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

georgewbush.com ^ | July | georgewbush.com

[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

 

[AFPhys]

Say, Howlin: do you see anything in one of those bills and resolutions that would provide further body armor or Humvee armor for our troops when it would have mattered, say, in 1997 or so when sKerry was advocating that Clinton depose Saddam?
/

[AFPhys]

According to Senate Salaries since 1789, from 1984 through 2004, John Kerry made a base salary of $2,471,850 in the US Senate. Since 9 of his bills and resolutions got signed into law, his expense for each to the taxpayer - $274,650.

You greatly understate the cost to our government by having sKerry in the Senate. In addition to his salary, he drew benefits, had a large office in prime real estate, has at least two offices and administrative assistants he has appointed for political patronage, and has had a hand in large pork projects, such as the infamous Boston "Big Dig". .

[True Republican Patriot]

Wondering if any of those 46-48 would-be works of art had anything to do with strengthning Our National Defenses or Our Economy, any mention of keeping jobs from going off-shore??? somehow this seems doubtful.Hmm,Areo fritto!

[b4its2late]

Ok. So I'm a little conservative on my estimate. I guess I could factor another 30% on top of that....

[finnman69]

This is far worse than I imagined. I can't believe Bush never hit Kery over this until before.

Wow, 40% of the Kerry bills passed in his career consist of a building name change and keeping Flipper safe.

[mikrofon]

Plan to pass 9 bills in 20 years...

[tobyhill]

8 out of 9 of these Bills and Resolutions are over 10 years old. Where's he been?

[tobyhill]

3 out of 9 of these Bills and Resolutions are signed in the Clinton Administration even though Kerry touts his praise for that administration.

[Mamzelle]

harharhar thanks for the list. What a big bag of nothing.

[FreedomProtector]

One of Kerry's weakest points politically all along is that he has amassed a very liberal record and no real accomplishments in 20 years in the Senate. It was/is an outstanding move by the Bush campaign to start heavily focusing on that weakness ~20 days left until the election.

No liberal from the North East US has been able to disguise himself as conservative enough to win a national election in my lifetime. The last was JFK, and his fiscal policies would be considered right-wing by todays standards.

If the Bush campaign had focused on this earlier, it would be 'heard that before' ..give time for Kerry campaign to redefine Kerry real record etc...by waiting till now the most important time of the campaign is spent defining/discussing/debating Kerrys main political weakness for a national election....brilliant move W!!!!

[EaglesUpForever]

Surely we must give him the benefit of the doubt that he'd start doing something if we made him President - after all, he has a plan!

[EaglesUpForever]

Strategery at work. It is as if Bush tried his hardest to give Kerry an actual lead, before bringing out the big guns to shoot down the fantasy that Kerry could ever be a competent Senator, let alone President. Amazing Massachussets didn't get rid of Kerry long ago, but then again they aren't exactly known for great leaders recently - Dukakis?

[BunnySlippers]

*

[finnman69]

I have read in places that the flip/flop attacks were not the real attacks, but theat the liberal/record attacks will come in the final weeks. Seems as it has great potential if not slightly risky.

[jburkovi]

"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"

I can't resist - it's the
"Save a Hamster bill" ;)

[NonValueAdded]

DNC: Where is the list?

[GOPologist]

You and I know that will never happen. Remember, they WRITE the laws for themselves. It's called "screwing the public taxpayers."

[lolhelp]

The Shadow knows!!!!!! Yes he does!

[lolhelp]

More likely to at least double it. Think about monthly rent on offices, office personel, furniture for offices, utility bills, all his travel, etc.

[river rat]

John F'ing Kerry has more positions than the Karma Sutra...,and in every one -- America gets screwed...

Semper Fi