Debate Fact Check
THE FACTS:
Companies Shed 159,000 Workers in September 2008. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Companies shed 159,000 workers in September, the fastest pace in more than five years, the Labor Department reported.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/04/08]
Labor Department Estimated That The Economy Shed 232,000 Jobs In The First Three Months Of 2008. According to CNNMoney.com, “U.S. employers slashed jobs for the third straight month in March and unemployment rose to a nearly three-year high, offering the latest signs that the economy has fallen into a recession. The Labor Department’s much anticipated report, released Friday, showed a net loss of 80,000 jobs last month. That marks the third straight month that jobs have fallen – the longest period of decline since early 2003. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast that payrolls would fall by 50,000 in the latest reading. The new report also pegged job losses in January and February at 76,000 each month. Those revisions added an additional 67,000 job losses to previous readings. The Labor Department now estimates that the economy has shed 232,000 jobs in the first three months of this year.” [CNNMoney.com, 4/04/08]
Despite the Bush Administration Crediting Tax Cuts for Economy Spurt, Job Creation Has Lagged. According to CNN, “The Bush administration has credited the tax cuts it pushed through Congress since 2001 for the economy’s recent growth spurt, including an 8.2 percent boost in gross domestic product for the third quarter of 2003. But job creation has lagged: The economy produced a net gain of only 1,000 new jobs in December, the Labor Department said Friday — far below the 130,000-plus that economists expected. Critics say the tax cuts have resulted in a half-trillion-dollar budget deficit while failing to prevent a net loss of more than 2 million jobs during Bush’s presidency… U.S. Department of Labor said the national unemployment rate had dropped to 5.7 percent in December — but that drop came largely because 309,000 people dropped out of the U.S. workforce. And the number of new jobs created in November was revised downward, to 43,000.” [CNN, 1/11/04]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn’s Earmarks Disclosed After He Denounced Them. According to The San Antonio Express-News, “Cornyn joined Hutchison and the local congressional delegation in seeking the earmark for the river improvements project. Still, he said, ‘every earmark ought to be debated and voted on in the clear light of day. The current system is broken and it needs to be fixed’…Taxpayers for Common Sense, a non-partisan watchdog group, ranked Hutchison 23rd in the Senate for earmarks, securing $254 million in funds through requests with other congressional members. Cornyn ranked 53rd, getting $154 million for projects in Texas.” [San Antonio Express-News, 3/29/08]
Cornyn Secured $154,531,780 in Earmarks in 2007. According to the Houston Chronicle, Cornyn secured $154,531,780 in Earmarks in 2007. [Houston Chronicle, 3/23/08]
Cornyn Obtained 10 Texas Earmarks in the Commerce, Justice and Science Budget Totaling $4.8 Million. Cornyn obtained10 Texas earmarks in the Commerce, Justice and Science budget totaling $4.8 mil-lion, including $658,000 for drug treatment programs at the Phoenix House in Dallas. [Dallas Morning News, 1/7/08]
2007: Inserted $60 Million In Earmarks To Defense Spending Bill. In the Senate defense appropriations bill, Hutchison and Cornyn of Texas inserted 27 earmarks worth $60 million, including funds for trauma care and border security. Most of the earmarks are for equipment and research not included in the budget submitted by the Pentagon. Watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense criticized the earmarks because it took money away from worthier budget items. [Houston Chronicle, 9/30/07]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Voted Against Restoring PAYGO Rules in 2006. In March 2006, Cornyn voted against restoring pay-as-you-go rules that would require and 60-vote majority to enact new tax cuts or new spending on entitlements without showing how to pay for them. ‘‘For those who say they are fiscally responsible, here is your chance,’’ said Sen. Kent Conrad, senior Democrat on the Budget Committee. ‘‘You are going to be able to prove with one vote whether you are serious about doing something about these runaway debts and runaway deficits or whether it is all talk.’’ [Vote 38, 3/14/06; Star Tribune, 3/16/06; New York Times, 3/15/06]
Cornyn Voted Against Restoring Pay-As-You-Go Rules Three Times in 2005. In March 2005, Cornyn voted against restoring PAYGO rules, which would require a 60-vote majority to pass any deficit-busting spending. In addition, Tax cuts and new entitlement spending would have to be offset with revenue increases or spending cuts. Cornyn voted against restoring PAYGO rules again twice in November 2005. [Vote 53, 3/16/05; Vote 283, 11/3/05; Vote 340, 11/17/05]
