The freedom index: a congressional scorecard based on the U.S. constitution.

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The freedom index: a congressional scorecard based on the U.S. constitution.

Our fourth (and final) look at the 111th Congress shows how every Representative and Senator voted on key issues, such as financial regulatory reform, the DISCLOSE Act, and ObamaCare.

House Vote Descriptions

31 Science and Technology Programs. This legislation (H.R. 5116) would authorize $85.6 billion over five years for science and technology research and education programs. The funding includes $44 billion for the National Science Foundation and $30.2 billion for the Energy Department's Office of Science. The bill would also create a new loan-guarantee program to help manufacturers invest in innovative technologies.

The House passed the bill on May 28, 2010 by a vote of 262-150 (Roll Call 332). We have assigned pluses to the nays because entrepreneurs and not government should decide which technologies to invest in and to what extent.

32 ObamaCare (Repealing the Individual Mandate to Purchase Health Insurance). On June 15 the Republicans lost the first vote in their efforts to repeal either the entire healthcare bill or at least important parts of the overhaul bill commonly known as ObamaCare. They were trying to repeal the ObamaCare individual mandate that will require virtually all Americans to purchase health insurance by 2014 or else pay a penalty. This individual mandate is so widely considered to be unconstitutional that 20 states and the National Federation of Independent Businesses have filed a lawsuit based on the unconstitutionality of this provision and over 30 states have introduced legislation to nullify the individual mandate.

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Although the best solution would be for Congress to repeal the entire ObamaCare law (Public Laws 111-148 and 111-152) on the basis of its unconstitutionality, repeal of the individual mandate would be a good first step toward full repeal later. On June 15 Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) took this first step by making a motion to recommit the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010, H.R. 5486, to the Ways and Means Committee with instructions that it be immediately reported back with language that would repeal the individual mandate to purchase health insurance in the 2010 healthcare overhaul law.

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House Vote Scores Votes: 31-40 31 32 33 34 35 ALABAMA 1 Bonner (R ) 90% + + + + + 2 Bright (D ) 67% - + + + + 3 Rogers, Mike D. (R ) 90% + + + + + 4 Aderholt (R ) 90% + + + + + 5 Griffith (R ) 88% + + + + + 6 Bachus, S. (R ) 90% + + + + + 7 Davis, A. (D ) 0% ? - - - - ALASKA Young, D. (R ) 57% + + + ? ? ARIZONA 1 Kirkpatrick (D ) 20% - - - + - 2 Franks, T. (R ) 90% + + + + + 3 Shadegg (R ) 88% + + + + + 4 Pastor (D ) 0% - - - - - 5 Mitchell (D ) 20% - - + + - 6 Flake (R ) 100%...

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