R - OK)	Class II
205 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4721
Contact: www.inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact...
Isakson, Johnny - (R - GA)	Class III
131 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3643
Contact: www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me
Johanns, Mike - (R - NE)	Class II
404 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4224
Contact: www.johanns.senate.gov/public/?p=ContactSenatorJohanns
Johnson, Ron - (R - WI)	Class III
328 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5323
Contact: www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Lee, Mike - (R - UT)	Class III
316 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5444
Contact: www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY)	Class II
317 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2541
Contact: www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=contact
Contact: www.mikulski.senate.gov/contact/
Moran, Jerry - (R - KS)	Class III
354 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6521
Contact: moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-jerry
Murkowski, Lisa - (R - AK)	Class III
709 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6665
Contact: www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact
Paul, Rand - (R - KY)	Class III
208 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4343
Contact: www.paul.senate.gov/?p=contact
Portman, Rob - (R - OH)	Class III
448 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3353
Contact: www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=contact...
Pryor, Mark L. - (D - AR)	Class II
255 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2353
Contact: www.pryor.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe
Risch, James E. - (R - ID)	Class II
483 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2752
Contact: www.risch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email
Roberts, Pat - (R - KS)	Class II
109 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4774
Contact: www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailPat
Rubio, Marco - (R - FL)	Class III
317 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3041
Contact: www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Scott, Tim - (R - SC)	Class III
167 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6121
Contact: www.scott.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Sessions, Jeff - (R - AL)	Class II
326 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4124
Contact: www.sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Const...
Shelby, Richard C. - (R - AL)	Class III
304 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5744
Contact: www.shelby.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/emailsenatorshelby
Thune, John - (R - SD)	Class III
511 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2321
Contact: www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Vitter, David - (R - LA)	Class III
516 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4623
Contact: www.vitter.senate.gov/contact
Wicker, Roger F. - (R - MS)	Class I
555 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6253
Contact: www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact...

Time to pass the Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act.

Even though we beat our chests endlessly about how individuals need to take responsibility for their actions when they get hurt through misuse of a product, nothing says "safety" like a good old-fashioned lawsuit.  Think suing McDonalds because a careless woman spilled some coffee on her lap.  Think slipping on ice outside a multinational corporation and seeing dollars signs instead of stars.  Think of all the product recalls because people were stupid and used things exactly the opposite way they were intended.   Heck, even plastic bags for veggies at the grocery store have to remind you not to stick the bag over your head because you might suffocate.

Yes, the extent to which products have to bend over backwards to accommodate our stupidity is awe-inspiring.  But good things do come out of it.  Accidents, deaths and property damage from consumer products costs the economy up to $900 billion per year, but in the last 30 years, consumer protection and oversight has consistently lowered the loss of life, limb, and dollar

The Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates over 15,000 products in all, but federal law prohibits them from controlling the safety of firearms.  In fact, there is next to no regulation of firearm manufacture, and only the gun manufacturers themselves can issue recalls.  What's more, gun makers, dealers and trade groups are immune from negligence and product liability lawsuits.

There have been a few incarnations of the Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act, which was first proposed in 1999 to give the Secretary of the Treasury authority to apply and enforce safety standards.  In 2003, the act was again proposed, this time granting authority to the more-powerful Department of Justice.  Here is one FAQ of that 2003 act.

There have been a number of proposals made in the last month (following Newtown) on gun safety and regulation.  Many have argued for a ban on many kinds of guns.  Others have called for mandatory insurance to be bought with the weapon, to cover the costs of accidents and injuries that may arise from the weapon.  In the end, the most powerful method to curb gun violence may be through the power of liability lawsuits and safety oversight.  

We propose that the Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act is the right way to proceed.  Firearms must enjoy the same oversight and safety regulations as all other products (not just consumer, but food, drugs, and transportation, just to name a few), and there must not be a protective wall of immunity against those who make, distribute, and promote firearms.  Financial liability to the public is our best guarantee of safety.  In the end, as a Capitalist country, that is the American way.  

