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 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits
Outcome: Bill Passed (331/83)
Summary: -Requires individual's to have exhausted all unemployment compensation available before accepting supplemental federal emergency unemployment compensation (Sec. 2).
-Specifies that recipients are eligible to receive the lesser of (Sec. 2):-50 percent of the total amount of compensation, including benefits paid to dependents, as provided by existing state law during the individual's benefit year; or
-13 times the individual's average weekly benefit, including benefits paid to dependents, as provided by existing state law. -Extends the 6.2 percent tax rate imposed by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act on the first $7,000 in wages paid by employers through June 31, 2011, at which point the tax is reduced to 6 percent, whereas existing law required the tax rate be reduced to 6 percent in 2010 (Sec. 3). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation
Outcome: Bill Passed (368/28)
Summary: - Allows an individual who has no rights to federal or state regular unemployment compensation, or who has exhausted his or her rights to federal or state regular compensation, to receive the lesser of 80 percent (up from 50 percent) of the amount of his or her regular yearly compensation or 20 times (up from 13 times) his or her average weekly benefit amount (Sec. 2).
- Provides additional extended emergency unemployment compensation in an amount equal to the lesser of 50 percent of the individual's regular yearly compensation or 13 times the individual's average weekly benefit amount in states that are in an extended benefit period, as defined by the unemployment rates (Sec. 3). |
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 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (272/152)
Summary: -Increases the national debt limit from $9.82 trillion to $10.62 trillion (Sec. 3083).
-Establishes the Home Ownership Preservation Entity Fund to fund the HOPE (Home Ownership Preservation Entity) for Homeowners Program, which will insure up to $300 billion for 30 year refinanced loans for distressed borrowers between October 1, 2008-September 30, 2011 (Sec. 1402).
-Provides that the mortgagor and the Secretary for Housing and Urban Development each receive 50 percent of the appreciation value for each eligible mortgage insured under the HOPE program if changes occur to the property value 5 years after the loan is taken over by HOPE (Sec. 1402).
-Allocates $3.92 billion in grants to States and other units of local government to redevelop abandoned and foreclosed property and $180 million to the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, given that at least 15 percent of the $180 million be provided to housing counseling organizations that provide services for loss mitigation to minority and low-income homeowners (Sec. 2305).
-Establishes a Housing Trust Fund to be used to increase and preserve the supply of rental housing for extremely low and very low-income families (Sec. 1131).
-Establishes the Federal Housing Finance Agency, with regulatory authority over Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Office of Finance (Sec. 1101).
-Sets conforming loan limitations for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at a maximum of $417,000 for a single-family residence up to $801,950 for a 4-family residence, adjusted annually (Sec. 1124).
-Raises the limits on the size of the principle mortgage obligation that is eligible for insurance for most homeowners, up to 115 percent of the local area median house price for single-family homes (Sec. 2112).
-Increases conforming loan limitations in areas where the average house price is over 115 percent of the housing price index (Sec. 1124).
-Increases appropriations under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act from $70 million to $100 million for the fiscal year 2009 (Sec. 2901).
-Increases housing benefits for specially adapted houses for disabled veterans from $10,000 to $12,000, with increases each year tied to the residential home cost-of-construction index (Sec. 2605).
-Changes the limitation on the sale, foreclosure, or seizure of property owned by service members from 90 days to nine months after their return from military service, and limits their interest rates to 6 percent during service and one year after their return (Sec. 2203).
-Provides first-time home buyers with a tax credit of up to $7,500 for residences purchased on or after April 9, 2008, which the homebuyers will repay over fifteen years following their purchase (Sec. 3011).
-Expands home ownership counseling eligibility to include people who have a reduction in income due to divorce or death, or who have an increase in expenses due to medical expenses, divorce, unexpected property damages not covered by insurance, or a large property tax increase (Sec. 2127).
-Allows a real property tax deduction on the amount of state and local real property taxes paid during the taxable year of up to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for joint returns, applicable to taxable years beginning in 2008 (Sec. 3012). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 5749 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008
Outcome: Bill Passed (274/137)
Summary: - Allows individuals who have no rights to federal or state regular unemployment compensation, or who have exhausted their rights to federal or state regular compensation, to receive emergency unemployment compensation for an additional 13 weeks (Sec. 2).
- Establishes the weekly benefit amount of emergency unemployment compensation as equal to the amount of regular unemployment compensation during the regular benefit year (Sec. 2).
- States that the total emergency benefits received will be equal to the lesser of either 50 percent of the total amount of regular compensation or 13 times the average weekly regular compensation (Sec. 3).
- Provides that emergency unemployment compensation shall last an additional 13 weeks, for a total of 26 weeks, for states that are in an extended benefit period, as defined by high unemployment rates (Sec. 3).
- States that the federal government shall pay 100 percent of the costs of emergency unemployment to states from the general fund (Sec. 4).
