List of his 9 bills in 20 years) John Kerry in the Senate: "The Man Who Wasn't There"

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[dennisw]

Saturday, July 31, 2004
John Kerry in the Senate: "The Man Who Wasn't There"

Yesterday on ABC's World News Tonight, John Kerry attempted to refute the notion that he has a thin record in the United States Senate, stating, "I've introduced many pieces of legislation that are the law of the land today…" The reality is that during his 19 years in the United States Senate, only five bills and four resolutions John Kerry has been a lead sponsor on have become laws. These bills and resolutions are listed below, following a quote from Dick Morris on Kerry's meager Senate record during the Clinton years.

Dick Morris: Kerry Is A "Back-Bencher." "Where did his 20 years in the Senate go? Oddly, his absence of biography confirms the impression I formed of him during my White House years: He's a back-bencher. I never can recall a single time that his name came up in any discussion of White House strategy on anything. He was the man who wasn't there." (Dick Morris, "The Bagel Candidacy," The New York Post, 7/30/04)

Kerry's Five Bills That Became Law:

1. A Bill To Amend The Small Business Act With Respect To The Women's Business Center Program. (S. 791, Latest Major Action: 12/9/1999 Became Public Law No: 106-165) 
2. A Bill To Redesignate The Federal Building Located At 380 Trapelo Road In Waltham, Massachusetts, As The "Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center." (S. 1206, Latest Major Action: 4/14/1994 Became Public Law No: 103-234)
3. A Bill To Authorize Appropriations For The Marine Mammal Protection Act Of 1972 And To Improve The Program To Reduce The Incidental Taking Of Marine Mammals During The Course Of Commercial Fishing Operations, And For Other Purposes. (S. 1636, Latest Major Action: 4/30/1994 Became Public Law No: 103-238) 
4. A Bill To Authorize Appropriations To Carry Out The National Sea Grant College Program Act, And For Other Purposes. (S. 1563, Latest Major Action: 12/4/1991 Signed by President)
5. A Bill For The Relief Of Kil Joon Yu Callahan. (S. 423, Latest Major Action: 11/19/1987 Became Private Law No: 100-2)

Kerry's Four Resolutions That Became Law:

1. A Joint Resolution Designating The Week Beginning October 20, 1991, As "World Population Awareness Week." (S.J. Res. 160, Latest Major Action: 10/30/1991 Signed by President)
2. A Joint Resolution Designating November 13, 1992, As "Vietnam Veterans Memorial 10th Anniversary Day." (S.J. Res. 318, Latest Major Action: 10/24/1992 Became Public Law No: 102-518)
3. A Joint Resolution Designating September 18, 1992, As "National POW/MIA Recognition Day," And Authorizing Display Of The National League Of Families POW/MIA Flag. (S.J. Res. 337, Latest Major Action: 9/30/1992 Became Public Law No: 102-373)
4. A Joint Resolution Designating October 22 Through 28, 1989, As "World Population Awareness Week." (S.J. Res. 158, Latest Major Action: 10/25/1990 Signed by President)

_______________

 

My commentary:

John Kerry claimed during last night's debate:

KERRY: Once again, the president is misleading America. I've actually passed 56 individual bills that I've personally written and, in addition to that, and not always under my name, there is amendments on certain bills.

After last night's debate the John Kerry campaign came out with this. It's an instant response to last night's debate:

57 bills and resolutions John Kerry has sponsored over the years have passed the U.S. Senate. Countless others have been improved because of his work, including the Clean Air Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the COPS program.
http://blog.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/archives/003473.html#more

Notice the sly wording, how Kerry's 57 bills and resolutions passed the US Senate. Only got past the US Senate and no further is my conclusion. However this 57 most likely includes the 9 the Republicans mentioned, that made it past the House and got signed by the President into law. So the Kerry breakdown is probably:

   9      John Kerry  bills and  resolutions got signed into law

 48    John Kerry  bills and  resolutions got passed by the US Senate and got no further. IOW they were duds.

**** The numbers 57 and 56 are not my errors. Are as quoted

 

[roaddog727]

Last night I saw, upon the stair
A little man, who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
I wish, I wish he'd go away.

[freebilly]

Anybody know where I can find verification of Kerry's claim that he voted some 300 times (?) to REDUCE taxes?

Every vote against funding the military was actually a vote to reduce taxes in the troll mirror world where John Kerry lives....

[afnamvet]

Woolgathering?

[CalmCorrectConservPatriotCCCP]

It's kind of funny, if you can detach yourself from pity for the afflictions of others. Dick seems to be a victim of manic depressive disorder. If you review his analysis of the Bush and Kerry campaigns over time, you will see what I mean. There's an emotional (in touch with his Alan Alda feelings) side to Dick Morris that cripples him. Like his former client and guru (Bill Clinton), for Dicky, it's all about feelings, and true to form, his own feelings.