The Hypocrisy of Conservative Outrage

Wednesday, Sept. 17 (2012) was Talk Like a Pirate Day, and the Obama campaign sent out a tweet with an old photo of President Obama talking to (you guessed it) a pirate, taken in 2009 during the Correspondent's dinner.  But...three days later the Drudge Report posted a copy of this photo claiming that Mr. Obama was meeting with this pirate on the 17th instead of Israeli President Netanyahu. Here's the picture.

Well Fox News did their usual crack job of fact checking and decided this must be legitimate news, and Fox and Friends used this picture to lambast Mr. Obama for not having time for issues of real national importance.  That made a lot of Fox viewers upset and the blogosphere and Facebook lit up, with the following picture (among many many others) showing up on the thoroughly patriotic website ForAmerica.org:

We all have experienced the utter lack of depth that Fox News places in reporting facts, and that like good lemmings jumping off the cliff, the angry white men of the Republican world just drool for chances to echo what Fox and its spin-offs like to say.  That isn't news.  But what we can't stand is that at the same time that this was going on, the Republican led House of Representatives decided to go on a two month vacation, rather than legislating.

What issues are so important, you might ask?  They include the Violence Against Women Act, Sequestration, the American Jobs Act, the Veterans Jobs Corp act, and the current Farm Bill.  In other words, just about everyone in this country is being ignored so Eric Cantor and his cronies can campaign to keep their jobs rather than doing their jobs.  And, listen to the cricket sounds...that is the noise of millions of Republicans who are up in arms about their lawmakers actually doing nothing.

So there you have it folks, The Great Republican Hypocrisy No. 105.  Republicans will jump on any Democrat for fictitiously not working for 5 minutes, but applaud their own for not working for 60 days.

We know that only about 7 of you actually read this far, but if you did, please share with your friends.  We need to make sure voters who are on the fence get informed.  Two people have already told us that they changed their minds on who to vote for in November through shares of our posts.

Republican Obstructionism

A quick look at statistics from the Senate show the clear trend that the Republican minority since 2008 has spent much more time obstructing government than promoting it.

For example,  Republicans have forced 262 cloture motions (fillibuster and other procedural obstacles).  That is 27% of the total number made since 1917, and almost 100% more than the yearly average from the previous 20 years.  From 1992-2008, the Senate passed 9218 measures, averaging 542 per year.  Since Mr. Obama took office, that average was 483, down a full 20%.  During the same periods, the Senate passed an average of 231 public laws per year before the Obama presidency, and an average of 158 since, down 32%!   Republicans have ground the Senate's governing productivity to a new low.

But many Conservatives counter that the House, which has retained control of the majority, has been working hard to help the American people, and it is the fault of the Democratic-led Senate for rejecting such bills.  Consider then the following 372 bills that House Republicans blocked between 2009-10.   It is hard to look this over and not conclude that they aren't working for working America, either.