Cornyn Opposed Restoring Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Rules.In March 2004, Cornyn voted against restoring pay-as-you-go ([PAYGO) rules. PAYGO requires a 60-vote point of order against any direct spending or revenue legislation that would increase the on-budget deficit or cause an on-budget deficit. In other words, this amendment would require tax cuts and/or new spending, including new entitlement spending, to be offset with revenue increases and/or spending cuts. [Vote 38, 3/10/04]
Cornyn Voted Against Extending the Pay-As-You-Go Rule in 2003. In May 2003, Cornyn voted against an amendment that would extend Congressional “pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) rules until 2008. [Vote 200, 5/23/03]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Voted Against Banning Waterboarding. In 2008, Cornyn voted against adoption of a conference report that would prohibit the use of any interrogation treatment not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual against any individual in the custody of the intelligence community. The conference report passed 51-45. [HR 2082, Vote #22, 2/13/08]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Said None of Your Civil Liberties Matter After You’re Dead. During a Heritage Foundation speech in 2004, Cornyn not only compared gay marriage to marrying a box turtle, but he also defended the PATRIOT Act, stating, “None of your civil liberties matter much after you’re dead.” [Current, 7/9/08]
Cornyn Voted Against Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill. In 2008, Cornyn voted against a Dodd, D-Conn., amendment no. 5064 that would strike the provisions providing retroactive immunity from civil liability to telecommunications companies that have participated in the National Security Agency’s warrantless surveillance program. The amendment failed 32-66. [HR 6304, Vote #164, 7/09/08]
Cornyn Voted Against Focusing Wiretapping On International Terrorism. In 2008, Cornyn voted against an amendment that would limit the acquisition of foreign communications to those in which any party is an individual target who is reasonably believed to be located outside of the United States. It also would require that a significant purpose of the acquisition be to obtain foreign intelligence information. The amendment failed 37-60. [S 2248, Vote #16, 2/12/08]
THE FACTS:
30,634 US Casualties and 4,180 US Deaths in Iraq. According to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, there have been 30,634 US casualties and 4,180 death in Iraq. [iCasualties.org, accessed 10/10/08].
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Blocked the Core of T. Boone Pickens’ Plan for Energy Independence – Renewable Tax Credits. The Dallas Morning News reported that “[T. Boone Pickens] might be disappointed” when Sen. John Cornyn “blocked a big tax bill that would have extended a tax credit on which wind developers rely for another year.” [Dallas Morning News, 7/31/08; S 3335, Vote# 192, 7/30/08; HR 6049, Vote #147, 6/10/08; #190 7/29/08]
Cornyn Blocked Texas Wind Power Expansion. In 2007, Cornyn joined Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and blocked legislation that would have given a boost to the rapidly growing Texas wind power industry. The Dallas Morning News reported that the renewable energy standard—provisions that would require states to purchase 15 percent of their power from wind, solar, and other zero or low emissions sources– contained in the 2007 Energy Bill would greatly benefit Texas. According to the Dallas Morning News, “Texas is strongly positioned to benefit from such legislation, mostly because wind farms have proliferated in recent years while credits were traded on a voluntary market. But with a new round of wind plants on the horizon, many wind developers would find new takers for their credits on a national market.” Though both Cornyn and Hutchison said they did not oppose a federal mandate for clean energy sources, the paper reported that Cornyn and Hutchison had “nevertheless blocked it by preventing the energy bill from going to a conference committee.” The pair said they opposed provisions in the bill that repealed some tax incentives for oil and gas producers. A spokesman for Cornyn also said that he favored the inclusion of nuclear power and clean coal to the renewable energy standard. [Dallas Morning News, 11/7/07]
Cornyn Has Blocked Renewable Fuel Development At Least Seven Times. Cornyn consistently voted against renewable energy development. [S 3335 Vote 192, 7/30/08; HR 6049 Vote 147, 6/10/08; Vote 190, 7/29/08; Vote 222, 6/21/07; Vote 223, 6/21/07; Vote 42, 3/14/06; Vote 73, 4/29/04]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Voted Four Times Against Comprehensive Immigration Reform. In 2007, Cornyn voted four times against bipartisan legislation to reform the US Immigration system. [Vote 173, 5/21/07; Vote 203, 6/7/07; Vote 228, 6/26/07; Vote 235, 6/28/07]
