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Justice

Not Bought And Paid For: 10 Senators Who Are Bucking The NRA On Guns

By Josh Israel on Feb 12, 2013 at 10:30 am

While top House and Senate recipients of National Rifle Association’s NRA Political Victory Fund PAC have mostly towed the line organization’s extreme opposition to any gun violence prevention measures, ten Senators who have received heavy financial backing from the NRA have bucked the group in light of the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

Ten Senators have received more than $10,000 from the NRA’s political action committee over their Congressional careers, yet have at least expressed an openness to some new common-sense gun laws. They include:

1. SEN. JOHN McCAIN (R-AZ) — AT LEAST $33,200


McCain said last month that while he would not support bans on assault weapons or high capacity magazines, he was open to expanding background checks: “If there are improvements that need to be made, as I said, to keep these weapons out of the hands of criminals, I’m sure all Americans, including the NRA, would agree with them, I would think.”

2. SEN. PAT TOOMEY (R-PA) — AT LEAST $27,250


Toomey said last month: “Second Amendment rights are important to many Pennsylvanians and must be protected, but there may be areas of agreement with the White House that can be addressed to improve public safety.” Reports suggest he is also open to stricter background checks.

3. SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-MT) — AT LEAST $27,250


Baucus indicated in December that he was open to a discussion of an assault weapons ban. In January, his office said he is still undecided on expanding background checks.

4. SEN. DEAN HELLER (R-NV) — AT LEAST $21,350


Last week, Heller endorsed expanded background checks, saying: “I think it’s a reasonable step forward.”

5. SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV) — AT LEAST $19,900


Last week, Reid expressed support for expanding background checks and said
gun-magazine limits were “definitely something we have to take a look at.” He also promised to use his position as Senate Majority Leader to bring gun violence prevention measures to the Senate floor.

6. SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R-AZ) — AT LEAST $18,400


Last week, Flake reiterated his support for expanded background checks, saying: “All of us, Republicans and Democrats, have recognized that we need more effective and broader background checks than we have in the past.”

7. SEN. TOM COBURN (R-OK) — AT LEAST $17,850


Coburn is part of a bipartisan group of four Senators working to tighten background checks. He noted that “the whole goal is to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and criminals.”

8. SEN. TIM JOHNSON (D-SD) — AT LEAST $16,250


Johnson said last month at a press conference that “one size doesn’t fit all” states for gun laws, but agreed that clip size makes some difference in preventing mass shootings and that a package of approaches should be considered. He has indicated a willingness to expand background checks as well.

9. SEN. JOE DONNELLY (D-IN) — AT LEAST $13,900


Donnelly said last month: “In 2007, just weeks after 32 people at Virginia Tech were murdered by a single gunman, Democrats and Republicans came together to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which is used to check the backgrounds of most prospective gun buyers. That system still does not work as well as it should and should be examined again in the coming weeks.”

10. SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV) — AT LEAST $11,450


Manchin said last month that expanded background checks are “common sense,” asking, “Why would a legitimate gun retail shop have to go through that, but then the unfair advantage for someone at a gun show doesn’t?” In the days after Sandy Hook, Manchin was among the first to call for new action on gun violence. Like Sen. Coburn, Manchin is part of the bipartisan quartet crafting a background check proposal.

While these Senators may not receive future contribution checks from the NRA PAC, they really have little to worry about politically as a result of standing up for common-sense measures. Even most NRA members differ with the hard-line national leadership and support background checks. Last year’s elections revealed the NRA to be the paper tiger that it is: an analysis of the NRA’s spending revealed that “NRA contributions to candidates have virtually no impact on the outcome of Congressional races.” Recent polling suggests voters are more likely to punish a candidate for having NRA backing than to reward allegiance to the gun lobby.

Health

How A Pharma Giant Used The ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Deal To Profit At The Expense Of Elderly Americans

By Sy Mukherjee on Jan 25, 2013 at 2:05 pm

Amgen Inc. — one of America’s largest biotech and pharmaceutical companies — has had a rough couple of months. In December, the firm was fined $762 million for illegally promoting drugs and defrauding Medicare. And now lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are looking to undo a little-noticed provision that Amgen successfully lobbied for inclusion in the recent “fiscal cliff” deal, a measure that gives special regulatory treatment to one of the company’s most profitable drugs.