- Punishes individuals who receive emergency unemployment compensation under false pretenses with a fine or up to 5 years in prison (Sec. 6). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 2642 G.I. Bill Expansion and Other Domestic Provisions
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (256/166)
Summary: -Designates differing amounts of payments to be made to fund the higher education of individuals who have served on active duty in the Armed Forces beginning on or after September 11, 2001 based on factors such as length of active duty service and disabilities accrued, and specifies that these payments shall not exceed the cost of in-state tuition at the most expensive public university in the state in which the individual is enrolled (Sec. 3003).
-Requires the Secretary of Defense to match assistance given to members of the Armed Forces by institutions of higher learning to cover fees and expenses beyond what other provisions of this amendment provide (Sec. 3003).
-Finances payments to Armed Forces members receiving educational benefits under this amendment by levying a tax equal to 0.47 percent of income exceeding $500,000 for a single taxpayer other than a corporation or $1 million for a joint return (Sec. 7001).
-Qualifies unemployed individuals in participating states for emergency unemployment compensation if the individuals have exhausted all rights to regular compensation, have no rights to regular or extended compensation, or are not receiving compensation under the unemployment compensation law of Canada (Sec. 4001).
-Extends and expands moratoria relating to Medicaid through April 1, 2009, including cutting Medicaid reimbursements to health care providers, removing Medicaid reimbursements for graduate medical education programs, excluding certain social services related to families and children from being included in the Medicaid program, and restricting optional case management services, outpatient hospital services, or allowable provider taxes (Sec. 5001).
-Appropriates $25 million in 2009 and the same amount in each subsequent year for the purpose of reducing Medicaid fraud and abuse (Sec. 5001).
-Appropriates funds for military construction, veterans affairs, international affairs and other security-related matters, including $8.7 billion for the Department of State and foreign operations, $4.76 billion for military construction and veterans affairs, $1.25 billion for agriculture, and $229.3 million for commerce, justice, and science.
-Appropriates funds for domestic matters, including $5.76 billion for hurricane-related expenses for the greater New Orleans area, $210 million for periodic censuses and programs, $178 million for the federal prison system, and $110 million for state unemployment insurance and employment service operations. |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 3221 Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs
Outcome: Amendment Adopted (266/154)
Summary: -Establishes the Refinance Program Oversight Board, which is responsible for coordinating a program that insures "homeownership retention mortgages," which are refinance loans designed for borrowers who are at risk of foreclosure (Sec. 112).
-Specifies that the aggregate original principal mortgages insured under the "homeownership retention mortgage" program may not exceed $300 billion (Sec. 112).
-Expands eligibility for FHA mortgage insurance to include borrowers who have been deemed "high risk" due to having a credit score equivalent to a Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) score of less than 560 (Sec. 206).
-Provides incentives for "high risk" borrowers who have consistently paid their premiums on time that would reduce the amount of annual premium payments to payment levels equal to that of individuals who are not deemed "high risk" borrowers (Sec. 208).
-Mandates the establishment of underwriting standards which allow the FHA to insure mortgage loans for qualified borrowers who have existing mortgages with adverse terms or rates, qualified borrowers who do not have access to mortgages "at reasonable rates and terms for such refinancings due to adverse market conditions", and qualified borrowers who are in default or at imminent risk of being in default (Sec. 210).
-Outlines the following eligibility requirements for receiving insurance for a "homeownership retention mortgage":
- -The insured residence shall be the sole residence in which the mortgagor has a full ownership interest,
- -The mortgagor shall be verifiably unable to pay the existing mortgage(s) and, as of March 1, 2008, the mortgagor shall have had a mortgage debt-to-income ratio of greater than 35 percent,
- -The new loans shall not exceed 90 percent of the property's value,
- -Prepayment, default, and delinquency penalties on existing mortgages shall be waived,
- -Indebtedness under the existing senior mortgage shall have been reduced by such percentage as the Refinance Program Oversight Board may require, and holders of liens on property securing a mortgage to be insured under the program shall agree to accept the proceeds of the insured loan as payment in full for all indebtedness under all existing mortgages,
- -The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall hold and retain a lien on the residence which will be subordinate to the mortgage insured under the program but will be senior to all other mortgages,
- -The mortgage insured under the program shall bear a single rate which will be fixed for the entire mortgage term,
- -The mortgagor shall undergo a criminal history check to ensure that he or she has not been convicted of mortgage fraud in the past seven years (Sec. 112).
-Requires the implementation of the following underwriting standards for the "homeownership retention mortgage" program: the mortgagor insured under the program shall have "a reasonable expectation" of repaying the mortgage, there shall be no denial of insurance based on credit scores, based on previous delinquency or default, or based on bankruptcy, and a total debt-to-income ratio of up to 50 percent shall be allowed (Sec. 112).
-Terminates "homeownership retention mortgages" two years after the enactment of this amendment, in the absence of any approved extensions (Sec. 112).
-Increases the allowed levels of principal obligations for mortgages insured by the FHA (Sec. 203).
-Extends the term of mortgages insured by the FHA from thirty-five to forty years (Sec. 204).
-Establishes the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which shall supervise and regulate Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Federal Home Loan Banks (Sec. 311).