Cornyn Voted Against Final Chance to Pass Immigration Reform. On June 28, 2007, Cornyn voted against invoking cloture on the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill. The bill would have overhauled U.S. immigration policies, provided for a temporary guest worker program and instituted new border security measures, including an electronic verification system. [Vote 235, 6/28/07]
Cornyn Opposed 2006 Senate Immigration Bill. In May 2006, Cornyn voted against the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate. The bill would have strengthened border security, established a guest-worker program, and provided the means for millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the country and possibly become citizens. Opponents labeled the bill as “amnesty.” Cornyn, however, did vote for cloture, thus allowing debate on the bill. [Vote 157, 5/25/06; Vote 144, 5/24/06; Washington Post, 5/26/06]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Complained About Being Left Out of The 2007 Bill-Writing Process. March 2007, Cornyn complained that Senators John McCain and Edward Kennedy had left him out of the bill-writing process for comprehensive immigration reform. He said, “It’s not a good way to try to build consensus and to solve problems by withholding information.” [Houston Chronicle, 3/1/07]
Cornyn Said Republicans “Blew It” in 2006. In 2007, Cornyn told the Border Trade Alliance that the Republicans “blew it” in 2006 when they failed to pass immigration reform. He said, “We simply sat on our hands, and didn’t roll up our sleeves and do the hard work.” [San Antonio Express-News, 3/1/07]
Cornyn Said Political Extremists Dominated Immigration Debate. In 2004, Cornyn said that little progress was made on immigration reform because “political extremists” dominated the debate about the issue. Cornyn also added that it was difficult to pass the issue during an election year. [San Antonio Express-News, 3/24/04]
- Cornyn: Special Interests Drive Immigration Debate. In a Washington Post op-ed, Cornyn argued that special interest groups dominated the debate over immigration reform. He wrote, “Immigration concerns have gained even more urgency in the security-focused post-9/11 world. Yet special-interest groups still dominate the discourse, promoting their ideology over America’s security and employing the potent but morally repugnant rhetoric of fear. We allow these groups to decide these issues by default at our own peril. We must acknowledge that we have done far too little to reform a system that cries out for change. The fruit of our current border policy is nothing but death, danger and denial.” [Washington Post, Cornyn Op-Ed, 11/17/03]
THE FACTS:
Novak: Cornyn The Only Republican Who Regretted Gonzales’ Exit. In his syndicated column, Robert Novak noted that John Cornyn was the alone among Republican Senators in expressing regret over Alberto Gonzales’ resignation as Attorney General. Novak wrote: “The president bemoaned Gonzales’s falling victim to a Democratic lynch mob. But silence prevailed among Republicans in Congress who had to deal with the infuriating attorney general (with the exception of Gonzales’s fellow former Texas Supreme Court justice, Sen. John Cornyn).” [Novak Column, 8/30/07]
· Cornyn: Gonzales Could Have Succeeded in Less Partisan Environment. Appearing on CNN, Cornyn continually blamed Alberto Gonzales’ failures on the partisan environment in Washington and said that Gonzales could have been more successful in a less partisan environment. Cornyn said, “Well, I’ve known Al Gonzales for a long time and he’s a good man. I think he was thrust into a very difficult job in a time in our history when politics seemed to reign supreme and not enough people are thinking about what’s in the long-term best interests of our country. That’s just my opinion. And I think he found it to be a very difficult environment in which to get his sea legs. I think if he had had a chance to stay on perhaps in a environment that was less partisan, less political, that he would have been able to adjust to the job better. But clearly trying to deal with this environment — the political nature of the hearings, the accusations without foundation with regard to the reasons for terminating U.S. attorneys, all of that I think was a little bit disorienting for him, as it probably would be for most people. And that’s why I think this is not a high water mark for the Congress or for Washington, D.C.” [CNN Newsroom, 8/27/07]