1) H.R. 12, Paycheck Fairness Act
2) H.R. 20, Melanie Blocker Stokes Mom’s Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act
3) H.R. 22, U.S. Postal Service Financial Relief Act
4) H.R. 23, Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act
5) H.R. 24, Redesignating Department of Navy as Department of Navy and Marine Corps
6) H.R. 31, Lumbee Recognition Act
7) H.R. 35, Presidential Records Act Amendments
8) H.R. 36, Presidential Library Donation Reform Act
9) H.R. 44, Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act
10) H.R. 46, Family Self Sufficiency Act
11) H.R. 80, Captive Primate Safety Act
12) H.R. 81, Shark Conservation Act
13) H.R. 86, Regarding California Coastal National Monument
14) H.R. 118, Regarding Morristown National Historical Park
15) H.R. 129, Conveying Certain National Forest System Lands in Los Padres National Forest in California
16) H.R. 151, Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Act
17) H.R. 174, Establishing a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region
18) H.R. 310, HALE Scouts Act
19) H.R. 320, CJ’s Home Protection Act
20) H.R. 325, Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project
21) H.R. 326, Cocopah Lands Act
22) H.R. 347, Congressional Gold Medal for 100th Infantry Battalion in World War II
23) H.R. 388, Crane Conservation Act
24) H.R. 403, Homes for Heroes Act
25) H.R. 409, Conveying Land to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway
26) H.R. 411, Great Cats and Rare Canids Act
27) H.R. 445, Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development and Demonstration Act
28) H.R. 448, Elder Abuse Victims Act
29) H.R. 466, Wounded Veteran Job Security Act
30) H.R. 469, Produced Water Utilization Act
31) H.R. 479, Wakefield Act
32) H.R. 509, Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act
33) H.R. 515, Radioactive Import Deterrence Act
34) H.R. 548, Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act
35) H.R. 549, National Bombing Prevention Act
36) H.R. 553, Reducing Over-Classification Act
37) H.R. 554, National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act
38) H.R. 556, Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act
39) H.R. 559, Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely Redress Act
40) H.R. 577, Vision Care for Kids Act
41) H.R. 601, Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act
42) H.R. 603, Utah National Guard Readiness Act
43) H.R. 626, Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act
44) H.R. 628, Encouraging enhancement of expertise in patent cases among district judges
45) H.R. 631, Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act
46) H.R. 632, Encouraging Silver Alert Plans
47) H.R. 637, South Orange County Recycled Water Enhancement Act
48) H.R. 685, United States Civil Rights Trail Special Resource Study Act
49) H.R. 729, Phylicia’s Law
50) H.R. 738, Death in Custody Reporting Act
51) H.R. 748, CAMPUS Safety Act
52) H.R. 749, Technical Amendment to Federal Election Campaign Act
53) H.R. 756, National Pain Care Policy Act
54) H.R. 762, Validating a final patent number
55) H.R. 780, Student Internet Safety Act
56) H.R. 842, Naming R. Jess Brown U.S. Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi
57) H.R. 844, Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Amendments
58) H.R. 860, Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization
59) H.R. 869, Naming Scott Reed Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Lexington, Kentucky
60) H.R. 885, Improved Financial and Commodity Markets Oversight and Accountability Act
61) H.R. 887, Naming James A. Leach U.S. Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa
62) H.R. 905, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act
63) H.R. 908, Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization
64) H.R. 911, Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act
65) H.R. 934, Conveying certain submerged lands to Commonwealth of Mariana Islands
66) H.R. 940, Conveyance of certain National Forest System land in Louisiana
67) H.R. 946, Plain Writing Act
68) H.R. 957, Green Energy Education Act
69) H.R. 959, Officer Daniel Faulkner Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act
70) H.R. 965, Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act
71) H.R. 985, Free Flow of Information Act
72) H.R. 1002, Pisgah National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act
73) H.R. 1017, Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act
74) H.R. 1018, Restore Our American Mustangs Act
75) H.R. 1029, Alien Smuggling and Terrorism Prevention Act
76) H.R. 1043, Deafy Glade Land Exchange Act
77) H.R. 1044, Port Chicago Naval Magazine
78) H.R. 1053, Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act
79) H.R. 1061, Hoh Indian Tribe Safe Homelands Act
80) H.R. 1065, White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act
81) H.R. 1080, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act
82) H.R. 1084, CALM Act
83) H.R. 1088, Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act
84) H.R. 1089, Veterans Employment Rights Realignment Act
85) H.R. 1107, Relating to certain public contracts
