Secretary of Energy & Former Republican Senator (MI):
Spencer Abraham on
the Issues
Spencer Abraham on
Abortion
- Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
- Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
- Voted YES on disallowing overseas military abortions. (May 1999)
Spencer Abraham on
Budget & Economy
- No price caps on electricity; focus on reducing demand. (Feb 2001)
- Voted YES on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts. (Apr 2000)
- Voted YES on 1998 GOP budget. (May 1997)
- Voted YES on Balanced-budget constitutional amendment. (Mar 1997)
Spencer Abraham on
Civil Rights
- Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)
- Voted NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998)
- Voted YES on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business. (Oct 1997)
- Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)
- Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
- Voted YES on Amendment to prohibit flag burning. (Dec 1995)
- Voted YES on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds. (Jul 1995)
Spencer Abraham on
Corporations
No stance on record.
Spencer Abraham on
Crime
- Voted YES on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on limiting death penalty appeals. (Apr 1996)
- Voted YES on limiting product liability punitive damage awards. (Mar 1996)
- Voted YES on restricting class-action lawsuits. (Dec 1995)
- Voted YES on repealing federal speed limits. (Jun 1995)
Spencer Abraham on
Drugs
- Voted YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses. (Nov 1999)
- Voted YES on spending international development funds on drug control. (Jul 1996)
Spencer Abraham on
Education
- Voted YES on Educational Savings Accounts. (Mar 2000)
- Voted YES on declaring that memorial prayers and religious symbols at sch. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules. (Mar 1999)
- Voted YES on education savings accounts. (Jun 1998)
- Voted YES on school vouchers in DC. (Sep 1997)
- Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996)
Spencer Abraham on
Energy & Oil
- Voted YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling. (Apr 2000)
- Voted NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards. (Sep 1999)
- Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy. (Jun 1999)
- Voted YES on approving a nuclear waste repository. (Apr 1997)
- Member of Bush’s National Energy Policy Development Group. (May 2001)
- Tax credits & more funding for renewable energy research. (May 2001)
- Open small fraction of ANWR for regulated production . (May 2001)
- Long-term energy stability avoids high-polluting emergencies. (May 2001)
Spencer Abraham on
Environment
- Voted YES on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat. (Sep 1999)
- Voted YES on transportation demo projects. (Mar 1998)
- Voted NO on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. (Sep 1997)
- Fund studies of invasive species and algal blooms. (Mar 1998)
Spencer Abraham on
Families & Children
- Voted NO on restricting violent videos to minors. (May 1999)
Spencer Abraham on
Foreign Policy
- Voted NO on killing a bill for trade sanctions if China sells weapons. (Sep 2000)
- Voted YES on cap foreign aid at only $12.7 billion. (Oct 1999)
- Voted YES on limiting the President's power to impose economic sanctions. (Jul 1998)
- Voted NO on limiting NATO expansion to only Poland, Hungary & Czech. (Apr 1998)
- Voted NO on $17.9 billion to IMF. (Mar 1998)
- Voted YES on Strengthening of the trade embargo against Cuba. (Mar 1996)
Spencer Abraham on
Free Trade
- Voted YES on permanent normal trade relations with China. (Sep 2000)
- Voted YES on expanding trade to the third world. (May 2000)
- Voted YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority. (Nov 1997)
- Voted YES on imposing trade sanctions on Japan for closed market. (May 1995)
Spencer Abraham on
Government Reform
- Oversaw Enron’s role in California energy crisis. (Feb 2002)
- Voted YES on continuing funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. (Aug 1999)
- Voted NO on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance. (Oct 1997)
- Voted YES on Approving the presidential line-item veto. (Mar 1996)
- Voted NO on banning more types of Congressional gifts. (Jul 1995)
Spencer Abraham on
Gun Control
- Close the “gun show loophole” with 24-hour background check. (May 1999)
- No heavy regulatory schemes; focus on misuse. (May 1999)
- Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
Spencer Abraham on
Health Care
- Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000)
- Voted YES on limiting self-employment health deduction. (Jul 1999)
- Voted YES on increasing tobacco restrictions. (Jun 1998)
- Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
- Voted NO on Medicare means-testing. (Jun 1997)
- Voted NO on medical savings acounts. (Apr 1996)
- Collect data on birth defects and present to the public. (Apr 1998)
Spencer Abraham on
Homeland Security
- Voted NO on adopting the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. (Oct 1999)
- Voted NO on allowing another round of military base closures. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on cutting nuclear weapons below START levels. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP. (Mar 1999)
- Voted YES on military pay raise of 4.8%. (Feb 1999)
- Voted YES on deploying missile defense as soon as possible. (Sep 1998)
- Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex basic training. (Jun 1998)
- Voted NO on favoring 36 vetoed military projects. (Oct 1997)
- Voted YES on banning chemical weapons. (Apr 1997)
- Voted YES on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty. (Jun 1996)
- Voted YES on 1996 Defense Appropriations. (Sep 1995)
Spencer Abraham on
Immigration
- Pro-immigrant; treat legals & illegals separately. (Jan 2001)
- Against Anti-Terrorism Law; too hard on immigrants. (Jan 2001)
- Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the U.S. for farm work. (Jul 1998)
- Voted YES on visas for skilled workers. (May 1998)
- Voted YES on limit welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997)
Spencer Abraham on
Jobs
- Bipartisanship needed to assist farm exports & migrants. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on killing an increase in the minimum wage. (Nov 1999)
- Voted YES on allowing workers to choose between overtime & comp-time. (May 1997)
- Voted YES on replacing farm price supports. (Feb 1996)
Spencer Abraham on
Principles & Values
- Consistent conservative in Senate votes. (Jan 2001)
- Religious affiliation: Eastern Orthodox. (Nov 2000)
Spencer Abraham on
Social Security
- Voted YES on Social Security Lockbox & limiting national debt. (Apr 1999)
- Voted YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees. (May 1998)
- Voted YES on allowing personal retirement accounts. (Apr 1998)
- Voted YES on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes. (May 1996)
Spencer Abraham on
Tax Reform
- Voted YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty'. (Jul 2000)
- Voted YES on across-the-board spending cut. (Oct 1999)
- Voted YES on $792B tax cuts. (Jul 1999)
- Voted YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes. (Apr 1998)
- Voted YES on FY99 tax cuts. (Apr 1998)
Spencer Abraham on
War & Peace
- Voted YES on allowing all necessary forces and other means in Kosovo. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on authorizing air strikes in Kosovo. (Mar 1999)
- Voted YES on ending the Bosnian arms embargo. (Jul 1995)
Spencer Abraham on
Welfare & Poverty
- Voted YES on welfare block grants. (Aug 1996)
- Voted NO on eliminating block grants for food stamps. (Jul 1996)
- Voted YES on allowing state welfare waivers. (Jul 1996)
- Voted YES on welfare overhaul. (Sep 1995)
- Promote energy security with more LIHEAP spending. (May 2001)
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