TX Editorial: Cornyn Wrong About Gonzales Questioning. In an editorial that praised Alberto Gonzales as “well qualified to serve” as Attorney General, the Houston Chronicle argued that Cornyn was wrong to argue that Senators should not have asked Alberto Gonzales questions about torture and prisoners’ rights during the confirmation hearings. They wrote, “Cornyn was wrong to argue that Gonzales should not be asked any questions about his views on torture and prisoners’ rights. Cornyn was also mistaken to assume in advance that any senator’s question that would put Gonzales on the spot would be wrongly put and unjustly rake him over the coals… Cornyn said Gonzales had nothing to do with the mistreatment of prisoners at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison, and therefore the subject should not come up in the Senate committee hearing. Cornyn’s assertion was quickly refuted by none other than Gonzales, who declined to characterize the criminality of atrocities at Abu Ghraib because he might one day have to prosecute someone responsible.” [Houston Chronicle, Editorial, 1/7/05]
THE FACTS:
Noriega Supported Expanding Eligibility for CHIP. Rick Noriega co-authored and voted in favor of a bill to expand eligibility and outreach of the state’s CHIP. Among changes to the program were allowing lower-income families to stay in CHIP for a year at a time rather than reapply every 6 months. The measure also eliminated the 90-day waiting period for uninsured children to be enrolled in CHIP and allowed families to deduct child-care costs when determining eligibility. The conference committee report was adopted 134-14 in the House and later was signed by the governor. [HB 109; Vote 1967; 5/27/07]
Noriega Supported Amendment Keeping Coverage at 200 Percent of Poverty Level. Rick Noriega supported an amendment to maintain Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage at 200 percent of poverty level or below. As it came to the House floor, the bill provided that CHIP cover children whose families earn 150 percent of federal poverty level or below. The amendment also struck language from the bill stating that if appropriated money was insufficient to sustain enrollment at the authorized eligibility level, then enrollment would be suspended, a waiting list would be established, and periodic or continued enrollment of applicants would proceed as the availability of money allowed. A motion to table the amendment was agreed to 79-65. [HB 2292; Vote 352; 4/25/03]
Noriega Supported Amendment to Restore CHIP Benefits. During the 2003 Third-Called Session, Rick Noriega supported an amendment to the omnibus transportation bill that would have provided money to restore, to the greatest extent possible, the income test, eligibility criteria, and benefits package for the Children’s Health Insurance Program that existed before any changes made to the program in HB 2292, legislation passed during the regular session that reorganized health and human services agencies. A motion to table the amendment was agreed to 83-59. [HB 2; Vote 11; 9/16/03]
Noriega Voted for State Kids Insurance Program. Rick Noriega voted in favor of a measure to provide funding for children of state workers to enroll in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. CHIP, a federal/state partnership, provides health insurance for children in economically disadvantaged families that cannot afford health coverage. While CHIP authorizes participation by children of state employees, it prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for their coverage. SKIP was created to provide a supplement for low-income state employees’ children who would otherwise qualify for CHIP. HB 1853 provided funding to cover the total cost of basic health coverage for a child who is a dependent of a state employee, would be eligible for CHIP if the child were not the dependent of a state employee, and is not eligible for the state Medicaid program. On third reading, the bill passed by a vote of 94-36. It later died in the Senate. [HB 1853; Vote 415; 5/11/01]
Noriega Voted For Children’s Health Insurance Program. Rick Noriega voted in favor of a bill that created the Texas Children’s Health Insurance Program. The bill provided health insurance for children from birth to age 19 if their parents earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The measure’s goal was to cover children who have fallen between the cracks of Medicaid and private health insurance. The bill passed the House 123-14 and later was signed by the governor. [SB 445; Vote 193; 4/30/99]