86) H.R. 1110, PHONE Act
87) H.R. 1120, Central Texas Water Recycling Act
88) H.R. 1129, Authorizing iron working training program for Native Americans
89) H.R. 1139, COPS Improvements Act
90) H.R. 1145, National Water Research and Development Initiative Act
91) H.R. 1147, Local Community Radio Act
92) H.R. 1168, Veterans Retraining Act
93) H.R. 1170, New Assistive Technologies for Specially Adapted Housing
94) H.R. 1171, Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization
95) H.R. 1172, Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans
96) H.R. 1177, 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act
97) H.R. 1178, Requiring a study on the use of Civil Air Patrol personnel and resources to support homeland security missions
98) H.R. 1216, Naming Lance Corporal Matthew P. Pathenos Post Office in Chesterfield, Missouri
99) H.R. 1217, Naming Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office in Ballwin, Missouri
100) H.R. 1218, Naming Lance Corporal Drew W. Weaver Post Office in Saint Charles, Missouri
101) H.R. 1219, Lake Hodges Surface Water Improvement and Reclamation Act
102) H.R. 1246, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act
103) H.R. 1253, Health Insurance Restrictions and Limitations Clarification Act
104) H.R. 1258, Truth in Caller ID Act
105) H.R. 1259, Dextromethorphan Distribution Act
106) H.R. 1262, Water Quality Investment Act
107) H.R. 1280, Modifying A Land Grant Issued by the Secretary of the Interior
108) H.R. 1287, Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center Partnership Act
109) H.R. 1293, Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act
110) H.R. 1319, Informed P2P User Act
111) H.R. 1323, Reducing Information Control Designations Act
112) H.R. 1333, Regarding shipment of certain explosive materials to federally recognized Indian tribes
113) H.R. 1345, District of Columbia Hatch Act Reform
114) H.R. 1376, Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act
115) H.R. 1380, Josh Miller HEARTS Act
116) H.R. 1385, Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act
117) H.R. 1387, Electronic Message Preservation Act
118) H.R. 1393, Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act
119) H.R. 1404, Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act
120) H.R. 1429, Stop AIDS in Prison Act
121) H.R. 1469, Child Protection Improvements Act
122) H.R. 1471, Designating Jimmy Carter National Historic Site as a National Historical Park
123) H.R. 1511, Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act
124) H.R. 1514, Juvenile Accountability Block Grants Program Reauthorization Act
125) H.R. 1554, Fountainhead Property Land Transfer Act
126) H.R. 1580, Electronic Waste Research and Development Act
127) H.R. 1585, FIT Kids Act
128) H.R. 1593, Adding a segment of Illabot Creek in State of Washington to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
129) H.R. 1612, Public Lands Service Corps Act
130) H.R. 1617, Department of Homeland Security Component Privacy Officer Act
131) H.R. 1622, R&D on Natural Gas Vehicles
132) H.R. 1641, Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act
133) H.R. 1662, Anthony DeJuan Boatwright Act
134) H.R. 1672, Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization
135) H.R. 1674, National Consumer Cooperative Bank Act Amendments
136) H.R. 1675, Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act
137) H.R. 1679, House Reservists Pay Adjustment Act
138) H.R. 1694, Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act
139) H.R. 1700, National Women’s History Museum Act
140) H.R. 1709, STEM (Science-Technology-Engineeri... Education Coordination Act
141) H.R. 1722, Telework Improvements Act
142) H.R. 1727, Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act
143) H.R. 1736, International Science and Technology Cooperation Act
144) H.R. 1741, Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act
145) H.R. 1746, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act
146) H.R. 1769, Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions Act
147) H.R. 1771, Chesapeake Bay Science, Education and Ecosystem Enhancement Act
148) H.R. 1796, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act
149) H.R. 1803, Veterans Business Center Act
150) H.R. 1807, Educating Entrepreneurs through Today’s Technology Act
151) H.R. 1824, Best Buddies Empowerment for People with Intellectual Disabilities Act
152) H.R. 1834, Native American Business Development Enhancement Act
153) H.R. 1838, Amending Small Business Act to modify certain provisions regarding women’s business centers
154) H.R. 1839, To amend the Small Business Act to improve SCORE
155) H.R. 1842, Expanding Entrepreneurship Act
156) H.R. 1845, Small Business Development Centers Modernization Act
157) H.R. 1849, World War I Memorial and Centennial Act
158) H.R. 1854, Modifying an environmental infrastructure project for Big Bear Lake, California
159) H.R. 1855, SECTORS Act
160) H.R. 1858, Providing for a boundary adjustment for Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado
161) H.R. 1875, End the Trade Deficit Act
162) H.R. 1879, National Guard Employment Protection Act
