House of Representatives
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Dennis Kucinich
U.S. House: Representative
Democratic
Next Election Year: 2010
Education:
MA, Speech Communications, Case Western Reserve University, 1974
BA, Speech Communications, Case Western Reserve University, 1973
Profession:
Consultant, Publicly Owned Electric Systems, 1979-present
President, Marketing and Communications Firm, 1985-1995
Instructor, Communications and Political Science, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University, 1991-1994
Professor, Political Science, Case Western Reserve University, 1982-1992
Communications Entrepreneur, Software and Public Relations, 1982-1992
Clerk of Courts, Cleveland Municipal Court, 1976-1977
Sportswriter
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(2009) HR 2996 Continuing Appropriations Extension and 2009-2010 Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations
Outcome: Conference Report Adopted (247/178)
Summary: -Extends fiscal year 2009-2010 continuing appropriations (see HR 2918) for departments, agencies and other organizational units of the federal government through December 18, 2009 (Div. B, Sec. 101).
-Appropriates a total of $32.39 billion, of which (Div. A, Title I-III):-$11.08 billion shall go to fund various programs in the Department of the Interior;
-$10.29 billion shall go to fund various programs in the Environmental Protection Agency; and
-$11.01 billion shall go to fund various programs in related agencies. -Extends the temporary loan limit increase established by HR 5140 (the "Economic Stimulus Act") for mortgages insured by the federal government until the end of 2010 (Div. B, Sec. 104).
-Appropriates $4.97 billion in State and Tribal assistance grants, including $2.1 billion in grants for Clean Water State Revolving Funds (Div. A, Title II).
-Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to transfer up to $475 million for activities that would support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (Div. A, Title II).
-Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to transfer $8 million to the Navy to fund clean-up activities at the Treasure Island Naval Station-Hunters Point Annex (Div. A, Title IV, Sec. 415).
-Prohibits the distribution of funds from this act to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or its subsidiaries (Div. A, Title IV, Sec. 427).
-Prohibits the use of funds from this or any other act to release or transfer to the United States, its territories, or another country, any detainee at the Guantanamo Bay Prison Facility in Cuba (Div. A, Title IV, Sec. 428).
-Establishes within the United States Treasury the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement (FLAME) Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund for the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, the purpose of which is to cover the costs of suppressing large or complex wildfires and to provide additional funding when Wildland Fire Management appropriation accounts are exhausted (Div. A, Title V, Sec. 502).
-Provides additional funds for small business loans at a rate for operations of $80 million (Div. B, Sec. 104).
-Provides that up to $200 million in funds shall be available for public housing agencies for the purpose of preventing the termination of funds that provide housing assistance to families (Div. B, Sec. 104). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2009) HR 2454 Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade")
Outcome: Bill Passed (219/212)
Summary: -Establishes the following greenhouse gas emission reduction goals for the U.S. (Sec. 702):-3 percent reduction from 2005 levels in 2012;
-20 percent reduction from 2005 levels in 2020;
-42 percent reduction from 2005 levels in 2030; and
-83 percent reduction from 2005 levels in 2050. -Establishes a cap and trade program in which covered entities are prohibited from emitting greenhouse gas in excess of the number of emission allowances and offset credits that the entity acquired during each calendar year (Sec. 311).
-Specifies that a "covered entity" includes, but is not limited to, the following (Sec. 312):-Any electricity source;
-Stationary source that produces and entities that import for sale or distribution in 2008 or any subsequent year petroleum-based or coal-based liquid fuel, petroleum coke, or natural gas liquid, the combustion of which would emit at least 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gas;
-Any geologic sequestration site;
-Any stationary source involved in adipic acid production, primary aluminum production, ammonia manufacturing, cement production other than grinding-only operations, hydrochlorofluorocarbon production, lime manufacturing, nitric acid production, petroleum refining, phosphoric acid production, silicon carbine production, soda ash production, titanium dioxide production, and coal-based liquid or gaseous fuel production; and
-Natural gas local distribution companies that deliver at least 460 million cubic feet of natural gas. -Specifies that any of the following constitute a greenhouse gas: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons emitted from a chemical manufacturing process at an industrial stationary source, any perfluorocarbon, nitrogen trifluoride, and any other anthropogenic gas designated as a greenhouse gas by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Sec. 311).
-Specifies that the following measurements are all equal to 1 ton of carbon dioxide for the purposes of establishing the carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gas (Sec. 311):-25 tons of methane;
-298 tons of nitrous oxide;
-14,800 tons of HFC-23 (fluoroform);
-3,500 tons of HFC-125 (pentafluoroethane);
-1,430 tons of HFC-134a (tetrafluoroethane);
-4,470 tons of HFC-143a (trifluoroethane);
-124 tons of HFC-152a (difluoroethane);
-3,220 tons of HFC-227ea (heptafluoropropane);
-9,810 tons of HFC-236fa (hexafluoropropane);
-1,640 tons of HFC-43-10mee (decafluoropentane);
-7,390 tons of CF4 (tetrafluoromethane);
-12,200 tons of C2F6 (hexafluorethane);
-8,860 tons of C4F10 (perfluorobutane);
-9,300 tons of C6F14 (perfluorohexane);
-22,800 tons of SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride); and
-17,200 tons of NF3 (nitrogen fluoride). -Specifies that one emission allowance is equal to one ton of carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gas (Sec. 311).
-Specifies that emission allowances are not required for fugitive greenhouse gas emissions produced by electricity sources, nitrogen trifluoride sources, industrial stationary sources, and industrial fossil fuel-fired combustion devices, unless the Administrator of the EPA determines that such emissions can be determined with sufficient precision, reliability, accessibility and timeliness (Sec. 311).
-Specifies that emission allowances are not required for petroleum-based or coal-based liquid fuel, petroleum coke, natural gas liquid, fossil fuel-based carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, or fluorinated gas that is exported for sale or use (Sec. 311).