Noriega Supported Bill Providing Government Health Insurance to Children. Rick Noriega supported a measure to allow eligible children whose families leave the welfare rolls to continue to have government health insurance. Under the legislation, the Texas Department of Health would determine whether such kids still qualified for Medicaid and would automatically enroll them in the program if they did. The House passed the bill 80-62, with Noriega absent, excused. Senate amendments provided for provisional eligibility for medical assistance of not more than one month pending a recertification review and stipulated that the Act take effect only if a specific appropriation for its implementation was provided in the General Appropriations Bill. A motion to concur in Senate amendments was agreed to 138-0. [HB 820; Votes 261, 433; 5/6/99, 5/7/99, 5/22/99]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Endorsed McCain Health Plan. According to the Dallas Morning News, “Sen. John Cornyn has endorsed presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain’s proposal to try to shift health insurance away from being a benefit received from your employer to a commodity that virtually all Americans purchase as individuals and families in the private marketplace. ‘There’s no reason today to have health insurance policies tied to employers,’ Cornyn told reporters on Monday.” [Dallas Morning News, 9/02/08]
McCain/Cornyn Plan Taxes Health Benefits.Sen. McCain’s plan repeals the tax exclusion for employer-provided insurance, requiring workers to pay income and payroll taxes on their health benefits. In its place, his plan creates a new refundable health insurance tax credit worth $5,000 for families, and $2,500 for individuals.10 The new credit would be fully funded by repealing the existing health care tax benefits. [John McCain’s Radical Prescription for Heath Care, Center for American Progress 7/2/08]
For most taxpayers, McCain’s tax credit quickly becomes a tax increase. “McCain’s new tax credit grows only at the rate of inflation (about 2 percent a year), while current tax subsidies keep up with health insurance premiums (about 7 percent a year).3 As a result, the value of the tax credit quickly falls behind rising health care costs, meaning most households with employer coverage today would soon see a tax increase. Families earning $40,000, for example, would receive a small tax cut in 2009, but by 2018 they will be paying over $2,800 more a year in taxes.” [John McCain’s Radical Prescription for Heath Care, Center for American Progress 7/2/08]
Many middle-class households under the McCain plan pay higher taxes immediately. “Households with employer-sponsored coverage, higher incomes, and higher premiums are the most likely to see immediate tax increases. The largest tax increases fall on middle-class families, which pay the highest combined payroll and income tax rates.” [John McCain’s Radical Prescription for Heath Care, Center for American Progress 7/2/08]
McCain Campaign Acknowledged Health Care Plan A Tax Increase. According to the New York Times, the McCain campaign has already said that their plan is a tax increase. Though Senator John McCain has promised to not raise taxes, his campaign acknowledged Wednesday that the health plan he outlined this week would have the effect of increasing tax payments for some workers.? [New York Times, 5/01/08]
McCain’s Chief Economic Advisor Acknowledged That Workers Would Pay More For Health Care. The McCain Plan Is A Tax Increase. The New York Times reported that their tax credits won’t be large enough to make health insurance affordable. The campaign cannot yet project how many taxpayers might see their taxes go up, said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Mr. McCain’s top domestic policy adviser. But Mr. Holtz-Eakin said in an interview that for some, Mr. McCain’s health care tax credits would not be large enough to compensate for his proposal to eliminate the tax breaks afforded to workers with employer-provided health benefits? [New York Times, 5/01/08]
Anyway You Cut It, It’s A Tax Increase. “Anyway you cut it, if you make health benefits subject to taxation, thats a tax increase, said Jonathan B. Oberlander, a political scientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.” [New York Times, 5/01/08]
McCain/Cornyn Scheme Would Represent A MASSIVE TAX INCREASE ON MIDDLE CLASS TEXANS. McCain’s plan treats these benefits like wages, making them subject to income and payroll taxes, and creates a new tax credit for insurance premiums worth $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families. McCain’s new tax credit grows only at the rate of inflation (about 2 percent a year), while current tax subsidies keep up with health insurance premiums (about 7 percent a year). As a result, the value of the tax credit quickly falls behind rising health care costs, meaning most households with employer coverage today would soon see a tax increase. Families earning $40,000, for example, would receive a small tax cut in 2009, but by 2018 they will be paying over $2,800 more a year in taxes.” [Center for American Progress Action Fund, Analysis of McCain Plan 07/02/08]
McCain/Cornyn Plan Would Force Patients To “Buy Health Insurance On Their Own.” McCain’s healthcare plan is an attempt to force patients to “buy health insurance on their own instead of receiving it from their employers.” [New York Times, 5/1/08]