163) H.R. 1933, A Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center Act
164) H.R. 1945, Tule River Tribe Water Development Act
165) H.R. 2008, Bonneville Unit Clean Hydropower Facilitation Act
166) H.R. 2020, Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act
167) H.R. 2034, Rural Homeowners Protection Act
168) H.R. 2062, Migratory Bird Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act
169) H.R. 2092, Kingman and Heritage Islands Act
170) H.R. 2093, Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act
171) H.R. 2134, Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission Act
172) H.R. 2136, Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act
173) H.R. 2142, Government Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Performance Improvement Act
174) H.R. 2173, Naming Carl B. Smith Post Office in Island Falls, Maine
175) H.R. 2174, Naming Clyde Hichborn Post Office in Howland, Maine
176) H.R. 2187, 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act
177) H.R. 2188, Joint Ventures for Bird Habitat Conservation Act
178) H.R. 2200, Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act
179) H.R. 2221, Data Accountability and Trust Act
180) H.R. 2247, Congressional Review Act Improvement Act
181) H.R. 2265, Magna Water District Water Reuse and Groundwater Recharge Act
182) H.R. 2278, Directing President to submit a report to Congress a report on anti-American incitement to violence in the Middle East
183) H.R. 2288, Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act
184) H.R. 2314, Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act
185) H.R. 2330, Camp Hale Study Act
186) H.R. 2340, Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act
187) H.R. 2352, Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act
188) H.R. 2377, Establishing an awards program recognizing excellence exhibited by public school system employees
189) H.R. 2410, Foreign Relations Authorization Act, FY 2010 and FY 2011
190) H.R. 2421, Mother’s Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act
191) H.R. 2423, Naming George P. Kazen Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Laredo, Texas
192) H.R. 2430, Directing the Secretary of Interior to continue stocking fish in certain lakes
193) H.R. 2442, Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion
194) H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act
195) H.R. 2476, Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act
196) H.R. 2480, Truth in Fur Labeling Act
197) H.R. 2489, National Land Remote Sensing Outreach Act
198) H.R. 2499, Puerto Rico Democracy Act
199) H.R. 2510, Absentee Ballot Track, Receive and Confirm Act
200) H.R. 2522, Regarding Calleguas Municipal Water District Recycling Project
201) H.R. 2529, Neighborhood Preservation Act
202) H.R. 2546, Blue Star/Gold Star Flag Act
203) H.R. 2554, National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers Reform Act
204) H.R. 2571, Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act
205) H.R. 2611, Authorizing the Securing the Cities Initiative of the Department of Homeland Security
206) H.R. 2623, Clarifying and expanding the definition of certain persons under the federal securities law
207) H.R. 2646, Government Accountability Office Improvement Act
208) H.R. 2661, Court Security Enhancement Act
209) H.R. 2664, Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act
210) H.R. 2693, Oil Pollution Research and Development Program Reauthorization Act
211) H.R. 2728, William Orton Law Library Improvement and Modernization Act
212) H.R. 2729, Authorizing designation of National Environmental Research Parks
213) H.R. 2741, Regarding water recycling and reuse project in Hermiston, Oregon
214) H.R. 2749, Food Safety Enhancement Act
215) H.R. 2751, Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act
216) H.R. 2770, Veterans Nonprofit Research and Education Corporations Enhancement Act
217) H.R. 2780, Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act
218) H.R. 2781, Designating segment of Molalla River in Oregon as part of National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
219) H.R. 2788, Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act
220) H.R. 2806, Adjusting border of Stephen Mather Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park
221) H.R. 2843, Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act
222) H.R. 2864, Amending the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act
223) H.R. 2868, Chemical and Water Security Act
224) H.R. 2873, Enhanced SEC Enforcement Authority Act
225) H.R. 2947, Securities Law Technical Corrections Act
226) H.R. 2950, Regarding prepayment of contracts between U.S. and Uintah Water Conservancy District
227) H.R. 3014, Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act
228) H.R. 3029, Improving Efficiency of Gas Turbines
229) H.R. 3040, Senior Financial Empowerment Act
230) H.R. 3101, 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
231) H.R. 3113, Upper Elk River Wild and Scenic Study Act
232) H.R. 3123, Regarding collapsed drainage tunnel in Leadville, Colorado
233) H.R. 3125, Radio Spectrum Inventory Act