-Limits the number of available emission allowances to the following, with some exceptions for adjustments by the Administrator of the EPA (Sec. 311):-4.63 billion for 2012;
-4.54 billion for 2013;
-5.1 billion for 2014;
-5 billion for 2015;
-5.48 billion for 2016;
-5.38 billion for 2017;
-5.27 billion for 2018;
-5.16 billion for 2019;
-5.06 billion for for 2020;
-4.9 billion for 2021;
-4.75 billion for 2022;
-4.6 billion for 2023;
-4.45 billion for 2024;
-4.29 billion for 2025;
-4.14 billion for 2026;
-3.99 billion for 2027;
-3.84 billion for 2028;
-3.69 billion for 2029;
-3.53 billion for 2030;
-3.41 billion for 2031;
-3.28 billion for 2032;
-3.16 billion for 2033;
-3.03 billion for 2034;
-2.91 billion for 2035;
-2.78 billion for 2036;
-2.66 billion for 2037;
-2.53 billion for 2038;
-2.41 billion for 2039
-2.28 billion for 2040;
-2.16 billion for 2041;
-2.03 billion for 2042;
-1.91 billion for 2043;
-1.79 billion for 2044;
-1.66 billion for 2045;
-1.54 billion for 2046;
-1.41 billion for 2047;
-1.29 billion for 2048;
-1.16 billion for 2049; and
-1.04 billion for 2050 and each year thereafter. -Allocates a specific annual percentage of emission allowances automatically for various purposes, including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 321):-For the benefit of electricity consumers:-43.75 percent for 2012 and 2013;
-38.89 percent for 2014 and 2015;
-35 percent for 2016 through 2025;
-28 percent for 2026;
-21 percent for 2027;
-14 percent for 2028; and
-7 percent for 2029; -For support of state renewable energy and energy efficiency programs:-9.5 percent for 2012 and 2015;
-6.5 percent for 2016 and 2017;
-5.5 percent for 2018 and 2021;
-1 percent for 2022 through 2025;
-4.5 percent for 2026 through 2050; and
-At the same time allowances are distributed for years 2022 through 2025, 3.55 percent is distributed to be used in four years, in addition to the allocation for years 2026 through 2050; -For the benefit of natural gas consumers:-9 percent for 2016 through 2025;
-7.2 percent for 2026;
-5.4 percent for 2027;
-3.6 percent for 2028; and
-1.8 percent for 2029; -For supplemental emission reductions through the International Deforestation Reduction Program established by this Act:-5 percent for 2012 through 2025;
-3 percent for 2026 through 2030; and
-2 percent for 2031 through 2050; -For the deployment of carbon capture and sequestration technology:-1.75 percent for 2014 through 2017;
-4.75 percent for 2018 through 2019; and
-5 percent for 2020 through 2050. -Requires the Administrator of the EPA to hold a single-round, sealed-bid, uniform price auction 4 times per year at regular intervals, with the first auction to be held no later than March 31, 2011, in which covered entities may purchase emission allowances that were not automatically allocated for various purposes as described above (Sec. 311).
-Prohibits participants from purchasing more than 5 percent of the emission allowances offered for sale at any quarterly auction (Sec. 311).
-Requires the Administrator of the EPA to set aside a specific number of emission allowances for small businesses at each auction as follows (Sec. 311):-6.2 percent of the emission allowances from 2012 through 2013;
-5.4 percent of the emission allowances from 2014 through 2015; and
-4.9 percent of the emission allowances from 2016 through 2024. -Authorizes covered entities to utilize offset credits to demonstrate compliance in the cap and trade program for projects that result in reductions or avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions or sequestration of greenhouse gas, provided that such credits do not exceed 2 billion tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions (Sec. 311).
-Authorizes the holder of an emission allowance, compensatory allowance, or offset credit to sell, exchange, transfer, hold for compliance, or request that the Administration retire the emission allowance, compensatory allowance, or offset credit (Sec. 311).
-Establishes a penalty for covered entities that emit greenhouse gases in excess of the amount of emission allowances and offset credits the covered entity has acquired. The penalty is equal to the product obtained by multiplying the following (Sec. 311):-Total amount of carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions for which the covered entity failed to demonstrate compliance; and
-Twice the auction clearing price for the earliest year emission allowances in the last auction carried out. -Requires retail electric suppliers that supply more than 4 million megawatt hours of electric energy to consumers per year to derive the following amounts of the total electricity they sell from renewable sources (Sec. 101):-6 percent in 2012 and 2013;
-9.5 percent in 2014 and 2015;
-13 percent in 2016 and 2017;
-16.5 percent in 2018 and 2019; and
-20 percent from 2020 through 2039. -Authorizes electric suppliers to opt out of the renewable sources requirement listed above and pay $25 per megawatt hour of electricity savings that would otherwise be due (Sec. 101).
-Requires electric utilities to develop a plan to support the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles, including the deployment of the charging infrastructure or other infrastructure necessary to adequately support the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles (Sec. 121).
-Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to deploy and integrate plug-in electric drive vehicles into the the electricity grid in multiple regions, and authorizes the Secretary to provide financial assistance for the purchase of such vehicles, supporting the use of such vehicles, or other projects the Secretary determines appropriate to support the large-scale deployment of such vehicles (Sec. 122).
-Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to provide financial assistance to automobile manufactures to facilitate the manufacture of plug-in electric drive vehicles, and requires the Secretary to select recipients that are most likely to be successful and are located in local markets that have the greatest need for such assistance (Sec. 123).
-Establishes the energy efficiency goal of the U.S. as an improvement of overall energy productivity by at least 2.5 percent per year through 2030, and requires the Secretary of Energy to develop a strategic plan to achieve this goal, which must include the following (Sec. 272):-Future regulatory, funding, and policy priorities;
-Energy savings estimates for each sector; and
-Data collection methodologies and compilations used to establish baseline and energy savings data. -Authorizes the states to utilize funds from their SEED Account, composed of federal funds appropriated pursuant to the Clean Air Act, to provide rebates of up to $7,500 to owners of manufactured homes constructed prior 1976 in which the total income of all members of the household does not exceed 200 percent of the Federal poverty level for income in the applicable area for the purposes of purchasing a new Energy Star qualified manufactured home (Sec. 203).
-Increases energy efficiency standards for electric motors and florescent and incandescent lamps beginning December 19, 2010 (Sec. 161).
-Increases energy efficiency standards for various domestic appliances (Sec. 213).
-Establishes the following national building code energy efficiency targets (Sec. 201):-30 percent reduction in energy use relative to a comparable building constructed in compliance with the baseline code effective on the date of enactment of this Act;
-50 percent reduction in energy use relative to the baseline code beginning January 1, 2014 for residential buildings and January 1, 2015 for commercial buildings; and
-5 percent additional reduction in energy use relative to the baseline code beginning January 1, 2017 for residential buildings and January 1, 2018 for commercial buildings, and every three years thereafter, respectively, through January 1, 2029. -Appropriates $25 million to the Secretary of Energy to enforce the national energy efficiency building code (Sec. 201).
-Appropriates $600 million for fiscal years 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 respectively to establish the Best in Class Appliances Deployment Program for the following reasons (Sec. 214):-Provide bonus payments to retailers or distributors for the sale of best-in-class high-efficiency household appliance models, high efficiency installed building equipment, and high-efficiency consumer electronics;
-Provide bounties to retailers and manufacturers for the replacement, retirement, and recycling of old inefficient and environmentally harmful products; and
-Provide premium awards to manufacturers for developing and producing new Superefficient Best-in-Class Products. -Appropriates $7.5 million for fiscal year 2009-2010, $10 million for fiscal year 2010-2011, $20 million for fiscal year 2011-2012, and $50 million for fiscal year 2012-2013 to establish the WaterSense program within the Environmental Protection Agency to promote water efficient products, buildings and landscapes, and services (Sec. 215).