-Raises limits on loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase from $93,750 to $417,000 for a single-family residence, from $120,000 to $533,850 for a two-family residence, from $145,000 to $645,300 for a three-family residence, and from $180,000 to $801,950 for a four-family residence (Sec. 333). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments
Outcome: Amendment Adopted (322/94)
Summary: -Provides first-time homebuyers with a tax credit of up to $7,500 for residences purchased on or after April 9, 2008, which the homebuyers will repay over fifteen years following their purchase (Sec. 712).
-Provides existing homeowners with a real property tax deduction of up to $350 for an individual or $700 for a joint return (Sec. 713).
-Provides the states with $10 billion of additional tax-exempt housing bonds to be issued before December 31, 2010 and used for qualified residential rental projects or mortgage issues, including the refinancing of mortgages on residences originally financed through subprime loans (Sec. 715).
-Provides that bonds guaranteed by federal home loan banks between the date of enactment of this bill and December 31, 2010 are eligible for treatment as tax-exempt bonds (Sec. 717).
-Repeals the Alternative Minimum Tax limitations on tax-exempt housing bonds issued after enactment of this bill and repeals limits on low-income housing and rehabilitation credits for periods after December 31, 2007 (Sec. 716).
-Requires that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development implement procedural changes to expedite the approval of low-income multifamily housing projects (Sec. 752).
-Requires that the Secretary of Agriculture take actions to facilitate timely approval of requests to transfer ownership or control of multifamily housing projects for which assistance is provided by the Department of Agriculture in conjunction with certain low-income housing credits (Sec. 753).
-Changes the limitation on the sale, foreclosure, or seizure of property owned by servicemembers from 90 days to one year after their return from military service (Sec. 761).
-Requires that any charges accrued by a servicemember who defaults on an obligation for two consecutive months during their service or during the one-year limitation on foreclosures for servicemembers shall be provided with a statement describing his or her liability (Sec. 762). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 5818 Assistance to States for Purchasing Foreclosed Homes
Outcome: Bill Passed (239/188)
Summary: - Allows grants to be used for the purchase of qualified foreclosed housing for resale as housing for homeownership to families with incomes below 140 percent of the median income in the area of the housing, for purchase of foreclosed housing as rental or rent-to-own housing to tenants whose incomes do not exceed 100 percent of the median income for the area, and for rehabilitation of foreclosed housing to comply with codes, safety requirements and increased energy efficiency to help resell the building at a price close to the acquisition price of the housing (Sec. 8).
- Prohibits grants from being used to provide assistance to homebuyers of single family housing for down payments (Sec. 8).
- Requires at least 50 percent of grant amounts under this act to be provided to "very low income families," who have an income of 50 percent or lower of the median income in the area, with half of the very low income family grant monies required to go to "extremely low income families," who have an income of 30 percent or less of the median income in the area (Sec. 8).
- States that recipients of loans or grants under this act may not refuse to lease a housing unit to a person receiving vouchers or certificates of eligibility under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 and that an owner who receives funds for foreclosed housing must uphold the lease and housing assistance payments contract for tenants receiving section 8 vouchers unless the property is unmarketable while occupied or the owner turns the housing into personal or family use (Sec. 8).
- Requires owners to provide to tenants with a 90-day notice to vacate, and states that tenants with a lease who enter a lease prior to the notice foreclosure may occupy the premises until the earlier of either the end of the lease or the end of a 6-month period beginning on the date of the notice of foreclosure (Sec. 8).
- Authorizes $15 billion to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Treasury for foreclosure assistance grants and direct loans under this act (Sec. 14).
- States that anyone who is not lawfully present in the United States is ineligible for financial assistance under this act (Sec. 16). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 5715 Student Loan Provision Changes
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (388/21)
Summary: -Increases the loan limit above the determined financial need for graduate students enrolled in an eligible institution from $10,000 to $12,000, allows a limit of up to $2,000 for dependent undergraduate students, and increases the limit amounts for independent undergraduate students from $4,000 to $6,000 for the first two years of study and from $5,000 to $7,000 for the second two years of study (Sec. 2).
-Increases the total federal loan limit for undergraduate studies from $23,000 to $31,000 for dependent students and from $46,000 to $57,500 for independent students (Sec. 2).
-Allows a six-month grace period after a student has less than half of a full time class load before parent borrowers must start making payments (Sec. 3).
-Authorizes the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase loans originated on or after October 1, 2003 from eligible lenders if there is an inadequate availability of loan capital to meet the demand for student loans, with a temporary authority that expires on July 1, 2009 (Sec. 7). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 5613 Medicaid Extensions and Changes
Outcome: Bill Passed (349/62)
Summary: -Prevents certain Medicaid regulations from being changed until April 1, 2009, including regulations for the Children's Health Insurance Program, graduate medical education, optional case management services, outpatient hospital services, and provider taxes (Sec. 2).
-Requires states to set up an asset verification program to determine the eligibility of an individual for medical assistance (Sec. 5).