That's a real shame. Smart people are often destroyed by their lack of self-control. Dick Morris, Bill Clinton, Caligula (hah! Just had to throw that in), now-the newest candidate in waiting, America's pinhead, Bill O'Reilly.

[BushisTheMan]

H.R.1714
Title: A bill for the relief of Kil Joon Yu Callahan.
Sponsor: Rep Early, Joseph D. [MA-3] (introduced 3/18/1987)

Cosponsors (None) Private bill
Latest Major Action: 3/30/1987 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law.

SUMMARY AS OF:
3/18/1987--Introduced.

Authorizes the granting of a visa and admission to the United States for permanent residence to a named individual.

[BushisTheMan]

H.R.1714
Title: A bill for the relief of Kil Joon Yu Callahan.
Sponsor: Rep Early, Joseph D. [MA-3] (introduced 3/18/1987)

Cosponsors (None) Private bill
Latest Major Action: 3/30/1987 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law.

SUMMARY AS OF:
3/18/1987--Introduced.

Authorizes the granting of a visa and admission to the United States for permanent residence to a named individual.

[kidd]

That's it??????

20 years in the Senate, and all he can claim is Dolphin-free tuna????

< sarcasm=on>
Boy we'd better make space on Mt. Rushmore! We're talking LEADER!
< sarcasm=off>

[CalmCorrectConservPatriotCCCP]

You sir, are a master...

[TexasCajun]

I wish BushCheney04 and the RNC would have made a bigger point out of the senator's record.

They know the OLD MEDIA will only report the minimum they can get away with in regard to Kerry's lack of senate accomplishments!

[RJL]

Notice the sly wording, how Kerry's 57 bills and resolutions passed the US Senate.

One could say John Heinz Kerry has put out 57 varieties of Bull $hit.

[Even Keel]

KERRY: Once again, the president is misleading America. I've actually passed 56 individual bills that I've personally written and, in addition to that, and not always under my name, there is amendments on certain bills.

this to me says more than anything the wishy washyness (is that a word?) of Kerry.

It looks to me like he is trying to say that he has written bills that were passed under someone else's name "in addition to that, and not always under my name" WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?

I am baffled. To me it looks like a feeble attempt to say he has done more than meets the eye.

[plain talk]

This is incredible. Actually Bush could have knocked him out by simplying reading the names of the 5 bills and pasuign after each one and looking incredously into the camera. And then saying "and THIS is the accomplishments of a Senator with 19 years in the Senate and who wants to be President of the United States?"

That would have been an explosive 2 minutes.

[HighlyOpinionated]

H.R.1714
Title: A bill for the relief of Kil Joon Yu Callahan.
Sponsor: Rep Early, Joseph D. [MA-3] (introduced 3/18/1987)

Cosponsors (None) Private bill
Latest Major Action: 3/30/1987 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law.


CONJECTURE ONLY: Could this be the guy who knows about what Lt. John Kerry did in Viet Nam? Or was maybe in Paris when Kerry met with the North Vietnamese?

JUST CONJECTURE I have no proof.

[BushisTheMan]

After doing a Google search of this highly unusual name, I don't know if I stumbled onto something or not.

It does not show Kerry as the originator of this bill numbered 1714. The one that passed and is supposed to be Kerry's has a different number.

Good question: Who is this guy and why are two senators trying to help him?

[Txsleuth]

Would have been good except they weren't allowed to bring anything written down and no one would be able to memorize that legislation - none of it is memorable enough.

O'Reilly said on his radio show that Bush just doesn't think fast enough on his feet - he coulda, shoulda, said this and that to put Kerry away -"I knew Reagan, and you are no Reagan" something original like that Yuck. I have seen lots of interviews that O'Reilly has done that I have yelled at the TV questions that he SHOULD have asked and he didn't so once again Mr. Perfect strikes again.

[BJClinton]

I voted against the Bill To Redesignate The Federal Building Located At 380 Trapelo Road In Waltham, Massachusetts, As The "Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center." before I voted for it. </Kerry>

[hosepipe]

[ A Bill For The Relief Of Kil Joon Yu Callahan. ]

Yeah what is he ... a SPY... other kind of infiltrator..
What.?. If Kerry was involved he must be up to no good..

He dropped off the intenet scope... as far as I can determine..
Hmmm.. a whole bill to force this guy into the U.S. by a known traitor and seditionist.. then NOTHING... ?

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

All potatoes, no meat.

[B-bone]

According to this Kerry hasn't done anything in the senate since 1999.

And only one within the last 10 years.

A Bill To Amend The Small Business Act With Respect To The Women's Business Center Program. (S. 791, Latest Major Action: 12/9/1999 Became Public Law No: 106-165)

[cogitator]

Out of curiousity, what's the ratio between bills signed into law and bills and resolutions passed by the Senate for an effective Senator? Does someone (or somewhere) keep a record of this kind of "batting average"?