-Appropriates $15 billion for fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 respectively to establish the Clean Energy Manufacturing Revolving Loan Fund Program for issuing grants to States to issue loans to manufactures for investments in clean energy technology, including, but not limited to, wind turbines, solar energy, fuel cells, biomass equipment, geothermal equipment, advanced biofuels, ocean energy equipment, carbon capture and storage, and advanced batteries, battery systems, or storage devices (Sec. 246).
-Appropriates $200 million for fiscal year 2009-2010, $250 million for fiscal year 2010-2011, $300 million for fiscal year 2011-2012, $350 million for fiscal year 2012-2013 and $400 for fiscal year 2013-2014 for the Hollings Manufacturing Partnership Program (Sec. 247).
-Appropriates $2.5 billion to establish the Residential Energy Efficiency Block Grant Program for issuing grants to States, metropolitan cities and urban counties, Indian tribes, and insular areas to carry out energy efficiency improvements in new and existing single-family and multifamily housing (Sec. 296).
-Appropriates $5 billion to the Alternative Energy Sources State Loan Fund established by this Act for the Secretary of Energy to issue loans to states and Indian tribes to provide incentives to owners of single-family and multifamily housing, commercial properties, and public buildings to provide renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and energy conserving improvements, and infrastructure related to the delivery of electricity and hot water for structures lacking such amenities (Sec. 299D).
-Increases appropriation for loans to be issued by the Secretary of Energy under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program from $25 million to $50 million (Sec. 125).
-Increases appropriation for the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program from $125 million to $150 million (Sec. 422). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2009) HR 2751 Trade-in Vouchers for Fuel Efficient Cars
Outcome: Bill Passed (298/119)
Summary: -Establishes the "Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program" which authorizes electronic vouchers to be issued to participating dealers (Sec. 2).
-Grants a $3,500 voucher for trading in an old vehicle for a passenger vehicle with at least 4 miles per gallon more, a non-passenger truck with at least 2 miles per gallon more, or a large van or pickup truck with at least 1 mile per gallon more fuel economy than the vehicle being traded in (Sec. 2).
-Grants a $4,500 voucher for trading in an old vehicle for a passenger vehicle with at least 10 miles per gallon more, a non-passenger truck with at least 5 miles per gallon more, or a large van or pickup truck with at least 2 miles per gallon more fuel economy than the vehicle being traded in (Sec. 2).
-Requires that dealers who participate in the program do not sell, lease, or exchange the traded in vehicle and will ensure the vehicle gets crushed or shredded (Sec. 2).
-Defines an eligible trade-in vehicle as an automobile or work truck manufactured after 1984 that is still in drivable condition, has been owned by the same person and insured for at least one year and has a combined fuel economy of 18 miles per gallon or less (Sec. 2).
-Requires the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make information available to the public about how to determine if a trade-in vehicle is eligible for a voucher, how to participate in the program, and a list of new fuel efficient vehicles that meet the requirements of the program (Sec. 2).
-This bill was amended into the final version of HR 2346. |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2009) HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (285/140)
Summary: -Adds land to wilderness areas in 9 states under the National Wilderness Preservation System (Title I).
-Affirms that no provision of this act may be used to close public lands to recreational use by the public (Title II).
-Authorizes $1 million to provide grants to states and Indian tribes to compensate ranchers for livestock killed by wolves and to assist with non-lethal methods to reduce wolf attacks (Title VI, Subtitle C).
-Grants the state of Alaska 1,806 acres of federal land to construct an emergency access road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for 43,093 acres of non-federal land (Title VI, Subtitle E).
-Authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to study and construct specific water projects (Title IX, Subtitle A).
-Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to carry out water settlements agreed to in court and creates the Reclamation Water Settlements Management Fund (Title X).
-Authorizes appropriations for ocean research, exploration, and conservation (Title XII).
-Expands funding for paralysis treatment (Title XIV). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2009) S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009
Outcome: Bill Failed (282/144)
Summary: -Designates land in 9 states as potential wilderness areas (Title I).
-Grants the state of Alaska a seven-mile easement for constructing a single-lane airport access road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for the transfer of 43,093 acres of state-owned land to the federal wildlife refuge system (Title VI, Subtitle E).
-Expands the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Title V, Subtitle A).
-Adds to the National Trails System (Title V, Subtitle C).
-Authorizes $1 million to provide grants to states and Indian tribes to compensate ranchers for livestock killed by wolves and to assist non-lethal methods to reduce wolf attacks (Title VI, Subtitle F).
-Allows for the preservation of former President William Jefferson Clintons childhood home as a National Historic Site (Title VII, Subtitle A, Sec. 7002).
-Authorizes appropriations for projects to improve water management and conservation (Title IX and Secs. 10101, 10202 of Title X). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 7060 Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits
Outcome: Bill Passed (257/166)
Summary: - Extends tax credits for wind facilities until January 1, 2010, and credits for qualified biomass, geothermal or solar, small irrigation power, landfill gas, trash combustion, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy facilities until October 1, 2011 (Sec. 101, 102).
- Extends residential energy efficient property credits for solar electric, solar water heating, and fuel cell property expenditures until December 31, 2016 (Sec. 104).
- Extends the residential energy efficient property credit allowable against the alternative minimum tax to the taxable year starting in 2007 (Sec. 104).
- Reduces the maximum income tax deduction allowed for domestic production of oil and gas (Sec. 401).
- Extends the business research credit through December 31, 2009 (Sec. 221).
- Extends tax deductions for college tuition payments through the taxable year ending December 31, 2009 (Sec. 202).
- Allows a base credit of $3,000 for plug-in electric motor vehicles, with up to an additional $2,000 for vehicles drawing propulsion energy from a battery of 5 or more kilowatt hours of capacity (Sec. 124).
- Encourages bicycle commuting by allowing tax-free reimbursements to cover expenses such as the purchase of a bicycle and maintenance if the bicycle is regularly used to travel between the employee's residence and place of employment (Sec. 126).
- Extends the Federal Unemployment Tax Act surtax that employers pay with respect to individuals they employ through 2010 (Sec. 404).