-Reduces the amount available in 2013 for the physician assistance and quality initiative fund to $3.79 billion from $4.96 billion and extends the fund through 2014 with an additional $3.69 billion available for that year (Sec. 6). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) HR 5715 Student Loan Provision Changes
Outcome: Bill Passed (383/27)
Summary: -Increases the loan limit above the determined financial need for graduate students enrolled in an eligible institution from $10,000 to $12,000, allows a limit of up to $2,000 for dependent undergraduate students, and increases the limit amounts for independent undergraduate students from $4,000 to $6,000 for the first two years of study and from $5,000 to $7,000 for the second two years of study (Sec. 2).
-Sets the total loan limit for undergraduate studies at $31,000 for dependent students and $57,500 for independent students (Sec. 2).
-Allows a six month grace period after a student has less than half of a full time class load before parent borrowers must start making payments (Sec. 3).
-Authorizes the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase loans originated on or after October 1, 2003 from eligible lenders if there is an inadequate availability of loan capital to meet the demand for student loans, with a temporary authority that expires on July 1, 2009 (Sec. 7). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2008) H Amdt 972 Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution
Outcome: Amendment Rejected (157/263)
Summary: -Sets the following new budget authorities for 2008 through 2013 in major funding categories:
- $3.56 trillion for National Defense
- $2.79 trillion for Medicare
- $2.48 trillion for Income Security
- $2.33 trillion for Net Interest
- $2.02 trillion for Health
- $803.43 billion for Allowances
- $584.75 billion for Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services
- $582.64 billion for Veteran's Benefits and Services
- $466.65 billion for Transportation
- $290.57 billion for Administration of Justice
- $216.63 billion for International Affairs
- $205.96 billion for Natural Resources and Environment
- $172.85 billion for General Science, Space and Technology
- $160.96 billion for General Government
- $155.31 billion for Social Security
- $132.48 billion for Agriculture
- $95.75 billion for Community and Regional Development
- $56.15 billion for Commerce and Housing Credit
- $23.11 billion for Energy
-Establishes a moratorium on the consideration of bills containing earmarks in the House of Representatives for the remainder of 2008. (Sec. 301).
-Establishes the Joint Select Committee on Earmark Reform (composed of members appointed by the Senate Majority Leader, the House of Representatives and Senate Minority Leaders, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives) which will be charged with completing a study of the practices of the House, Senate, and executive branch regarding earmarks and providing a report of the findings of the study to the House of Representatives and Senate no later than six months after the adoption of H Con Res 312 (Sec. 302).
-Calls for the pursuit of medical liability reform as a means to endeavor towards domestic entitlement reform involving limiting the growth of Medicare and Medicaid "to ensure their long-term viability" (Sec. 413).
-Calls for the phasing out of the Alternative Minimum Tax (Sec. 416).
-Prohibits the consideration of any bill, joint resolution, or conference report that would increase the budget deficit (Sec. 701). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2008) H Con Res 312 Concurrent Budget Resolution
Outcome: Resolution Passed (212/207)
Summary: -Recommends the following new budget authorities for specific departments in fiscal years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013:
-$3.38 trillion for National Defense
-$2.79 trillion for Medicare
-$2.49 trillion for Income Security
-$2.02 trillion for Health
-$581.64 billion for Veterans Benefits and Services
-$469.24 billion for Transportation
-$155.31 billion for Social Security
-Allows the chairman of the Committee on the Budget to increase appropriations for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), veterans and military personnel health care and disability benefits, renewable energy production, affordable housing, Medicare, and other programs, provided that they do not increase the budget deficit (Sec. 301-317).
-Allows the chairman of the House Committee on the Budget to revise budget levels for increases in tax reductions and credits for middle-income families and taxpayers, including extension of the child tax credit, reductions in the tax rate for married couples, and the elimination on most estate taxes and states that the policy of this resolution is to "minimize fiscal burdens on middle-income families" (Sec. 306, 501).
-States that overseas military operations funding should not be included in emergency supplemental requests, implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendation to fund nuclear nonproliferation programs should be a high priority, TRICARE fees should not be increased, missile defense should be funded at an "adequate but lower level," and the Department of Defense should address the recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office and investigate money not accounted for (Sec. 502). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2008) HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP)
Outcome: Veto Override Failed (260/152)
Summary: -Allows states to provide pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income pregnant women if the minimum eligibility level is at least 185 percent of the poverty level or at least 200 percent of the poverty level for children under 19 years of age (Sec. 111).
-Prohibits the approval, extension, or renewal of CHIP waivers to parents of targeted low-income children and nonpregnant childless adults (Sec. 112).
-Prohibits payments for providing child heath assistance for children whose family income would exceed 300 percent of the poverty line unless a waiver is granted by the state (Sec. 114).
-Appropriates $100.00 million through 2012 for outreach and enrollment grant programs designed to increase the enrollment and participation of eligible children in CHIP (Sec. 201).