McCain/Cornyn Plan “Would Seek To Lure Workers Away From Their Company Health Plans.” While describing the health care plan proposed by John McCain, The Washington Post wrote, “McCain’s prescription would seek to lure workers away from their company health plans.” McCain would provide families with a $5,000 tax credit to purchase their own health insurance on the free market. [Washington Post, 4/30/08]
THE FACTS:
Cornyn Voted for Bill to Prevent 10.6 Percent Cut in Medicare Physician Payments. In 2008, Cornyn voted for passage, over President Bush’s July 15, 2008, veto, of the bill that would prevent a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician payments scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2008, by holding payments at current rates for 18 months. It would give doctors a 1.1 percent increase in payments in 2009 and provide $16.6 billion over 10 years for changes to Medicare beneficiary programs. The costs would be partially offset by provisions to reduce the cost of Medicare Advantage plans. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (64 in this case for the Senate) of both chambers is required to override a veto. A “nay” was a vote in support of the president’s position. The veto override passed (thus enacted into law) 70-26. [HR 6331, Vote #177, 7/15/08]
· Cornyn Flip-Flopped on Medicare Payment Cuts. According to Politico, “Shortly after the Medicare vote, the website for Sen. John Cornyn featured news that the Texas Republican – best known as a Bush loyalist – had voted to override the president’s veto…Both Chambliss and Cornyn are up for reelection, and both were hammered back home over the Fourth of July recess by the American Medical Association lobby on the Medicare bill… ‘I don’t think you can infer from that that we’re not going to come together and block bad bills,’ Cornyn said. ‘I think Medicare was a special case.’” [Politico, 7/22/08]
Cornyn Voted Against Cloture on a Bill to Prevent 10.6% Cut in Medicare Physician Payments. In 2008, Cornyn voted against a motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the motion to proceed to the bill that would prevent a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician payments scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2008. It would instead give doctors a 0.5 percent increase in payments through 2008, and a further 1.1 percent increase in 2009. Three-fifths of the total Senate (60) is required to invoke cloture. A “nay” was a vote in support of the president’s position. The motion failed 54-39. [S 3101, Vote #149, 6/12/08]
· Doctors Threatened to Pull Contributions if Cornyn Voted Against the Medicare Funding Bill. According to an editorial in the Austin American-Statesman, “Medicare has grown so great that any effort to change or reform it becomes a pitched political battle, as Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn knows. He voted for cutting Medicare fees and was savaged by Texas doctors, who collectively had contributed nearly $100,000 to his re-election campaign. When the bill was reconsidered, Cornyn voted not to cut fees and last week voted to override the president’s veto.” [Editorial; Austin American-Statesman, 7/20/08]
· Cornyn Received $100,000 in Donations from Doctors Who Were Furious After He Voted for Medicare Payment Delays. According to The Dallas Morning News, “Doctors gave nearly $100,000 to US Sen. John Cornyn in the second quarter, then watched in fury as he voted against delaying a cut in their Medicare pay. Mr. Cornyn’s campaign finance report, filed Tuesday, shows that 106 doctors and two political action committees run by physicians contributed $94,793 to his re-election from April through June.” [Dallas Morning News, 7/16/08]
Labor Department Estimated That The Economy Shed 232,000 Jobs In The First Three Months Of 2008. According to CNNMoney.com, “U.S. employers slashed jobs for the third straight month in March and unemployment rose to a nearly three-year high, offering the latest signs that the economy has fallen into a recession. The Labor Department’s much anticipated report, released Friday, showed a net loss of 80,000 jobs last month. That marks the third straight month that jobs have fallen – the longest period of decline since early 2003. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast that payrolls would fall by 50,000 in the latest reading. The new report also pegged job losses in January and February at 76,000 each month. Those revisions added an additional 67,000 job losses to previous readings. The Labor Department now estimates that the economy has shed 232,000 jobs in the first three months of this year.” [CNNMoney.com, 4/04/08]
