Comparisons: Last Installment

by hilzoy

Continuing (and, mercifully, ending) the comparisons made in my last two posts: McCain's and Obama's co-sponsored legislation that was passed in the 109th Congress. Criteria, caveats, etc., are the same as before: only bills that McCain and Obama co-sponsored at the earliest opportunity, no purely ceremonial legislation; no legislation that just calls for a report or expresses the sense of the Senate; no legislation that appropriates less than $40 million, and does nothing else; no legislation of purely local interest. The list is below the fold.

Co-Sponsored Legislation, 109th Congress

Bills Enacted

Obama and McCain: (1 bill) S.2590 : A bill to require full disclosure of all entities and organizations receiving Federal funds. (3 original co-sponsors. Creates searchable database of recipients of federal funds.)

Obama: (1 bill) S.4044 : A bill to clarify the treatment of certain charitable contributions under title 11, United States Code. (Obama sole co-sponsor. Summary: "Amends federal bankruptcy law with respect to calculation of the projected disposable income of an individual with regular income to meet the requirements for court confirmation of a plan for adjustment of the individual's debts. Removes charitable contributions from the statutory formula used to determine what portion of such contributions is reasonably necessary to be expended for such purposes from a debtor's current monthly income. (Thus allows full deduction of such contributions from current monthly income to arrive at disposable income, consistent with the requirements of the Religious Liberty and Charitable Contribution Protection Act of 1998.)")

McCain: (2 bills) S.193 : A bill to increase the penalties for violations by television and radio broadcasters of the prohibitions against transmission of obscene, indecent, and profane language. (21 original co-sponsors.)

S.1608 : A bill to enhance Federal Trade Commission enforcement against illegal spam, spyware, and cross-border fraud and deception, and for other purposes (3 original co-sponsors)

Amendments:

Obama and McCain: (2 amendments)

S.AMDT.1380 to S.1042 To improve authorities to address urgent nonproliferation crises and United States nonproliferation operations. (41 original co-sponsors; Obama is listed third, out of alphabetical order, and I know he worked on this one. McCain listed with most Senators, in alphabetical order.)

S.AMDT.2942 to S.2349 To strike the meals and refreshments exception for lobbyists. (4 original co-sponsors)

Obama: (32 amendments)

S.AMDT.380 to H.R.1268 To provide supplemental funding for international food assistance. (12 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.402 to H.R.1268 To address the avian flu influenza virus in Asia. (2 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.422 to H.R.1268 To make a technical change to the bill. (Obama sole original co-sponsor.

S.AMDT.560 to H.R.1268 To clarify funding for judicial security enhancements. (3 original co-sponsors.)

S.AMDT.726 to H.R.3 To establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible recipients for the replacement or retrofit of certain existing school buses. (9 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.779 to H.R.6 To eliminate methyl tertiary butyl ether from the United States fuel supply, to increase production and use of renewable fuel, and to increase the Nation's energy independence. (21 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.791 to H.R.6 To establish a renewable portfolio standard. (14 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.919 to H.R.6 To enhance the national security of the United States by providing for the research, development, demonstration, administrative support, and market mechanisms for widespread deployment and commercialization of biobased fuels and biobased products. (4 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1023 to H.R.2361 To prohibit the use of funds by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to accept, consider, or rely on third-party intentional dosing human studies for pesticides or to conduct intentional dosing human studies for pesticides. (6 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1088 to H.R.2419 To maintain funding for the Department of Energy Clean Cities Program at is current level. (7 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1290 to H.R.3057 To make funds available for the African Union Mission in Sudan. (4 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1345 to S.1042 To provide for expedited action in bid protests conducted under OMB Circular A-76. (4 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1654 to H.R.2862 To increase funding for Justice Assistance Grants. (12 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1659 to H.R.2862 To increase the appropriation for nationwide legal services field programs and to provide additional funds to programs providing legal services to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. (8 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1703 to H.R.2862 To require the FTC to conduct an immediate investigation into gasoline price-gouging, and for other purposes. (5 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1864 to H.R.2528 To place conditions on the use of appropriated funds for reviewing or revoking approved disability claims for post-traumatic stress disorder and to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from using Federal funds for certain investigations until after the submission of a detailed implementation plan to the Committee on Appropriations. (3 original co-sponsors. Adds this to military construction and veterans' affairs appropriations bill: "Sec. 222. None of the funds made available in this Act or any other Act may be used--
   (1) to revoke or reduce a veteran's disability compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder based on a finding that the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to collect justifying documentation unless such failure was the direct result of fraud by the applicant; or
   (2) for the implementation of Recommendation 3 of VA Inspector General Report No. 05-00765-137 or any related review and investigation of post-traumatic stress disorder unemployability and 100 schedular percent ratings cases, until the Department of Veteran's Affairs reports to the Committee on Appropriations on its plan for implementing this recommendation, and outlines the staffing and funding requirements.")