-Requires states to submit the names and social security numbers of children eligible for CHIP and to make a "reasonable effort" to address any inconsistencies in social security numbers and the declaration of citizenship or nationality while continuing to provide medical assistance until the problem is resolved, and allows state programs to enter an agreement with the Commissioner of Social Security to provide for the electronic submission of documents (Sec. 211).
-Appropriates $25.00 million from the U.S. Treasury Department for programs designed to reduce child obesity (Sec. 401).
-Restates that Federal payments for Medicaid or CHIP cannot be made to people who are not legal residents (Sec. 605).
-Increases the tax on cigars from $1.828 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigars weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from 20.719 percent of the retail price to 52.988 percent of the retail price for cigars weighing more than three pounds per thousand, with a cap of $3.00 per cigar (Sec. 701 [a]).
-Increases the tax from $19.50 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from $40.95 per thousand to $105.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing more than 3 pounds per thousand (Sec. 701 [b]).
-Increases the taxes on cigarette paper from $0.0122 to $0.0313 per fifty papers and on cigarette tubes from $0.0244 to $0.0626 per fifty tubes (Sec. 701 [c-d]).
-Increases the taxes on snuff from $0.585 to $1.50 per pound and on chewing tobacco from $0.195 to $0.50 per pound (Sec. 701 [e]).
-Increases the taxes on pipe tobacco from $1.0969 to $2.8126 per pound and on roll-your-own-tobacco from $1.0969 to $8.8889 per pound (Sec. 701 [f-g]). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 3043 Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Outcome: Veto Override Failed (277/141)
Summary: -Provides that Iraqi and Afghan immigrants who are granted special immigrant status are eligible for up to six months of resettlement assistance and entitlement programs available to refugees (Sec. 525).
-Prohibits funds in the bill from being used to implement a totalization agreement between the Social Security programs of the United States and Mexico (Sec. 526).
-$13.63 billion for the Department of Labor, including $3.37 billion for training and employment services, $3.47 billion for state unemployment insurance and employment service operations, and $1.65 billion for the office of the Job Corps
-$480.03 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, including $30.01 billion for the National Institutes of Health, $401.41 billion for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and $27.32 billion for the Administration for Children and Families
-$63.58 billion for the Department of Education, including $16.38 billion for student financial assistance, $15.93 billion for education for the disadvantaged, and $12.36 billion for special education
-$53.98 for related agencies, including $51.81 billion for the Social Security Administration, $1.35 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service, and $420.00 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting |
Kucinich's Vote
- |
(2007) HR 3074 Appropriations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Outcome: Conference Report Adopted (270/147)
Summary: -Prohibits funds from being used to establish a cross-border motor carrier program allowing Mexican motor carriers to operate beyond commercial zones along the border between the United States and Mexico (Sec. 136).
- $195.00 million for replacing the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and $1.00 billion for bridge repairs in other states.
- $1.66 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak services.
- $39.69 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 1429 Head Start Act of 2007
Outcome: Conference Report Adopted (381/36)
Summary: -Authorizes $7.35 billion for fiscal year 2008, $7.65 billion for fiscal year 2009, $8.00 billion for fiscal year 2010, and such funds as may be necessary for fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (Sec. 5).
-Allows Head Start programs to increase the number of participants by 35 percent by including participants whose families' incomes are between 100 and 130 percent of the poverty level, as long as children from families whose income is at or below the poverty level or who are homeless have priority for inclusion in the programs (Sec. 14).
-States that by 2013, at least 50 percent of Head Start teachers and education coordinators will have a baccalaureate or advanced degree in childhood education and all teaching assistants will have an associate's degree, and that by 2010, all teachers providing direct services to children and families participating in Early Head Start programs (which provide services for children from 0-3 years of age) located in Early Head Start centers have a minimum of a child development associate credential (Sec. 15, Sec. 19).
-Requires that all Head Start teachers attend 15 hours of professional development training per year (Sec. 19). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 3043 Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (274/141)
Summary: -Provides that Iraqi and Afghan immigrants who are granted special immigrant status are eligible for up to six months of resettlement assistance and entitlement programs available to refugees (Sec. 525).
-Prohibits funds in the bill from being used to implement a totalization agreement between the Social Security programs of the United States and Mexico (Sec. 526).
-$13.63 billion for the Department of Labor, including $3.37 billion for training and employment services, $3.47 billion for state unemployment insurance and employment service operations, and $1.65 billion for the office of the Job Corps
-$480.03 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, including $30.01 billion for the National Institutes of Health, $401.41 billion for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and $27.32 billion for the Administration for Children and Families
-$63.58 billion for the Department of Education, including $16.38 billion for student financial assistance, $15.93 billion for education for the disadvantaged, and $12.36 billion for special education
-$53.98 for related agencies, including $51.81 billion for the Social Security Administration, $1.35 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service, and $420.00 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP)
Outcome: Bill Passed (265/142)
Summary: -Allows states to provide pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income pregnant women if the minimum eligibility level is at least 185 percent of the poverty level or at least 200 percent of the poverty level for children under 19 years of age (Sec. 111).
-Prohibits the approval, extension, or renewal of CHIP waivers to parents of targeted low-income children and nonpregnant childless adults (Sec. 112).