234) H.R. 3137, Regarding authority of U.S. Postal Service to accept donations as an additional source of funding for commemorative plaques
235) H.R. 3146, 21st Century FHA Housing Act
236) H.R. 3157, Naming Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic
237) H.R. 3165, Wind Energy Research and Development Act
238) H.R. 3175, Conveying to Miami-Dade County certain federally owned land in Florida
239) H.R. 3193, Naming Alto Lee Adams, Sr., U.S. Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida
240) H.R. 3224, Building a vehicle maintenance building for Smithsonian Institution
241) H.R. 3237, Enacting certain laws relating to national and commercial space programs
242) H.R. 3246, Advanced Vehicle Technology Act
243) H.R. 3254, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act
244) H.R. 3276, American Medical Isotopes Production Act
245) H.R. 3305, Naming H. Dale Cook Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma
246) H.R. 3342, Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act
247) H.R. 3388, Petersburg National Battlefield Boundary Modification Act
248) H.R. 3476, Reauthorizing the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Citizen Advisory Commission
249) H.R. 3506, Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act
250) H.R. 3527, FHA Multifamily Loan Limit Adjustment Act
251) H.R. 3534, CLEAR Act (Hold BP Responsible for Oil Spill)
252) H.R. 3537, Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act
253) H.R. 3542, State Admission Day Recognition Act
254) H.R. 3553, Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act
255) H.R. 3570, Satellite Home Viewer Reauthorization Act
256) H.R. 3585, Solar Technology Roadmap Act
257) H.R. 3598, Energy and Water Research Integration Act
258) H.R. 3603, Renaming the Ocmulgee National Monument
259) H.R. 3618, Clean Hull Act
260) H.R. 3631, Medicare Premium Fairness Act
261) H.R. 3644, Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education Act
262) H.R. 3650, Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act
263) H.R. 3671, Upper Mississippi River Basin Protection Act
264) H.R. 3689, Extending legislative authority of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
265) H.R. 3695, Billy’s Law (relating to National Missing and Unidentified Persons System)
266) H.R. 3726, Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act
267) H.R. 3737, Small Business Microlending Expansion Act
268) H.R. 3738, Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act
269) H.R. 3743, Small Business Disaster Readiness and Reform Act
270) H.R. 3759, BLM Contract Extension Act
271) H.R. 3763, Making Certain Amendments to Fair Credit Reporting Act
272) H.R. 3791, Fire Grants Reauthorization Act
273) H.R. 3804, National Park Service Authorities and Corrections Act
274) H.R. 3808, Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act
275) H.R. 3820, Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act
276) H.R. 3854, Small Business Financing and Investment Act
277) H.R. 3885, Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act
278) H.R. 3913, Directing Mayor of District of Columbia to establish a District of Columbia National Guard Educational Assistance Program
279) H.R. 3923, Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District Land Exchange Act
280) H.R. 3940, Facilitating public education programs in the non-self-governing territories of the United States
281) H.R. 3949, Veterans’ Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act
282) H.R. 3954, Florida National Forest Land Adjustment Act
283) H.R. 3963, Criminal Investigative Training Restoration Act
284) H.R. 3967, Extending National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act
285) H.R. 3976, Helping Heroes Keep Their Homes Act
286) H.R. 3980, Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act
287) H.R. 3989, Heart Mountain Relocation Center Study Act
288) H.R. 3993, Calling Card Consumer Protection Act
289) H.R. 4003, Hudson River Valley Special Resource Study Act
290) H.R. 4061, Cybersecurity Enhancement Act
291) H.R. 4098, Secure Federal File Sharing Act
292) H.R. 4154, Permanent Estate Tax Relief for Families, Farmers and Small Businesses Act
293) H.R. 4178, Deposit Restricted Qualified Tuition Programs Act
294) H.R. 4194, Law Student Clinic Participation Act
295) H.R. 4247, Keeping All Students Safe Act
296) H.R. 4252, Inland Empire Perchlorate Ground Water Plume Assessment Act
297) H.R. 4307, Naming Alejandro Renteria Ruiz Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic
298) H.R. 4349, Hoover Power Allocation Act
299) H.R. 4395, Revising the boundaries of the Gettysburg National Military Park
300) H.R. 4438, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Boundary Expansion Act
301) H.R. 4445, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Clarification Act
302) H.R. 4451, Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act
303) H.R. 4474, Idaho Wilderness Water Facilities Act
304) H.R. 4491, Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks Study Act
305) H.R. 4495, Naming Jim Kolbe Post Office in Patagonia, Arizona
306) H.R. 4505, Enabling State homes to furnish nursing home care to parents any of whose children died while serving in the Armed Forces
