Change Watch Backgrounder: Ray LaHood
by
Feb. 23, 2009
POSITION: SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
NOMINEE: Ray LaHood
BIRTH DATE: December 6, 1945 in Peoria, IL
EDUCATION: B.S. in Education 1971, Bradley University, Peoria, IL
FAMILY: Wife Kathy; four children: Darin, Amy, Sam, and Sarah
FRC SCORECARD:
110th Congress: 64%
Lifetime Average: 78%
EXPERIENCE:
1995-2009 Member of the U.S House of Representatives, Illinois, 18th District
1983-1994 Aide to U.S. Representative Robert Michel of Illinois
1982-1983 Member of the Illinois state House of Representatives
1977-1982 Aide to U.S. Representative Thomas Railback of Illinois
1974-1977 Chief planner, Bi-States Metropolitan Planning Commission
1972-1974 Teacher, director; Rock Island County Youth Services
Member of the Republican Main Street Partnership
One of only three Republican candidates in 1994 who did not sign on to the Contract with America
ON OBAMA'S STIMULUS PACKAGE
LaHood supports Obama's stimulus package and urged other Republicans to vote for it.
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ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES
Voted YES on expanding fund for passenger rail services.
Voted YES in favor of the Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act of 2008, a bill that promoted public transportation.
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His most recent approval rating from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the transportation construction industry's representative in Washington DC, is 66%.
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ON GLOBAL WARMING and ENVIRONMENT
Had 25% rating on critical environmental issues from League of Conservation Voters for 2006.
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First Steps:
Legislatively provide the EPA with a clear mission statement
Simplify environmental reporting requirements to focus on results, not regulations
Establish environmental improvement pilot programs at the state level
Devote increased resources to researching the causes and effects of global warming
Better understand -- and begin addressing -- the causes of and remedies to global warming
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LaHood told a Senate panel that all transportation, from roads to rails, must be "sustainable" to "acknowledge the new reality of climate change."
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ON EARMARKS and PORK SPENDING
Received a 0% rating from the anti-earmark Club for Growth 2007 RePORK Card
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Received an 11% rating from Citizens Against Government Waste for 2007 and holds a lifetime 49% rating from the group
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ON ABORTION
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother's life. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions. (Apr 2000)
Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion. (Jun 1999)
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LaHood co-sponsored granting the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment.
Bill would implement equal protection under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and pre-born human person. The Right to Life Act declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being, and defines "human being" to encompass all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization or cloning.
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ON CLONING
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
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ON STEM CELLS
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
Voted NO on expanding human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
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ON GAY MARRIAGE
Voted YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage. (Sep 2004)
Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC. (Jul 1999)
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