-Prohibits payments for providing child heath assistance for children whose family income would exceed 300 percent of the poverty line unless a waiver is granted by the state (Sec. 114).
-Appropriates $100.00 million through 2012 for outreach and enrollment grant programs designed to increase the enrollment and participation of eligible children in CHIP (Sec. 201).
-Requires states to submit the names and social security numbers of children eligible for CHIP and to make a "reasonable effort" to address any inconsistencies in social security numbers and the declaration of citizenship or nationality while continuing to provide medical assistance until the problem is resolved, and allows state programs to enter an agreement with the Commissioner of Social Security to provide for the electronic submission of documents (Sec. 211).
-Appropriates $25.00 million from the U.S. Treasury Department for programs designed to reduce child obesity (Sec. 401).
-Restates that Federal payments for Medicaid or CHIP cannot be made to people who are not legal residents (Sec. 605).
-Increases the tax on cigars from $1.828 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigars weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from 20.719 percent of the retail price to 52.988 percent of the retail price for cigars weighing more than three pounds per thousand, with a cap of $3.00 per cigar (Sec. 701 [a]).
-Increases the tax from $19.50 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from $40.95 per thousand to $105.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing more than 3 pounds per thousand (Sec. 701 [b]).
-Increases the taxes on cigarette paper from $0.0122 to $0.0313 per fifty papers and on cigarette tubes from $0.0244 to $0.0626 per fifty tubes (Sec. 701 [c-d]).
-Increases the taxes on snuff from $0.585 to $1.50 per pound and on chewing tobacco from $0.195 to $0.50 per pound (Sec. 701 [e]).
-Increases the taxes on pipe tobacco from $1.0969 to $2.8126 per pound and on roll-your-own-tobacco from $1.0969 to $8.8889 per pound (Sec. 701 [f-g]).
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Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization
Outcome: Veto Override Failed (273/156)
Summary: -Appropriates $9.13 billion for fiscal year 2008, $10.68 billion for fiscal year 2009, $11.85 billion for fiscal year 2010, and $13.75 billion for fiscal year 2011 for CHIP (Sec. 101).
-Creates an incentive pool for states whose CHIP enrollment numbers exceed baseline projections (Sec. 104).
-Prohibits the issuance of CHIP waivers to non-pregnant childless adults after passage, and terminates existing waivers on September 30, 2008 (Sec. 112).
-Allows a state to apply for Medicaid waivers to continue coverage for non-pregnant childless adults whose waivers have been terminated (Sec. 112).
-Allows states to continue providing child health assistance to parents of eligible children under an existing waiver through 2012 and provides additional funding for states meeting certain outreach and coverage benchmarks (Sec. 112).
-Allows states to provide pregnancy-related assistance to targeted low-income pregnant women if they have a Medicaid eligibility level for pregnant women that is at least 185 percent above the poverty level, among other requirements (Sec. 111).
-Appropriates $100 million for grants to eligible private or public entities to conduct outreach efforts designed to increase CHIP enrollment among eligible children and sets aside 10 percent of the allocated money for the administration of a national CHIP enrollment campaign (Sec. 201).
-Permits states to verify citizenship or nationality as a requirement for inclusion in Medicaid and CHIP programs, and requires that no funds in this act may go towards payments for individuals who are not legal residents. (Sec. 211).
-Requires employers to allow 26 work weeks of leave for certain family members responsible for the care of a recovering member of the armed services, and forbids employers from denying the family member employment, promotion or benefits. (Sec. 621-622).
-Increases the tax on cigars from $1.828 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigars weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from 20.719 percent of the retail price to 52.988 percent of the retail price for cigars weighing more than three pounds per thousand, with a cap of $3.00 per cigar (Sec. 701 [a]).
-Increases the tax from $19.50 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from $40.95 per thousand to $105.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing more than 3 pounds per thousand (Sec. 701 [b]).
-Increases the taxes on cigarette paper from $0.0122 to $0.0313 per fifty papers and on cigarette tubes from $0.0244 to $0.0626 per fifty tubes (Sec. 701 [c-d]).
-Increases the taxes on snuff from $0.585 to $1.50 per pound and on chewing tobacco from $0.195 to $0.50 per pound (Sec. 701 [e]).
-Increases the taxes on pipe tobacco from $1.0969 to $2.8126 per pound and on roll-your-own-tobacco from $1.0969 to $8.8889 per pound (Sec. 701 [f-g]). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 2895 National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007
Outcome: Bill Passed (264/148)
Summary: -Establishes the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the Treasury of the United States (Sec. 2).
-Increases the amount of funding appropriated for housing counseling under the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 by $100.00 million for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012 (Sec. 2).
-Appropriates $25.00 million for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 20012 for increasing funding for the improvement of technology, procedures, processes, program performance, and salaries for mortgage insurance programs under the National Housing Act (Sec. 2).
-Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a formula for allocating money for housing assistance among states, Indian tribes, insular areas, and local jurisdictions based on the needs and population of the area and the funding for each fiscal year (Sec. 2).