- Extends tax credits for solar energy property until January 1, 2017 and credits for fuel cell and microturbine property until December 31, 2016 (Sec. 103). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 2638 Continuing Appropriations
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (370/58)
Summary: -Appropriates funds necessary to continue until March 6, 2009 projects or activities that were conducted in fiscal year 2008 and for which funds or other authority were made available in divisions A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, and K of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (HR 2764) at the same rate for operations provided in those divisions of that Act, with the exception of some minor changes (Div. A, Sec. 101).
-Appropriates $22.88 billion for disaster relief and recovery, $480.25 billion for the Department of Defense, $43.48 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, and $119.92 billion for military construction and veterans affairs (Divs. B-E).
-Specifies that the funds appropriated in this act are not subject to a prohibition on use for offshore oil and natural gas preleasing and leasing (Div. A, Sec. 152).
-Maintains funding levels at $7.51 billion for 2009 to fund loans of up to $25 billion in total principal for automobile manufacturers and component suppliers to pay for up to 30 percent of the cost of equipping themselves to produce vehicles or components which meet specified emissions and fuel economy standards (Div. A, Sec. 129).
-Appropriates $5.1 billion for low-income home energy assistance instead of the previous amount of $2.6 billion (Div. A, Sec. 155). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2008) HR 6899 Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits
Outcome: Bill Passed (236/189)
Summary: - Opens areas for oil and gas leasing that were previously part of Outer Continental Shelf Planning Areas and located more than 50 miles from the coastline, as long as states with boundaries within 100 miles of a proposed site agree to the lease (Secs. 102, 103).
- Prohibits public officials in the Minerals Management Division of the Department of the Interior from receiving any gift "of value" from oil or gas corporation employees, imposes a prison sentence of up to two years for any persons giving or accepting such gifts, and allows for a civil penalty of up to $25 million, in addition to an amount equal to gross revenues accrued during the period in which the violation occurred for any oil or gas corporation responsible for offering gifts (Sec. 144).
- Requires retail energy suppliers to generate at least 15 percent of their energy from renewable resources by 2020 or by credits equal to that amount (Sec. 501).
- Requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to aid in the construction of new oil and natural gas pipelines from the National Petroleum Reserve to existing transportation or processing infrastructure on the North Slope in Alaska (Sec. 163).
- Bans the export of domestic crude oil to neighboring countries for refining unless an equal amount is sent from that country to the United States (Sec. 166).
- Updates national model building energy codes to require at least 50 percent energy savings for residential and commercial buildings in each code by 2020 (Sec. 401).
- Requires every gas station owned by major oil companies to have at least one alternative fuel pump by January 1, 2018, which dispenses natural gas, fuel that contains at least 85 percent ethanol, a mixture containing at least 20 percent biodiesel or renewable diesel, or hydrogen (Sec. 701).
- Encourages bicycle commuting by allowing tax-free reimbursements to cover expenses such as the purchase of a bicycle and maintenance if the bicycle is regularly used to travel between the employee's residence and place of employment (Sec. 827).
- Prohibits the oil or gas leasing of an area in the Outer Continental Shelf that was not available before July 1, 2008, or was not authorized in this bill (Sec. 101).
- Requires 70 million barrels of light crude petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to be sold within six months of this bill's enactment, which would be replaced with an equal amount of heavy crude petroleum within five years, as long as selling the barrels will not result in a total of less than 90 percent of the current amount in the Reserve (Sec. 203). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 6515 Oil Exploration in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska
Outcome: Bill Failed (244/173)
Summary: -Requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an "expeditious environmentally responsible program" of competitive leasing of oil and gas in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska with no fewer than one lease sale in the Reserve each year during the period 2009 through 2013 (Sec. 2).
-Requires the Secretary of Transportation to facilitate the construction of pipelines to transport oil and gas from the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to existing infrastructure on the North Slope of Alaska, and requires the President to facilitate construction of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska to United States markets (Sec. 3, 4).
-Reimposes prohibition on crude oil exports from Alaska (Sec. 6).
-Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing to a person any new lease that authorizes the exploration for or production of oil or natural gas unless the person is diligently developing the Federal lands that are subject to existing leases or the person has relinquished ownership interest in all Federal oil and gas leases under which oil and gas are not being diligently developed (Sec. 7). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 415 Adding Parts of the Taunton River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
Outcome: Bill Passed (242/175)
Summary: -Prohibits any provision in the act to infringe on access to hunting, fishing, trapping, or recreational shooting (Sec. 4). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 6251 Oil Production Leases
Outcome: Bill Failed (223/195)
Summary: |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (416/12)
Summary: -Appropriates $8.48 billion for natural disaster relief and recovery, including $5.76 billion for construction of flood prevention and protection structures in Louisiana.
-Allows an individual with an emergency unemployment compensation to receive either 50 percent of the total regular compensation of an individual's benefit year or 13 times the individual's average weekly benefit amount for that year (Sec. 4002).
-Allows a veteran who has served an aggregate of 36 months or 30 continuous days of active duty after September 11, 2001 to receive a full scholarship for in-state tuition at a public university, a monthly housing stipend, and a lump sum each term for books and supplies (Sec. 5003).
-Provides that members of the Armed Forces who have served at least six years and agree to serve four more may transfer 18 to 36 months of their educational assistance entitlements to their spouse or children (Sec. 5003).
-Allows the President to waive sanctions against economic or military assistance to North Korea (Sec. 1405).
-Provides $400 million for Mexico and $65 million for Central America to combat drug trafficking (Sec. 1406-1407). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 6124 Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill)
Outcome: Veto Override Passed (317/109)
Summary: -Grants $37 million in technical assistance to specialty crop producers (Sec. 3203).
-Prohibits persons with adjusted gross non-farm income of over $500,000 or adjusted gross farm income of over $750,000 from receiving certain types of subsidies (Sec. 1604).
-Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects through 2012 (Sec. 4406).
-Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 19 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats, and soybeans (Sec. 1202).
-Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million during 2008-2012 (and $206 million each subsequent fiscal year) for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts for nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs and an additional $250 million during 2008-2012 for fruits and vegetables for schools (Sec. 4404).
-Establishes a mandatory labeling of countries of origin for goat meat, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and changes the designation criteria for United States country of origin labeling and allows multiple countries to be listed on labels for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat (Sec. 11002).
-Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1501).
-Extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program through 2012 (Secs. 1503, 1505, 1507).
-Lowers the income tax credit for ethanol producers during 2009 and 2010 for a blender amount from 51 cents to 45 cents and for a low-proof blender amount from 37.78 cents to 33.33 cents (Sec. 15331).
-Extends the alcohol fuels credit to cellulosic biofuel (Sec. 15321).
-Establishes the Biomass Research and Development Initiative to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biofuels and biobased products (Sec. 9001).
-Provides assistance for landowners who have lost non-industrial private forestland due to wildfires, hurricanes, excessive winds, drought, ice storms, blizzards, or floods (Sec. 8203).
-Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1401).
-Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1605).
-Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through the 2012 fiscal year (Secs. 2101, 2203).
-Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 and 4115).
-Requires pilot programs to reduce obesity in the United States (Sec. 4141).
-Authorizes $25 million for each fiscal year from 2008 through 2012 for loans to broadband internet service providers in rural areas that currently have two or fewer providers in the area and have at least 25 percent of the area serviced by not more than one provider (Sec. 6110).
-Eliminates priority status for food aid for countries that demonstrate the potential to become markets for competitively priced U.S. agricultural commodities (Sec. 3005). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill)
Outcome: Veto Override Passed (316/108)
Summary: -Prohibits persons with adjusted gross non-farm income of over $500,000 or adjusted gross farm income of over $750,000 from receiving certain types of subsidies (Sec. 1604).
-Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects through 2012 (Sec. 4406).
-Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 19 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats, and soybeans (Sec. 1202).
-Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million during 2008-2012 - and $206 million each subsequent fiscal year - for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts for nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs and an additional $250 million during 2008-2012 for fruits and vegetables for schools (Sec. 4404).
-Establishes a mandatory labeling of countries of origin for goat meat, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and changes the designation criteria for United States country of origin labeling and allows multiple countries to be listed on labels for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat (Sec. 11002).
-Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1501).
-Extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program through 2012 (Secs. 1503, 1505, 1507).
-Lowers the income tax credit for ethanol producers during 2009 and 2010 for a blender amount from 51 cents to 45 cents and for a low-proof blender amount from 37.78 cents to 33.33 cents (Sec. 15331).
-Extends the alcohol fuels credit to cellulosic biofuel (Sec. 15321).
-Establishes the Biomass Research and Development Initiative to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biofuels and biobased products (Sec. 9001).
-Provides assistance for landowners who have lost non-industrial private forestland due to wildfires, hurricanes, excessive winds, drought, ice storms, blizzards, or floods (Sec. 8203).
-Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1401).
-Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1605).
-Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through the 2012 fiscal year (Secs. 2101, 2203).
-Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 and 4115).
-Requires pilot programs to reduce obesity in the United States (Sec. 4141).
-Authorizes $25 million for each fiscal year from 2008 through 2012 for loans to broadband internet service providers in rural areas that currently have two or fewer providers in the area and have at least 25 percent of the area serviced by not more than one provider (Sec. 6110).
-NOTE: Due to a clerical error, this bill was sent to the President without Title III (concerning trade), and therefore, the veto override votes by the House and Senate are on the bill without this title. On 5/22/2008 the House passed H.R. 6124, a new bill containing 15 farm bill titles. |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 6049 Alternative Energy Tax Incentives
Outcome: Bill Passed (263/160)
Summary: -Extends the renewable energy tax credit by one year for new wind facilities (Sec. 101).
-Extends the renewable energy tax credit by 3 years for new qualified closed-loop or open-loop biomass facilities, geothermal or solar energy facilities, small irrigation power facilities, landfill gas facilities, trash combustion facilities, and qualified hydropower facilities (Sec. 101).
-Designates marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy as being qualified energy resources eligible for the renewable energy tax credit (Sec. 102).
-Extends for 6 years the 30 percent energy tax credit for qualified fuel cell property and solar energy property and the 10 percent credit for microturbine property (Sec. 103).
-Extends the tax credit for certain new residential "energy efficient" property for 6 years and raises the total tax credit for new solar electric property from $2,000 to $4,000 (Sec. 104).
-Extends the research tax credit, restaurant property depreciation tax credits, and optional state sales tax deductions for one year (Sec. 221, 225, 201).
-Extends tax credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel for one year, and raises the biodiesel credits and biodiesel mixture credits from 50 cents per gallon to $1 per gallon (Sec. 122).
-Provides an additional standard deduction for real property taxes for non-itemizers of up to $350 or $700 for a joint return (Sec. 301).
-Increases the child tax credit for low-income parents (Sec. 302).
-Delays tax code provisions that would allow companies to allocate interest on a worldwide basis for 10 years (Sec. 402).
-Mandates that compensation deferred under a nonqualified deferred compensation plan of a foreign corporation shall be includible in gross income in the absence of a substantial risk of forfeiture of rights to such compensation (Sec. 401).
|
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill)
Outcome: Conference Report Adopted (318/106)
Summary: -Grants $37 million in technical assistance to specialty crop producers (Sec. 3203).
-Prohibits persons with adjusted gross non-farm income of over $500,000 or adjusted gross farm income of over $750,000 from receiving certain types of subsidies (Sec. 1604).
-Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects through 2012 (Sec. 4406).
-Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 19 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats, and soybeans (Sec. 1202).
-Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million during 2008-2012 (and $206 million each subsequent fiscal year) for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts for nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs and an additional $250 million during 2008-2012 for fruits and vegetables for schools (Sec. 4404).
-Establishes a mandatory labeling of countries of origin for goat meat, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and changes the designation criteria for United States country of origin labeling and allows multiple countries to be listed on labels for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat (Sec. 11002).
-Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1501).
-Extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program through 2012 (Secs. 1503, 1505, 1507).
-Lowers the income tax credit for ethanol producers during 2009 and 2010 for a blender amount from 51 cents to 45 cents and for a low-proof blender amount from 37.78 cents to 33.33 cents (Sec. 15331).
-Extends the alcohol fuels credit to cellulosic biofuel (Sec. 15321).
-Establishes the Biomass Research and Development Initiative to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biofuels and biobased products (Sec. 9001).
-Provides assistance for landowners who have lost non-industrial private forestland due to wildfires, hurricanes, excessive winds, drought, ice storms, blizzards, or floods (Sec. 8203).
-Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1401).
-Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1605).
-Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through the 2012 fiscal year (Secs. 2101, 2203).
-Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 and 4115).
-Requires pilot programs to reduce obesity in the United States (Sec. 4141).
-Authorizes $25 million for each fiscal year from 2008 through 2012 for loans to broadband internet service providers in rural areas that currently have two or fewer providers in the area and have at least 25 percent of the area serviced by not more than one provider (Sec. 6110).
-Eliminates priority status for food aid for countries that demonstrate the potential to become markets for competitively priced U.S. agricultural commodities (Sec. 3005). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2008) S 2739 Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008
Outcome: Bill Passed (291/117)
Summary: -Establishes a 106,000 acre wilderness preservation known as the "Wild Sky Wilderness" in the state of Washington (Sec. 101).
-Applies United States immigration laws and immigration-related labor laws to the Northern Mariana Islands (Sec. 702).
-Establishes a commission to study the possible creation of a National Museum of the American Latino (Sec. 333).