307) H.R. 4506, Bankruptcy Judgeship Act
308) H.R. 4514, Colonel Charles Young Home Study Act
309) H.R. 4543, Naming Anthony J. Cortese Post Offie Building in San Jose, California
310) H.R. 4592, Energy Jobs for Veterans Act
311) H.R. 4614, Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act
312) H.R. 4624, Naming SPC Nicholas Scott Hartge Post Office in Rome City, Indiana
313) H.R. 4626, Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act
314) H.R. 4658, Benton MacKaye Cherokee National Forest Land Consolidation Act
315) H.R. 4667, Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act
316) H.R. 4686, Rota Cultural and Natural Resources Study Act
317) H.R. 4692, National Manufacturing Strategy Act
318) H.R. 4748, Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act
319) H.R. 4773, Fort Pulaski National Monument Lease Authorization Act
320) H.R. 4783, Accelerating income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of victims of the earthquake in Chile
321) H.R. 4810, End Veteran Homelessness Act
322) H.R. 4825, Directing unused appropriations for Members’ Representational Allowances to be deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction or to reduce the federal debt
323) H.R. 4842, Homeland Security Science and Technology Authorization Act
324) H.R. 4849, Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act
325) H.R. 4973, National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act
326) H.R. 4994, Taxpayer Assistance Act
327) H.R. 5013, IMPROVE Acquisition Act
328) H.R. 5017, Rural Housing Preservation and Stabilization Act
329) H.R. 5019, Home Star Jobs Act
330) H.R. 5026, GRID Act
331) H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act
332) H.R. 5114, Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act
333) H.R. 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act
334) H.R. 5133, Naming Staff Sergeant Frank T. Carvill and Lance Corporal Michael A. Schwarz Post Office Building in Carlstadt, New Jersey
335) H.R. 5136, National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2011
336) H.R. 5138, International Megan’s Law
337) H.R. 5143, National Criminal Justice Commission Act
338) H.R. 5145, Assuring Quality Care for Veterans Act
339) H.R. 5156, Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act
340) H.R. 5175, DISCLOSE Act
341) H.R. 5220, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act (reauthorizing the Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004)
342) H.R. 5266, National Commission on Children and Disasters Reauthorization Act
343) H.R. 5281, Removal Clarification Act
344) H.R. 5297, Small Business Jobs and Credit Act
345) H.R. 5320, Assistance, Quality and Affordability Act (Amendments to Safe Drinking Water Act)
346) H.R. 5327, United States-Israel Rocket and Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act
347) H.R. 5341, Naming Joyce Rogers Post Office Building in Brighton, Michigan
348) H.R. 5390, Naming David John Donafee Post Office Building in Cleveland, Ohio
349) H.R. 5414, Conveying small parcel of National Forest System land in the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina
350) H.R. 5450, Naming Tom Bradley Post Office Building in Los Angeles, California
351) H.R. 5481, Giving Subpoena Power to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
352) H.R. 5503, Just Compensation for Families of BP Oil Spill Victims (SPILL Act)
353) H.R. 5532, International Adoption Harmonization Act
354) H.R. 5545, Deauthorizing a portion of Potomac River navigation water project, under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers
355) H.R. 5551, Requiring Secretary of Treasury to certify that determinations on the disbursements from the Small Business Lending Fund are based on economic need
356) H.R. 5566, Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act
357) H.R. 5604, Surface Transportation Savings Act
358) H.R. 5609, Amending the Lobbyist Disclosure Act to prohibit lobbying activities on behalf of nations determined to be state sponsors of terrorism
359) H.R. 5662, STALKERS Act
360) H.R. 5669, Directing Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain federally owned land located in Story County, Iowa
361) H.R. 5681, Improving Administrative Operations at the Library of Congress
362) H.R. 5682, Improving Operation of Certain Facilities and Programs of the House of Representatives
363) H.R. 5712, Veterans’, Seniors’, and Children’s Health Technical Corrections Act
364) H.R. 5716, Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research and Development Act
365) H.R. 5730, Surface Transportation Earmark Rescission, Savings and Accountability Act
366) H.R. 5751, Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act
367) H.R. 5810, Securing Aircraft Cockpits Against Lasers Act
368) H.R. 5822, FY 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act
369) H.R. 5825, Multi-State Disaster Relief Act
370) H.R. 5827, Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act
371) H.R. 5850, FY 2011 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Act
372) H.R. 5901, Real Estate Jobs and Investment Act