-Allows organizations receiving grants from the Trust Fund to give preference to awarding affordable housing grants to first responders, public safety officers, teachers, and other eligible public employees (Sec. 2).
-Requires at least 75 percent of Trust Fund grant amounts to be used for affordable housing to families whose incomes do not exceed the higher amount of either the poverty line for a family of the size involved or 30 percent of the median family income for their location (Sec. 2).
-Allows a family to receive a rent contribution grant of up to 30 percent of the family's adjusted income if the rental unit is legally bound to charge a rent equal to the lesser of the existing fair market rental and 30 percent of the adjusted gross income of a family whose income is 65 percent of the median income for the area (Sec. 2).
-Requires preference for housing assistance grants to be given to families who have applied to a public housing agency for assistance and been on the Section 8 or Public Housing waiting list for 12 months or longer (Sec. 2). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 3648 Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007
Outcome: Bill Passed (386/27)
Summary: - Excludes the debt forgiven on a qualified principal residence from the definition of gross income subject to income tax (Sec. 2).
- Reduces the income tax breaks on most gains from the sales of non-primary residences using a formula based on the amount of time that the taxpayer actually lived in the property during the five-year period before the sale (Sec. 5).
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Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (265/159)
Summary: -Appropriates $9.13 billion for fiscal year 2008, $10.68 billion for fiscal year 2009, $11.85 billion for fiscal year 2010, and $13.75 billion for fiscal year 2011 for CHIP (Sec. 101).
-Creates an incentive pool for states whose CHIP enrollment numbers exceed baseline projections (Sec. 104).
-Prohibits the issuance of CHIP waivers to non-pregnant childless adults after passage, and terminates existing waivers on September 30, 2008 (Sec. 112).
-Allows a state to apply for Medicaid waivers to continue coverage for non-pregnant childless adults whose waivers have been terminated (Sec. 112).
-Allows states to continue providing child health assistance to parents of eligible children under an existing waiver through 2012 and provides additional funding for states meeting certain outreach and coverage benchmarks (Sec. 112).
-Allows states to provide pregnancy-related assistance to targeted low-income pregnant women if they have a Medicaid eligibility level for pregnant women that is at least 185 percent above the poverty level, among other requirements (Sec. 111).
-Appropriates $100 million for grants to eligible private or public entities to conduct outreach efforts designed to increase CHIP enrollment among eligible children and sets aside 10 percent of the allocated money for the administration of a national CHIP enrollment campaign (Sec. 201).
-Permits states to verify citizenship or nationality as a requirement for inclusion in Medicaid and CHIP programs, and requires that no funds in this act may go towards payments for individuals who are not legal residents. (Sec. 211).
-Requires employers to allow 26 work weeks of leave for certain family members responsible for the care of a recovering member of the armed services, and forbids employers from denying the family member employment, promotion or benefits. (Sec. 621-622).
-Increases the tax on cigars from $1.828 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigars weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from 20.719 percent of the retail price to 52.988 percent of the retail price for cigars weighing more than three pounds per thousand, with a cap of $3.00 per cigar (Sec. 701 [a]).
-Increases the tax from $19.50 per thousand to $50.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing less than 3 pounds per thousand, and increases the tax from $40.95 per thousand to $105.00 per thousand for cigarettes weighing more than 3 pounds per thousand (Sec. 701 [b]).
-Increases the taxes on cigarette paper from $0.0122 to $0.0313 per fifty papers and on cigarette tubes from $0.0244 to $0.0626 per fifty tubes (Sec. 701 [c-d]).
-Increases the taxes on snuff from $0.585 to $1.50 per pound and on chewing tobacco from $0.195 to $0.50 per pound (Sec. 701 [e]).
-Increases the taxes on pipe tobacco from $1.0969 to $2.8126 per pound and on roll-your-own-tobacco from $1.0969 to $8.8889 per pound (Sec. 701 [f-g]). |
Kucinich's Vote
N |
(2007) HR 3162 State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization
Outcome: Bill Passed (225/204)
Summary: - Requires state CHIP plans to provide a 12-month continuous eligibility option for low-income children whose family income is below 200% of the federal poverty level, effective January 1, 2008 (Sec 115).
- Allows states the option of covering temporary and permanent documented immigrants under the states CHIP (Sec. 132).
- Prohibits coverage of undocumented immigrants (Sec. 135).
- Increases the tax on cigarettes from $19.50 to $42 per thousand on cigarettes weighing less than 3 pounds, and from $40.95 to $88.20 per thousand on cigarettes weighing more than 3 pounds (Sec. 1001 [a-b]).
- Increases the tax on cigars that weigh less than 3 pounds per thousand from $1.828 to $42 per thousand (Sec. 1001).
- Increases the tax on cigars weighing more than 3 pounds per thousand from 20.719 percent to 40 percent of the sale price, limited to $1 a cigar (Sec. 1001 [c-d]).
- Increases the tax on chewing tobacco from $0.195 to $0.42 per pound (Sec. 1001 [h]).