-Creates the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area in Illinois (Sec. 443).
-Creates the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area in New York (Sec. 423).
-Provides the Northern Mariana Islands with a non-voting delegate in the United States House of Representatives (Sec. 711).
-Increases the powers of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, which is charged with establishing a permanent memorial for Former President Eisenhower (Sec. 332).
-Expands the Minidoka Internment National Monument in Idaho to include the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial site in Baingridge, Washington (Sec. 313). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 5351 Energy Law Amendments
Outcome: Bill Passed (236/182)
Summary: -Extends tax credits for wind facilities, closed loop and open loop biomass facilities, geothermal and solar facilities, small irrigation power facilities, landfill gas facilities, trash combustion facilities, and hydropower facilities for three years (Sec. 101).
-Designates tax credits for marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy (Sec. 102).
-Extends by eight years the 30 percent tax credit for solar energy property and fuel cell property (Sec. 103).
-Creates new "clean renewable energy" bonds and designates a $2 billion limit on those bonds, which would be allocated to qualified projects of public power providers and cooperative electric companies (Sec. 104).
-Extends tax credits for residential energy efficient property for six years (Sec. 106).
-Raises the maximum credit for solar electric property from $2,000 to $4,000 (Sec. 106).
-Allots income tax credits to consumers who buy plug-in hybrid vehicles (Sec. 201).
-Extends and modifies tax credits for energy efficient appliances (Sec. 234).
-Prevents tax deductions to major integrated oil companies for income resulting from the domestic production of oil and gas (Sec. 301).
-Reduces the tax deduction of taxpayers with oil-related qualified production activities income by 3 percent after 2008 (Sec. 301). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 6 Energy Act of 2007
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (314/100)
Summary: -Increases Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) to 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020 (Sec. 102).
-Requires a minimum standard of 27.5 miles per gallon for domestic passenger vehicles (Sec. 102).
-Requires an increase in the production of renewable fuels from 4.0 billion gallons to 36.0 billion gallons by 2022 (Sec. 202).
-Stipulates that all renewable fuel refineries built after enactment of this bill reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent of the current baseline (Sec. 202).
-Increases energy efficiency standards for certain household appliances, battery chargers, walk-in coolers and freezers, electric motors, light bulbs, and other devices (Title III).
- Establishes the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program to provide training to veterans, unemployed individuals, and workers impacted by energy and environmental policies (Sec. 1002). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 2764 Inclusion of Consolidated Appropriations
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (253/154)
Summary: - Prohibits funds made available in this Act from being used to enter into a "permanent basing rights agreement" between the United States and Iraq (Division J, Sec. 680).
- Prohibits funds made available in this Act from being used "in any way whatsoever to support or justify the use of torture, cruel or inhumane treatment by any official or contract employee of the United States Government" (Division B, Sec. 521; Division J, Sec. 681).
- Extends the implementation deadline for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which requires a passport for travel by land or sea to Canada or the United States, to after June 1, 2009 (Division E, Sec. 545).
- Allows individuals to import prescription drugs from Canada, so long as the drugs are not controlled substances and the amount does not exceed a 90-day supply (Division E, Sec. 558).
- Sets the maximum Pell Grant award for students at $4,241 during the 2008-2009 award year (Division G, Title III).
- Expresses the support of Congress for a nationwide program of "mandatory, market-based limits and incentives on emissions of greenhouse gases" to abate the growth of such emissions, in a manner that will not "significantly harm the United States economy" (Division E, Sec. 430).
- Prohibits the Department of the Interior from conducting oil or natural gas offshore pre-leasing, leasing, or related activities in certain coastal areas of California, Oregon, Washington, the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico (Division F, Sec. 104-105).
- Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to construct at least 700 miles of reinforced fencing along the U.S. southwest border, including 370 miles to be completed by December 31, 2008 (Division E, Section 564).
- Prohibits funds made available in this Act from being used to establish a cross-border motor carrier program that would allow Mexico-based motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zones along the border between the United States and Mexico (Division K, Sec. 136).
- Grants certain Iraqi and Afghan refugees access to resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits for up to six months (Division G, Sec. 525).
- Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Arab League boycott of Israel is an "impediment to peace in the region," that the boycott should be immediately terminated, and that all Arab League states should normalize relations with Israel (Division J, Sec. 635).
- Directs the President to submit a report to Congress that outlines in classified and unclassified terms a comprehensive nuclear threat reduction plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites are secure by 2012 (Division J, Sec. 699M).
- Allows a woman to breastfeed her child on federal property if she and her child are authorized to be at the location (Division D, Sec. 727).
- Prohibits funds from being used for "research, development, or demonstration activities related exclusively to the human exploration of Mars" (Division B, Title III).
- Appropriates $90.9 billion for the Departments of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration, with $1.3 billion in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $89.6 billion (Division A).
- Appropriates $57.0 billion for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Science, with $3.2 billion in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $53.8 billion (Division B).
- Appropriates $32.9 billion for the Departments of Energy and Interior and water development projects, with $2.0 billion in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $30.9 billion (Division C).
- Appropriates $34.5 billion for the Department of the Treasury, the Judiciary, the Executive Office of the President, and the District of Columbia, with $1.4 billion in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $33.1 billion (Division D).
- Appropriates $41.2 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, with $2.6 billion in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $38.6 billion (Division E).
- Appropriates $27.2 billion for the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency, with $81.6 million in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $27.1 billion (Division F).
- Appropriates $410.3 billion for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, with $1.6 billion in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $408.7 billion (Division G).
- Appropriates $4.2 billion for the legislative branch, with $3.8 million in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $4.2 billion (Division H).
- Appropriates $108.6 billion for military construction and veterans' affairs, with $128.5 million in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $108.5 billion (Division I).
- Appropriates $35.8 billion for the Department of State and foreign operations, with $158.0 million in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $35.7 billion (Division J).
- Appropriates $311.3 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, with $6.3 billion in rescissions and offsetting, for a net cost of $305.0 billion (Division K). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2007) HR 6 Energy Act of 2007
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (235/181)
Summary: -Raises the required fleet average fuel economy for domestic automobile manufacturers to at least 35 miles per gallon by model year 2020 (Sec. 102).
-Requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be added to the gasoline supply by 2020 (Sec. 202).
-Increases energy efficiency standards for certain household appliances, battery chargers, walk-in coolers and freezers, electric motors, light bulbs, and other devices (Title III).
-Establishes a renewable energy and energy efficiency development program that will provide training to veterans, unemployed individuals, and workers impacted by energy and environmental policies (Sec. 1002).
-Makes bonds available for local projects to conserve energy (Sec. 1541).