The “fiscal cliff” deal included a provision exempting the oral drugs for kidney dialysis patients from being subject to Medicare price controls for two years. That means that drugs in that class, including Amgen’s hugely profitable Sensipar, can be sold to Medicare at higher prices than other dialysis drugs with little oversight — which ends up raising the drug’s cost for the seniors in the program. While the exemption is broad enough to affect drug companies other than Amgen, the New York Times reported this week that Amgen lobbied intensely for the provision, and that supporters like Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have received substantial political donations from Amgen’s employees and lobbying outfits.

As Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), who introduced the measure to repeal Amgen’s exemption this week, told the LA Times, “Amgen managed to get a $500-million paragraph in the fiscal-cliff bill and virtually no one in Congress was aware of it. It’s a taxpayer ripoff and comes at a really bad time when we’re trying to control healthcare costs. Amgen should not be allowed to turn Medicare into a profit center.”

It’s no mystery why Amgen wanted the exemption so badly — just last year, sales of Sensipar ballooned by 18 percent to $950 million. But the fact that they successfully wedged it into the fiscal cliff compromise is a testament to the firm’s lobbying prowess and the outsized influence of the entire pharmaceutical industry.

Politics

Meet The NRA-Backed Senate Democrats Who Oppose Obama’s Gun Violence Prevention Plan

By Zack Beauchamp on Jan 17, 2013 at 1:15 pm

On Wednesday, President Obama unveiled a comprehensive plan to reform American gun laws and take action against the 32,000 firearm-inflicted deaths per year in the United States. His proposals ranged from stricter, universal background checks to more funding for police officers to expanding access to mental health care.

Yet a group of Senate Democrats, all of them highly rated by the National Rifle Association, are refusing to say if they support the President’s reform package. Below is a list of the Senators in question, how they’re rated by the NRA, and what they’ve said about gun law reform:

1. Max Baucus, Montana (NRA Rating: A+). Baucus appeared to oppose any federal action on gun law reform, saying in a statement that “Before passing new laws, we need a thoughtful debate that respects responsible, law-abiding gun owners in Montana instead of a one-size-fits all directives from Washington.”

2. Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota (NRA Rating: A). In a local television appearance before President Obama’s announcement, Heitkamp accused the White House of having ulterior motives besides preventing mass killing, claiming “There isn’t any amount of gun regulation or gun executive orders that will solve the problem of identifying people who could potentially do this and making sure they get the help and their families get the help so they don’ t do this. I’ve said it all along that this is wrong headed…I think it is an agenda driven by something other than school shootings.”

3. Tim Johnson, South Dakota (NRA Rating: A). Like Baucus, Johnson argued against federal solutions: “We in South Dakota have far fewer problems with guns than they do in New York or New Jersey and it makes common sense to not have one size fits all.”

4. Joe Donnelly, Indiana (NRA Rating: A). Donnelly simply said that “I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment,” pointed to his NRA endorsement, and rejected the assault weapons ban plan of Obama’s proposal.

5. Mark Begich, Alaska (NRA Rating: A). Begich cited his support for mental health legislation, but demurred on gun restrictions, saying “there is no quick fix when it comes to keeping our families and communities safe. We must make smart investments to increase our safety while ensuring Americans’ Second Amendment rights are protected.”

6. Joe Manchin, West Virginia (NRA Rating: A). Manchin blamed a “culture of mass violence” rather than the spread of deadly weapons, wishing the president had created a “national commission [to] build the consensus we need for real action backed not only by gun control advocates, mental health experts and entertainment industry executives but also by law-abiding gun owners who fully understand the history and heritage of firearms in America.”

7. Jon Tester, Montana (NRA Rating: A-). Tester refused to take a position, saying “As Congress considers ways to address gun violence, we must look at all aspects of this issue. Our priority must be keeping all Americans–especially our kids–safe. I will look closely at all proposals on the table, but we must use common sense and respect our Constitution.”

8. Harry Reid, Nevada (NRA Rating: B). Reid, like Tester, wouldn’t say one way or another: “I thank the President’s task force for its thoughtful recommendations. I am committed to ensuring that the Senate will consider legislation that addresses gun violence and other aspects of violence in our society early this year. The tragedy at Sandy Hook was just the latest sad reminder that we are not doing enough to protect our citizens – especially our children – from gun violence and a culture of violence, and all options should be on the table moving forward.”