- Dictates that federal payments for states for the fiscal year 2008 will be the greater of either the state projection of federal payments or the federal payment from 2007 multiplied by the allotment increase factor for per capita growth or child population growth (Sec. 101).
- Allows unused federal payments under the Social Security Act to be redistributed to address state shortfalls (Sec. 103).
- Requires state CHIP plans to cover dental care, federally qualified health centers, and rural health centers (Sec 121).
- Provides a 30-day grace period for premiums on state child health plans (Sec. 123).
- Extends states' optional coverage for children from age 19 to age 21 (Sec. 131).
- Provides states with the option to cover pregnant women as long as the income eligibility level is at least 185 percent of the federal poverty level (Sec. 133).
- Provides coverage for preventative services including prostate cancer screening tests, colorectal cancer screening tests, diabetes outpatient self management, glaucoma screening, medical nutrition therapy, physical examinations, cardiovascular screening blood tests, diabetes screenings, abdominal aneurysm screenings, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, hepatitis B vaccine administration, mammography screenings, pap smears and pelvic exam screenings, and bone mass measurement (Sec. 201).
- Appropriates $300 million for fiscal years 2008-2010 to create the Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research to conduct, support, and synthesize research to determine the outcomes, effectiveness, and appropriateness of health care services (Sec. 904).
- Authorizes the appropriation of $50 billion for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009 to provide abstinence education, mentoring, counseling, and adult supervision to promote abstinence from sexual activity (Sec. 910). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 3043 Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Outcome: Bill Passed (276/140)
Summary: -Increases the maximum Pell Grant for which a college student is eligible from $4,310 during the 2007-2008 award year to $4,700 during the 2008-2009 award year [Title III].
-Prohibits funding in this Act from being used for the transportation of teachers or students in order to overcome a racial imbalance or carry out a racial desegregation plan in any school or school system [Title III (sec. 301)].
-Prohibits funding in this Act from being used to require a student to attend a school other than the school which is nearest to the student's home, except in the case of a student requiring special education [Title III (sec. 302)].
-Prohibits funding in this Act from being "used to prevent the implementation of programs of voluntary prayer and meditation in the public schools" [Title III (sec. 303)].
-Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being used to perform abortions or to provide health benefits coverage that includes the coverage of abortion [Title V (sec. 507)].
-Prohibits the expenditure of funds appropriated to the Department of Labor in the procurement of goods produced by forced or indentured child labor [Title I (sec. 102)].
-Requires the Secretary of Labor to issue a full monthly transit subsidy of at least $110 to each of its employees in the National Capital Region beginning September 30, 2007 [Title I (sec. 103)].
-Authorizes up to $20 million in grants to states "to address the gap in health care coverage faced by trade adjustment assistance participants and dislocated workers" [Title I (sec. 107)].
-Allows the Director of the National Institutes of Health and the Director of the Office of AIDS Research to transfer up to 3 percent of the total amount of funding among institutes for the purpose of research relating to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) [Title II (sec. 208)].
-$10.25 billion for the Department of Labor.
-$478.54 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, including $29.65 billion for the National Institutes of Health and $400.98 billion for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
-$64.94 billion for the Department of Education, including $16 billion for education for the disadvantaged and $12.3 billion for special education.
-$43.76 billion for related agencies, including $41.80 billion for the Social Security Administration.
- $63.54 million to establish the Medicare rural hospital flexibility grants program, $35 million for grant adjustments for existing community health centers, and $310.91 million for voluntary family planning projects, not to be expended for abortions.
- $2.66 billion for low-income home energy assistance, $3.95 billion for child support enforcement and family support programs, $2.14 billion for child care assistance for low-income families, $6.96 billion to fund the Head Start Act through September 30, 2009, and $136.7 million to provide abstinence education. |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) HR 1851 Section 8 Voucher Adjustments Act of 2007
Outcome: Bill Passed (333/83)
Summary: -Requires biennial inspections of each assisted housing unit to make sure that the unit is maintained according to the required standards (sec. 2).
-Allows the public housing agency to establish a tenant rent structure that is based on the rental value of the unit and adjusted according to inflation, is tiered according to the income-level of the tenant, and calculates the rent based on a percentage of family income (sec. 3).
-Provides funding for any public housing agency that participates in the Moving to Work program or housing innovation program (sec. 6).
-Allows a public housing agency to provide a down-payment assistance grant not exceeding $10,000 instead of monthly assistance payments to aid in the purchase of a home (sec. 8).
-Creates the Housing Innovation Program to increase the housing opportunities for low-income families and provide financial incentives to families to obtain employment (sec. 16).
-Requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to increase access for persons with limited English proficiency by developing a housing information resource center that provides translations of written materials and a toll-free customer service hotline (sec. 18).
-Appropriates as much funding as is necessary to assist 20,000 dwelling units each year for the fiscal years 2008 through 2012 (sec. 20). |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
(2007) S 1701 Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education
Outcome: Bill Passed (291/126)
Summary: |
Kucinich's Vote
Y |
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