S.AMDT.1865 to H.R.2528 To instruct the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a veterans disability compensation information campaign. (Obama sole original co-sponsor)

S.AMDT.1886 to H.R.2863 To make available emergency funds for pandemic flu preparedness. (11 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.2283 to H.R.3010 To make available funds for influenza preparedness. (10 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.2413 to S.1932 To provide additional ProGAP assistance to certain students. (5 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.2728 to H.R.4297 To provide tax incentives for the purchase of advanced mine safety equipment and the training of mine rescue teams, and for other purposes. (7 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.3018 to S.CON.RES.83 To restore funding for the Byrne/JAG grant program to the FY 2003 level of $900 million, offset with an across the board cut to administrative expenses, travel, and consulting services. (19 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.3048 to S.CON.RES.83 To increase the advance appropriations allowance in order to fund health, education and training, and low-income programs. (21 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.3599 to H.R.4939 To increase by $8,000,000 and deposit in the Former Soviet Union Threat Reduction Account the amount appropriated for Cooperative Threat Reduction. (13 original co-sponsors; Obama listed first.)

S.AMDT.3642 to H.R.4939 To provide an additional $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans. (20 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.3777 to H.R.4939 To fund a U.N. Peacekeeping force in Darfur and to address the shortfalls in the U.S. Contributions to the United Nations for international peacekeeping missions in 13 countries. (6 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4177 to S.2611 To provide a substitute to title III. (3 original co-sponsors; replaces "TITLE III--UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT OF ALIENS" in the immigration bill.)

S.AMDT.4242 to S.2766 To require regular budgeting for ongoing military operations. (21 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4253 to S.2766 To require a pilot program on troops to nurse teachers. (8 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4618 to H.R.5441 To prohibit the use of appropriated funds to take an action that would violate Executive Order 13149 (relating to greening the government through Federal fleet and transportation efficiency). (2 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4784 to H.R.5631 To require the posting of certain reports of the Department of Defense on the Internet website of the Department of Defense. (Obama only original co-sponsor)

S.AMDT.4907 to H.R.5631 To enhance intelligence community efforts to bring Osama bin Laden and other key leaders of al Qaeda to the justice they deserve. (11 original co-sponsors. Establishes and funds a unit dedicated to bringing bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders to justice.)

McCain: (10 amendments)

S.AMDT.218 to S.CON.RES.18 To fully fund the level of Border Patrol Agents authorized by the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 and as recommended by the 9/11 Commission. (7 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1206 to H.R.2360 To require that funds be made available for the United States Fire Administration. (3 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.1688 to H.R.2862 To prevent the United States Trade Representative from negotiating future trade agreements that prevent the United States from changing United States patent law to allow the importation of pharmaceutical products. (6 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.2004 to H.R.2863 To require the President to submit the procedures for the Combatant Status Review Tribunals and Administrative Review Boards to determine the status of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Two original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.2970 to S.2349 To revise the time period for Internet availability in the provisions relating to earmarks and availability of conference reports from 24 hours to 48 hours. (3 original co-sponsors. Underlying bill did not become law.)

S.AMDT.3193 to S.2454 To prescribe the binding oath or affirmation of renunciation and allegiance required to be naturalized as a citizen of the United States, to encourage and support the efforts of prospective citizens of the United States to become citizens, and for other purposes. (7 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4027 to S.2611 To make certain aliens ineligible for adjustment to lawful permanent resident status or Deferred Mandatory Departure status. (10 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4066 to S.2611 To modify the conditions under which an H-2C nonimmigrant may apply for adjustment of status. (2 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4681 to S.728 To modify a section relating to independent peer review of water resources projects. (6 original co-sponsors)

S.AMDT.4772 to H.R.5631 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to provide award fees to any defense contractor for performance that does not meet the requirements of the contract. (McCain only original co-sponsor)

Comments

[Ben Alpers]

Just wanted to add my voice of thanks for your putting these posts together, hilzoy!

It's a very valuable and meaningful comparison. That it is likely to be roundly ignored by the people being paid to cover this campaign is a serious indictment of our media.

In fact, it's kind of appalling that they didn't do this months ago.

[liberal japonicus]

A wish,
I would like to see, during the debate, the candidates be asked about the details of the bills they sponsored or co-sponsored and why they feel they were important. Unfortunately, you would probably have a George Will like cockroach reduce the question to discuss the most important bill you co-sponsored and let the McCain campaign know it was coming, so he could cram.

[vwcat]

Hilzoy, I appreciate all the hard work you have done and will try to post a link to your blog so as many people as possible can read this.
I wish you would send this around to the news outlets like CNN, NY TIMES, ect., as this is important for as many people as possible to look at this and make those comparisons in order to decide who is the better candidate for this job.
We need more like this and less lipstick silliness.

[Annemarie from NYC]

I think this SHOULD be finalized into the most digestible format and absolutely distributed to all the MSM. I'm going to follow Palin and Giuliani's campaign route and get it to the local media BEFORE they deliver their misleading mischief. I think he just did Boston - I'll check. To dispel the myth and expose the insulting McCain/Palin/Giuliani/Tucker Bounds lies about Obama's alleged impoverished record, would be a huge contribution. We have to remove the veil. I don't know you guys, but this is hot stuff and I'll do all I can, too.