Fortunately, however, several Democratic Senators with high ratings have realized the gun lobby’s power is vastly overstated. Mark Warner of Virginia, who has a flat A rating, said several of the Obama proposals had “bipartisan support” and that “President Obama has laid out a comprehensive, far-reaching proposal to address the issues of gun violence and public safety. The Sandy Hook shootings compel all of us to think anew about these issues, and I believe the status quo is not acceptable.” Bob Casey (PA) and Martin Heinrich (NM), who are rated B+, supported some of the strong gun regulations in the Obama package.

Update

An earlier version of this post attributed a statement from Rep. Don Young (R-AK) to Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK). The post has been updated to accurately reflect Sen. Begich’s remarks. We regret the error.

NEWS FLASH

Dem Senator: Obamacare Helps Indian Health Service That’s Facing ‘Serious’ Problems | At a Native American hospital in his home state, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) said the Indian Health Service has “serious” problems, including a severe doctor shortage. According to The Hill, Baucus cited the hospital where he spoke as an example for refusing to provide rape kits to some female patients. But to help the system make improvements, Baucus noted that the Affordable Care Act permanently reauthorized the Indian Health Services Act, which provides health care to many Native Americans, and that President Obama has requested a significant budget increase for the program. “Our goal is to begin a new era of providing…quality health care,” Baucus said, “health care that can change the vicious cycles American Indians suffer daily.”

By Amanda Peterson Beadle on Aug 8, 2012 at 6:15 pm

NEWS FLASH

Montana Senator Max Baucus Endorses Marriage Equality | After the Montana Democratic Party platform convention unanimously endorsed marriage equality last Saturday, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) announced he now supports same-sex marriage rights. The Senate Finance Chairman tweeted that he is “Very proud of @MtDems’ vocal support for ‪#marriageequality‬ over the weekend,” and a spokeswoman confirmed to ThinkProgress that the unverified Twitter account is indeed that of the Senator. Baucus also said in a statement that adults “should be free to choose who they spend their lives with a committed relationship.”

NEWS FLASH

Senate Finance Chairman Calls For Revenue Positive Tax Reform: ‘We Simply Don’t Raise Enough Revenue’ | During a speech today before the Bipartisan Policy Center, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) called for using reform of the federal tax code to raise more revenue, in order to reduce the nation’s deficit. “Deficits and debt are not just a spending problem,” Baucus said. “Revenues as a share of GDP over the past few years are the lowest they have been since World War II. We simply don’t raise enough revenue.” Republicans have been calling for revenue neutral tax reform, even though the last time that the federal budget was balanced, it was thanks to more than 20 percent of GDP in revenue, far above the current level.

Climate Progress

Climate Hawk Sheldon Whitehouse Introduces Climate Resilience Legislation

By Brad Johnson on Nov 17, 2011 at 10:37 am

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

With incidents of prolonged drought, rising sea levels, and flooding on the rise, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced a bill on Wednesday to require federal natural resource agencies to plan for the long-term effects of climate change, and encourage states to prepare natural resources adaptation plans. The Safeguarding America’s Future and Environment Act (SAFE) Act also would create a science advisory board to ensure that the planning uses the best available science. The proposed legislation would require the development of a coordinated national adaptation strategy:

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Panel shall develop a strategy to protect, restore, and conserve natural resources so that natural resources become more resilient, adapt to, and withstand the ongoing and expected impacts of climate variability and change.

It would also encourage, but not require, state-specific adaptation plans.

Effects of climate change mentioned as examples in the legislation are droughts and heatwaves, storms and floods; wildfires; outbreaks of forest pests and invasive species; flooding and erosion of coastal areas due to rising sea levels; melting glaciers and sea ice; thawing permafrost; shifting fish, wildlife, and plant population ranges; disruptive shifts in the timing of fish, wildlife, and plant natural history cycles, such as blooming, breeding, and seasonal migrations; and ocean acidification.

The legislation is cosponsored by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), also a member of EPW. Baucus has repeatedly opposed action to limit climate change pollution.

Download the SAFE Act (as prepared for introduction).