-Requires retail electric energy suppliers to obtain 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020 (Sec. 1401).
-Lowers the income tax deduction for income from oil-related qualified production activities (Sec. 1561). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 1495 Water Resources Development Act of 2007
Outcome: Veto Override Passed (361/54)
Summary: -Sets authorizations at $2.20 billion for Florida water resource projects, including $1.12 billion for the Indian River Lagoon and $682.07 million for Everglades restoration.
-Sets authorizations at $3.49 billion in appropriations for Louisiana coastal restoration projects.
-Sets authorizations at $4.05 billion for Upper Mississippi River projects, including navigation improvements and ecosystem restoration. |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 2262 Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act
Outcome: Bill Passed (244/166)
Summary: -Prohibits patents from being issued for mining claims or millsites after the passage of this act, unless the application was filed before September 30, 1994 (Sec. 101).
-Requires royalty payments of 8% of gross income from mining a claim on Federal land, or 4% of claims on Federal land that existed prior to the passage of this act (Sec. 102).
-Requires an additional $50 fee for every mining claim, millsite, or tunnel site located before September 30, 1998 or after the passage of this act (Sec. 103).
-Prohibits certain areas from being open to the location of mining claims, including wilderness study areas, areas of critical environmental concern, areas included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and any area included in maps made for the Forest Service Roadless Area Conservation Final Environmental Impact Statement, Volume 2 (Sec. 201).
-Allows states or Indian tribes to petition the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw tracts of Federal land from the operation of mining laws in order to protect values such as watersheds that supply drinking water, wildlife habitat, cultural or historic resources, or scenic vistas important to the local economy (Sec. 202).
-Requires a 20-year operations permit from the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture before mining is allowed on Federal land that may disturb surface resources such as land, air, ground water, surface water, fish, or wildlife (Secs. 302-304).
-Requires operators of permits to provide financial assurance to cover the cost of restoration and reclamation of lands within the permit area and all water that may require treatment or other management of environmental hazards (Sec. 306).
-Allows the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to determine regulations for mineral activity operations and reclamations, addressing issues such as the protection and replacement of topsoil; stability of surface areas; prevention of erosion; minimization of acidic, alkaline, or metal-bearing liquid drainage; removal of structures and roads; and restoration of fish and wildlife habitat (Sec. 307).
-Establishes the Locatable Minerals Fund within the Treasury of the United States, to include a Hardrock Reclamation Account for the restoration of land and water resources affected by past mineral activities (Secs. 401, 411).
-Allows the Secretary of the Interior or Secretary of Agriculture to halt mineral activities if the claim holder is in violation of environmental protection requirements and does not take steps to remedy the violation within 30 days, and to issue penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, plus $1,000 per violation for each day the violation has not been corrected (Sec. 506).
-Sets the amount of the fine for operating mineral activities without a permit at $5,000 to $50,000 per day of violation or imprisonment up to three years for the first conviction, and a fine over $10,000 per day or up to six years imprisonment for any additional convictions (Sec. 506). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 3221 Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007
Outcome: Bill Passed (241/172)
Summary: -Defines a retail electric supplier as a supplier that sells at least 1 million megawatt-hours of electricity for non-resale use, but excludes suppliers that are operated by the government or by rural electric cooperatives (sec. 9611).
-Requires 15% of energy produced by retail electrical suppliers to be generated from renewable energy sources by 2020 (Sec. 9611).
-Allows the Governor of any state to petition the Secretary of Energy to allow up to 25% of the renewable energy requirement to be met by purchasing energy efficiency credits (Sec. 9611).
-Repeals the tax deduction for income attributable to oil or natural gas (Sec. 13001).
-Increases development loan limits for companies undergoing projects designed to reduce energy consumption by at least 10 percent (Sec. 3003).
-Authorizes grants up to $300,000 under the Small Business Sustainability Initiative to provide support to smaller and medium sized businesses to improve environmental performance (Sec. 3005).
-Establishes the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) within the Department of Energy to develop energy technologies that result in reductions in energy imports and greenhouse gas emissions (Sec. 4001).
-Requires the President to establish an interagency United States Global Change Research Program to develop scenarios for climate change and convene regional workshops to facilitate information exchange among experts (Sec. 4614).
-Authorizes loan guarantees of up to $1 billion to assist in the development and construction of bio-refineries and bio-fuel production plants (Sec. 5003).
-Requires Federal agencies to purchase light or medium-duty passenger vehicles that have been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as low greenhouse-gas emitting vehicles (Sec. 6201).
-Requires on-shore oil operators operating a lease under the Mineral Leasing Act to restore any impacted land to its previous conditions, and to replace contaminated water supplies (Sec. 7222-7223).
-Authorizes $850 million a year in future appropriated funds to reduce fares and expand services for public transportation, including $750 million a year for grants to urbanized areas and $100 million for grants to non-urbanized areas (Sec. 8201).
-Authorizes $10 million a year in future appropriated funds for grants to railroad carriers and state and local governments for assistance in purchasing hybrid locomotives (Sec. 8301).
-Requires the Secretary of Energy to issue regulations prohibiting the sale of 100 watt general service incandescent lamps after January 1, 2012, unless they emit at least 60 lumens per watt (Sec. 9021).
-Requires the development of fuel standards for diesel fuel containing 20 percent bio-diesel if the American Society for Testing and Materials has not developed standards within a year (Sec. 9307).
-Allows a base tax credit for plug-in hybrid vehicles equal to the sum of $4,000 with additional credits for battery capacity, not to exceed an additional $2,000 (Sec. 12001).
-Phases out the hybrid tax credit the first year that the number of hybrid vehicles sold is at least 60,000 (Sec. 12001).
-Authorizes a credit for any qualified cellulosic alcohol fuel producer of 50 cents for each gallon of cellulosic fuel produced (Sec. 12004). |
Kucinich's Vote
- |
(2007) H Amdt 748 Renewable Energy Standards
Outcome: Amendment Adopted (220/190)
Summary: - Defines a retail electric supplier as a supplier that sells at least one million megawatt-hours of electric energy to consumers for purposes other than resale, excluding suppliers that are government entities or rural electric cooperatives.
- Requires retail electric suppliers to have 2.75 percent of their electricity produced using renewable energy resources by 2010 and 2011 or to reach this mark by obtaining energy efficiency credits, and to gradually increase this percentage to 15 percent by 2020.
- Defines Federal Energy Efficiency Credits as credits issued by the Secretary of Energy that satisfy the renewable energy requirement and may be obtained either through issuance by the Secretary of Energy, by purchase, by exchange, or through borrowing.
- Establishes that the Secretary of Energy shall issue one Federal renewable energy credit for each kilowatt-hour of electric energy generated by a generator of electric energy, provided the generator also indicates the type of renewable energy resource used to produce the electricity and the location where the electricity was produced.
