Freedom Index

A Congressional Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

Congressional Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Congressional Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how members of Congress are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about the constitutionality of their congressman's votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Congressional Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

Scorecard 113-1

The Congressional Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how members of Congress are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about the constitutionality of their congressman's votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the 113th Congress (January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015) and ranks congressmen based on his or her fidelity to constitutional and limited-government principles.

Senate

1. Executive Action on Immigration

Good Vote: Yes

HR83 Executive Action on Immigration (Rejected 22 to 74 on 12/13/2014, Roll Call 353). Senator Cruz raised a constitutional point of order that the bill violates the Constitution's separation of powers because the bill would fund President Obama's executive action on amnesty. 

2. Ukraine Aid

Good Vote: No

HR4152 Ukraine Aid (Passed 98 to 2 on 3/27/2014, Roll Call 88). Provides $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine.

3. Gas Tax

Good Vote: Yes

Amendment to HR5021 Gas Tax (Rejected 28 to 69 on 7/29/2014, Roll Call 246). Transfers local transportation infrastructure projects to the states.

4. "Assault Weapons" Ban

Good Vote: No

Amendment to S649 "Assault Weapons" Ban (Rejected 40 to 60 on 4/17/2013, Roll Call 101). Sen. Feinstein offered an amendment that would ban the future manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of certain semi-automatic firearms.

5. UN Arms Trade Treaty

Good Vote: Yes

Amendment to S.Con.Res 8 UN Arms Trade Treaty (Passed 53 to 46 on 3/23/2013, Roll Call 91). Sen. Inhofe offered an amendment to "uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty." 

6. Continuing Resolution

Good Vote: No

Amendment to HR2775 Continuing Resolution (Passed 81 to 18 on 10/16/2013, Roll Call 219). Continues funding government operations, including ObamaCare.

Legislator Scores

Legend: [ + ] Constitutional Vote[ - ] Unconstitutional Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party State Score 123456
Lamar Alexander R TN 40% --.++-
Kelly Ayotte R NH 50% --+++-
Tammy Baldwin D WI 0% ------
John Barrasso R WY 33% ---++-
Max Baucus D MT 33% ...+--
Mark Begich D AK 33% ---++-
Michael Bennet D CO 17% ---+--
Marsha Blackburn R TN NA ......
Richard Blumenthal D CT 0% ------
Roy Blunt R MO 50% +--++-
Cory Booker D NJ 0% ---...
John Boozman R AR 67% +-+++-
Barbara Boxer D CA 0% ------
Sherrod Brown D OH 0% ------
Richard Burr R NC 67% +-+++-
Maria Cantwell D WA 0% ------
Shelley Capito R WV NA ......
Benjamin Cardin D MD 0% ------
Thomas Carper D DE 0% ------
Robert Casey D PA 0% ------
Bill Cassidy R LA NA ......
Saxby Chambliss R GA 60% .-+++-
Jeffrey Chiesa R NJ 0% .....-
Daniel Coats R IN 50% --+++-
Thomas Coburn R OK 80% .-++++
Thad Cochran R MS 33% ---++-
Susan Collins R ME 33% ---++-
Chris Coons D DE 0% ------
Bob Corker R TN 50% --+++-
John Cornyn R TX 67% --++++
Tom Cotton R AR NA ......
Mo Cowan D MA 0% ...--.
Kevin Cramer R ND NA ......
Michael Crapo R ID 83% +-++++
Ted Cruz R TX 83% +-++++
Steve Daines R MT NA ......
Joe Donnelly D IN 33% ---++-
Tammy Duckworth D IL NA ......
Richard Durbin D IL 0% ------
Michael Enzi R WY 50% ---+++
Dianne Feinstein D CA 0% .-----
Deb Fischer R NE 67% +-+++-
Jeff Flake R AZ 50% --+++-
Al Franken D MN 0% ------
Cory Gardner R CO NA ......
Kirsten Gillibrand D NY 0% ------
Lindsey Graham R SC 50% --+++-
Charles Grassley R IA 83% +-++++
Kay Hagan D NC 33% ---++-
Thomas Harkin D IA 0% ------
Orrin Hatch R UT 33% ---++-
Martin Heinrich D NM 33% ---++-
Heidi Heitkamp D ND 33% ---++-
Dean Heller R NV 67% -+-+++
Mazie Hirono D HI 0% ------
John Hoeven R ND 50% +--++-
James Inhofe R OK 75% .-+++.
John Isakson R GA 67% +-+++-
Mike Johanns R NE 50% +--++-
Tim Johnson D SD 17% ---+--
Ron Johnson R WI 67% --++++
Timothy Kaine D VA 0% ------
John Kerry D MA NA ......
Angus King I ME 17% ---+--
Mark Kirk R IL 17% ----+-
Amy Klobuchar D MN 0% ------
Mary Landrieu D LA 17% ---+--
James Lankford R OK NA ......
Frank Lautenberg D NJ 0% ...-..
Patrick Leahy D VT 0% ------
Mike Lee R UT 83% +-++++
Carl Levin D MI 0% ------
Ben Lujan D NM NA ......
Cynthia Lummis R WY NA ......
Joe Manchin D WV 33% ---++-
Edward Markey D MA 0% ---..-
John McCain R AZ 50% --+++-
Claire McCaskill D MO 0% ------
Mitch McConnell R KY 33% ---++-
Robert Menendez D NJ 0% ------
Jeff Merkley D OR 0% ------
Barbara Mikulski D MD 0% ------
Jerry Moran R KS 67% +-+++-
Markwayne Mullin R OK NA ......
Lisa Murkowski R AK 33% ---++-
Christopher Murphy D CT 0% ------
Patty Murray D WA 0% ------
Bill Nelson D FL 0% ------
Rand Paul R KY 100% ++++++
Gary Peters D MI NA ......
Robert Portman R OH 67% +-+++-
Mark Pryor D AR 33% ---++-
John Reed D RI 0% ------
Harry Reid D NV 0% ------
James Risch R ID 83% +-++++
Pat Roberts R KS 80% +-.+++
John Rockefeller D WV 0% ------
Marco Rubio R FL 83% +-++++
Bernard Sanders I VT 0% ------
Brian Schatz D HI 0% --.---
Charles Schumer D NY 0% ------
Tim Scott R SC 83% +-++++
Jefferson Sessions R AL 83% +-++++
Jeanne Shaheen D NH 0% ------
Richard Shelby R AL 67% +--+++
Kyrsten Sinema D AZ NA ......
Debbie Stabenow D MI 0% ------
Jon Tester D MT 33% ---++-
John Thune R SD 50% +--++-
Patrick Toomey R PA 67% --++++
Mark Udall D CO 17% ---+--
Tom Udall D NM 17% ---+--
Chris Van Hollen D MD NA ......
David Vitter R LA 83% +-++++
John Walsh D MT 0% ---...
Mark Warner D VA 17% ---+--
Elizabeth Warren D MA 0% ------
Peter Welch D VT NA ......
Sheldon Whitehouse D RI 0% ------
Roger Wicker R MS 33% ---++-
Ron Wyden D OR 0% ------
Todd Young R IN NA ......

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Republican 47.7%
Democrat 6.3%
Independent 8.5%