Yglesias

Supercommittee Ideology

By Matthew Yglesias on Aug 11, 2011 at 6:15 pm

Seth Masket brings us an ideological characterization of the super committee members based on Simon Jackman’s ideal point estimates:

And here’s Sarah Binder using DW-NOMINATE instead:

These accounts differ in detail, but not in the overall picture they paint. In both cases, Max Baucus and Fred Upton are the most moderate members of the committee and the Baucus/Upton gap is quite large compared to what they have in common with their co-partisans.

Climate Progress

Climate Hawks John Kerry And Patty Murray Appointed To Deficit Committee

By Brad Johnson on Aug 10, 2011 at 6:58 pm

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) at the Copenhagen climate conference.

Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Max Baucus (D-MT) have been named to the fiscal super committee tasked with constructing a bipartisan plan to rein in the long-term federal deficit. Considering that Republicans have practically proscribed new revenues, new investments, or eliminating tax subsidies, the committee is likely to continue America’s slide into austerity.

However low the likelihood, the committee does have the opportunity to put together a package that actually addresses the real long-term threats the nation faces, with desperately needed clean-energy and climate-resilience infrastructure spending funded by strict taxes or a cap on carbon pollution.

Kerry has said he believes that climate change “biggest long term threat” to national security. His 2010 climate bill was scored by the Congressional Budget Office to reduce the deficit by $19 billion, even using its extremely conservative assumptions that a massive investment in clean energy and infrastructure would somehow slow economic growth. A more aggressive climate plan that reflects the true urgency of the climate crisis would do even more to restore jobs and cut the deficit.

“We owe it to our children and future generations to get this issue under control and soon,” Murray argues about climate change.

Unfortunately, Kerry and Murray have not yet spread their climate-hawk wings and pointed out that the only solution to the nation’s long-term fiscal outlook involves solving the climate crisis. On Meet the Press, Kerry described his view thusly:

And the real problem for our country is not the short-term debt. We can deal with that. It’s the long-term debt. It’s the structural debt of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid measured against the demographics of our nation. That, then juxtaposed to the lack of jobs and job creation and growth. That’s our problem, structural.

In a joint statement with Baucus, Kerry and Murray said:

Our challenge is to find common ground without damaging anyone’s principles. We believe we can get there.

Their challenges is to save this nation’s long-term economic future. One can only hope they choose reality over compromise, even if Republican Party principles like denying science are damaged.

Update

The average League of Conservation Voters score of the nine members named to the panel so far is 38.11 out of a possible 100.

Climate Progress

Super Congress Stacked With Climate Zombies

By Brad Johnson on Aug 10, 2011 at 12:38 pm

Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)

A ThinkProgress analysis finds that a majority of the members on the congressional special fiscal committee oppose regulation of global warming pollution. Even with the three House Democrats left to be named, seven of the 12-member committee are known to be climate zombies. Every Republican on the so-called Super Congress, as well as Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), have voted to reverse the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) work to limit greenhouse gas pollution. Most of the Republicans named to the committee are proud torchbearers of global warming denial:

Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI): “I do not say that it is man-made.”

Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI): “From what I have read, there remains a great deal of uncertainty with regard to the scientific evidence about climate change.”

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA): “There has been an increase in the surface temperature of the planet over the course of the last 100 years or so. I think it’s clear that that has happened. The extent to which that has been caused by human activity I think is not as clear. I think that is still very much disputed and has been debated.”

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH): “When you analyze all the data, there is a warming trend according to science. But the jury is out on the degree of how much is manmade.”

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) — whose top contributors include Koch Industries — has joined Camp and Upton in numerous votes this year to deny the threat of climate pollution, including H.R. 910, the House bill introduced by Upton to overturn the EPA’s scientific finding that greenhouse pollution endangers public health and welfare.

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) also voted in April in a failed attempt to overturn the EPA’s scientific finding. Toomey and Portman were co-sponsors of that legislation.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) also tried in April to prohibit the regulation of greenhouse gases from a wide range of polluters.

However, Baucus has claimed that he has wanted Congress to lead on fighting climate pollution while opposing the EPA. He has the opportunity to become a climate hawk and insist that the fiscal package his committee devises include a civilization-saving, economy-spurring, and deficit-reducing carbon tax or cap and trade program.

Of the nine members already named to the committee, only Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) have been unequivocal about their efforts to fight greenhouse pollution.

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