Truth in Political Advertising

Here it is, plain and simple.  We are fed up with politicians, political organizations, and news media lying, distorting facts, and misleading the public.  Think about recent claims of communists in Congress, abortion statistics about Planned Parenthood, or clearly disproven claims about government growth.  The list goes on and on.  And the truth is that such statements are not protected by the 1st Amendment.  The Federal Trade Commission requires truth in consumer advertising, including clear disclaimers to distinguish facts from opinions when discussing medical issues or making claims about legal or financial outcomes.  The same standard must be held to people using the print, airwaves or internet media to educate or influence you, the public.

We propose the following Truth in Political Statements federal law.

Politicians (including their employees and representatives), political organizations (as defined by the FEC and/or IRS) and media outlets (whether for- or not-for-profit) that provide content intended to educate, inform or influence the public, must provide proof of and links to credible and verifiable sources for all claims and statements that are not clearly and explicitly stated to be the opinion of the speaker or organization. Failure to provide such factual bases and support shall result in a public retraction and/or admonition of use of unsubstantiated statements or opinion presented as fact. Claims or statements made as fact that are shown to be false will be publicly retracted and corrected. All such corrections, retractions, clarifications and admonitions will be made by the speaker or organization who made them, at their exclusive expense, and in all media outlets, forms and markets in which those statements were made.  

Imagine if, during the black and white images and ominous music of super-pac smear advertisements, there were a clear message at the bottom of the screen that says "This is the opinion of Citizens United" or gave a URL to the viewer so you could see their facts.  Imagine if a candidate trying to score cheap points by smearing their opponent knew that they would have to pay double to correct every false statement they made.  Certainly, some groups would try to find sneaky ways to work around the system, but it sure would go a long way to cleaning up the (mis)information flying around and bring genuine accountability to the very people who should be most accountable.  Put another way, it worked for Pinocchio...