- Establishes that the Secretary of Energy may also issue two renewable energy credits to suppliers on Indian land for each kilowatt-hour of electricity generated if the renewable energy resource is also located on Indian land.
- Establishes that the Secretary of Energy may also issue renewable energy credits for electric suppliers based on the proportion of renewable and non-renewable energy resources.
- Establishes that Federal Energy Efficiency Credits may either be purchased from the Secretary of Energy or traded among retail electric suppliers, and tracked in all transactions by the Department of Energy.
- Allows a retail electric supplier who cannot meet the renewable energy requirements for the current calendar year to borrow credits by submitting a plan to the Secretary of Energy demonstrating it can meet the necessary Federal efficiency credits within 3 years. |
Kucinich's Vote
- |
(2007) HR 2776 Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007
Outcome: Bill Passed (221/189)
Summary: -Extends the renewable energy credit from January 1, 2009 to January 1, 2013 (Sec. 101).
-Adds energy derived from waves, tides, ocean currents, free flowing rivers, free flowing canals, and other marine sources to the list of qualified energy sources for the purpose of claiming renewable energy credits, unless diversionary structures such as dams or impoundments are used (Sec. 102).
-Extends solar energy property credits to January 1, 2017 and fuel cell property credits to December 31, 2016 (Sec. 103).
-Allows a base tax credit for plug-in hybrid vehicles of $4,000 with an additional $200 per kilowatt-hour for vehicles with a capacity above five kilowatt-hours (Sec. 201).
-Phases out the hybrid tax credit a year after the number of hybrid vehicles sold totals 60,000 (Sec. 201)
-Authorizes a 50 cent per gallon credit for any qualified cellulosic alcohol fuel producer (Sec. 204).
-Repeals the 9 percent tax deduction for income attributable to "the sale, exchange, or other disposition of oil, natural gas, or any primary product thereof" (Sec. 301).
-Extends the amortization period of geological and geophysical expenditures for major integrated oil companies from 5 years to 7 years (Sec. 302).
NOTE:
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 615, bill text was appended at the end of H.R. 3221 as a new matter. |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill)
Outcome: Bill Passed (231/191)
Summary: -Grants $38 million in technical assistance to specialty crop producers (Sec. 3007).
-Allocates $1 million each year from 2008-2012 for loans to broadband internet providers in rural areas that currently have fewer than two providers in the area (Sec. 6023).
-Allows the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million for the purchase of fruits, vegetables and nuts to provide nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs (Sec. 10103).
-Requires that the amount of taxes on payments to a subsidiary that would be subjected to a withholding tax cannot be less than the tax amount that would be owed had the payments been made directly to the foreign parent corporation (Sec. 12001).
-Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 20 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats and soybeans (Sec. 1202).
-Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1211).
-Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1401)
-Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Secure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001, 4011)
-Develops the "Initiative to Address Obesity Among Low-Income Americans" by providing $10 million a year until 2012 to implement programs designed to lower the obesity rate in the United States (Sec. 4023).
-Allocates $125 million for the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for public schools, provided that the funding is used to buy locally grown produce wherever possible as part of the "Buy American" statutes (Sec. 4301).
-Provides grants up to $50,000 for landowners who have lost private forest land due to wildfires, hurricanes, drought, windstorms, insect and disease, ice storms or invasive species to help with reforestation (Sec. 8102).
-Provides $420 million for the Biomass Research and Development Initiative, to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biobased fuels and products (Sec. 9006).
-Grants $20 million to universities for studying the use of sweet sorghum and switchgrass as alternatives to corn in the production of ethanol fuel (Sec. 9020).
-Appropriates $50 million for grants of up to $10,000 a year for farmers who convert their farms into organic farms (Sec. 10303). |
Kucinich's Vote
- |
(2007) HR 2641 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act
Outcome: Bill Passed (312/112)
Summary: - Prohibits the use of the appropriated funds for the creation, elimination, or alteration of funding for new or existing programs, projects, or activities unless specifically directed by this Act. Also forbids the increase or reduction of funding for programs, projects, or activities by more than $2 million or 25 percent, whichever is less [Title I (Sec. 101 [a])].
- Requires the Secretary of the Army to make a 35 percent reduction in the number of full time employees of the Sacramento District Regulatory Division off of the Corps of Engineers [Title I (Sec. 104)].
- Prohibits the usage of the appropriations of this Act or for fiscal year 2008 for any noncompetitive management and operating contract, any contract for environmental cleanup or waste management in excess of $100 million annually or any significant extension or expansion to an existing management and operating contract unless competitive procedures are used to grant these contracts or the Secretary of Energy waives these requirements on a case by case basis [Title III (Sec. 301 [a])].
- Prohibits the usage of the funds appropriated by this Act for the initiation of requests or proposals for programs that have not been funded by Congress [Title III (Sec. 302)].
- Prohibits the usage of the funds appropriated by this Act to be used for the purpose of implementing or modifying contractor employee pension and medical benefits policy [Title III (Sec. 308)].
- Prohibits the use of any funds in this Act to be used for the purpose of influencing congressional action or appropriations before Congress in any way [Title V (Sec. 501)].
- Requires that any light bulbs purchased with money appropriated by this Act must carry the "Energy Star" designation [Title V (Sec. 504)].
- $5.59 billion to the Department of Army, Army Corps of Engineers including $342.35 million to Ohio, $25.72 million to Tennessee, $126.00 million to California, and $26.81 million to Alaska.
- $32.57 billion to the Department of Energy, including $213 million for hydrogen technologies, and also including $100 million for U.S. contributions to create a low-enriched uranium stockpile for an International Nuclear Fuel Bank to be used for peaceful purposes and regulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
- $1.07 billion to the Department of Interior.
- $1.00 billion to independent agencies. |
Kucinich's Vote
- |
(2007) HR 6 Energy Act of 2007
Outcome: Bill Passed (264/163)
Summary: -Denies a deduction for income attributable to domestic production of oil, natural gas, or their related primary products (Sec. 102).
-Defines conditions of new leases authorizing oil or natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, requiring lessees to have: (1) renegotiated covered leases to change payment responsibilities to include price thresholds equal to or less than specified price thresholds; or (2) paid all conservation of resources fees or agreed to pay them (Sec. 204).
-Establishes fees for producing and nonproducing federal oil and gas leases in Gulf of Mexico (Sec. 204).
-Repeals incentives for natural gas production from wells in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Sec. 205).
-Creates reserve of funds received as result of this Act, that will be used to offset costs of accelerating the use of renewable energy resources and alternative fuels (Sec. 301). |
Kucinich's Vote
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