Despite the Bush Administration Crediting Tax Cuts for Economy Spurt, Job Creation Has Lagged. According to CNN, “The Bush administration has credited the tax cuts it pushed through Congress since 2001 for the economy’s recent growth spurt, including an 8.2 percent boost in gross domestic product for the third quarter of 2003. But job creation has lagged: The economy produced a net gain of only 1,000 new jobs in December, the Labor Department said Friday — far below the 130,000-plus that economists expected. Critics say the tax cuts have resulted in a half-trillion-dollar budget deficit while failing to prevent a net loss of more than 2 million jobs during Bush’s presidency… U.S. Department of Labor said the national unemployment rate had dropped to 5.7 percent in December — but that drop came largely because 309,000 people dropped out of the U.S. workforce. And the number of new jobs created in November was revised downward, to 43,000.” [CNN, 1/11/04]
Cornyn Rejected $500 Million a Year for Vets’ Mental Health Care. In November 2005, Cornyn killed a proposal to provide an additional $500 million a year over five years for veterans’ mental health services, to be offset by rolling back tax cuts for millionaires. [Vote 343, 11/17/05]
Cornyn Twice Rejected $2 Billion in Veterans’ Health Care Funding, Included $525 Million for Mental Health. In April 2005, Cornyn twice voted against increasing veterans’ health care funding by $1.98 billion. “There is a train wreck coming in veterans’ health care and I’m offering an amendment to deal with the emergency now – before it turns into a crisis,” Sen. Patty Murray said. The amendment included $610 million for health care services for the newest veterans, $525 million for mental health care for returning veterans and $40 million for each of the VA regional operations. Two months later, the VA announced a billion-dollar budget shortfall. [Vote 89, 4/12/05; Vote 90, 4/12/05; Scripps Howard News Service, 4/12/05; U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs Press Release, 6/23/05]
Cornyn Voted for Final FY 2006 Budget Resolution that Spent Every Penny of Social Security Surplus. In April 2005, Cornyn voted for final passage of the $2.6 trillion budget conference report for 2006. The report cut Medicaid spending by $10 billion, spent every penny of the Social Security surplus, increased the national deficit by $167.5 billion over 5 years and paved the way for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Furthermore, the conference report cut funding for veterans’ health care by $13.5 billion over five years. Yet the budget still found room for $106 billion in tax cuts for those who need it the least. [Vote 114, 4/28/05; House Budget Committee Democratic Caucus, 4/28/05]
Cornyn Voted Against Protecting The Social Security Trust Fund. In 2004, Cornyn voted against a measure that would have created a point of order against any direct spending or revenue legislation that increases on-budget deficit in any fiscal year until budget is balanced without counting Social Security surplus. The measure fell 46-51. [SCR 95, Vote #33, 3/9/04]
Cornyn’s Earmarks Disclosed After He Denounced Them. According to The San Antonio Express-News, “Cornyn joined Hutchison and the local congressional delegation in seeking the earmark for the river improvements project. Still, he said, ‘every earmark ought to be debated and voted on in the clear light of day. The current system is broken and it needs to be fixed’…Taxpayers for Common Sense, a non-partisan watchdog group, ranked Hutchison 23rd in the Senate for earmarks, securing $254 million in funds through requests with other congressional members. Cornyn ranked 53rd, getting $154 million for projects in Texas.” [San Antonio Express-News, 3/29/08]
Cornyn Secured $154,531,780 in Earmarks in 2007. According to the Houston Chronicle, Cornyn secured $154,531,780 in Earmarks in 2007. [Houston Chronicle, 3/23/08]
Cornyn Obtained 10 Texas Earmarks in the Commerce, Justice and Science Budget Totaling $4.8 Million. Cornyn obtained10 Texas earmarks in the Commerce, Justice and Science budget totaling $4.8 mil-lion, including $658,000 for drug treatment programs at the Phoenix House in Dallas. [Dallas Morning News, 1/7/08]
2007: Inserted $60 Million In Earmarks To Defense Spending Bill. In the Senate defense appropriations bill, Hutchison and Cornyn of Texas inserted 27 earmarks worth $60 million, including funds for trauma care and border security. Most of the earmarks are for equipment and research not included in the budget submitted by the Pentagon. Watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense criticized the earmarks because it took money away from worthier budget items. [Houston Chronicle, 9/30/07]
THE FACTS:
Noriega Raised 1.6 Million from In-State Contributions. According to CQMoneyLine, as of 6/30/08, 98 percent ($1,636,069) came from in-state contributions. [CQMoneyLine, accessed 10/10/08]
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