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

 

[CalmCorrectConservPatriotCCCP]

Simply put: Kerry is a lazy, indolent, lethargic, woolgathering, posturing, phony, name-dropping, insecure, mama's boy, rich widow chasing gigolo, no more, no less. :o)

P.S. Sorry Tahrayzzzzza you bought him

[Heff]

I take a different view on this...its actually a good thing that Kerry has done so little (especially on the legislative front) because every time a liberal Senator writes and sponsors a bill it means two things:

INTRUSIVE REGULATIONS = more unnecessary expenses for business = higher cost to me

HIGHER TAXES = paying for more wasteful stupid social programs = higher cost to me again

In John Kerry's world, in the end...I will need to be doing worse for myself in order to be just as miserable with the government caring for me, but with less effort on my part.

To that, I say thank you to Senator Kerry for not showing up for work the last 20 years. You have saved me thousands of dollars in taxes (but no thanks for all the tax increases you DID vote for) and you have spared much much stress an anxiety over government programs that you didn't create.

[frog_jerk_2004]

# 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)

# 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)

Don't say Kerry never did a damn thing for Veterens!!! I think the above legislation is a HUGE win for Kerry for veterens benefits. --sarcasm

[demlosers]

And 48 bills and resolutions that got chopped in bi-congressional committee that could not pass the final cut.

Or the House and/or Senate killed the bi-congressional bill that failed to pass in its final form. Or the president did not sign it into law. That should cover it. :)

[spotbust1]

bump for later read

[Michael.SF.]

Just a thought on this, but I think we would all be a lot better off if some of our Senators and Congressmen did a lot less passing of laws and regulations while in Washington. Sometimes doing nothing, is not a bad thing.

[johnnycap]

What an embarrassing list of accomplishments given the people of the Commonwealth have kept him in that seat for 20 years. Hide your head in shame.

[johnnycap]

What an embarrassing list of accomplishments given the people of the Commonwealth have kept him in that seat for 20 years. Hide your head in shame.

[Choose Ye This Day]

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

[b4its2late]

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.

[frog_jerk_2004]

Well, then Dick Morris came on and said that Kerry will win the election

I'll take that! If Dick Morris said Kerry will win, then Bush will, because Morris is usually wrong about the outcome of elections!

[frog_jerk_2004]

You can say that again!

[Diogenesis]

on Callahan Bill

How much was PAID to Kerry and the DNC?

[daviddennis]

Curiously enough, there is essentially no information available on this bill. Google revealed nothing.

The Thomas Summary simply says:

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

Who this person is and why s/he was so important is a complete mystery, to every source I know of.

I have to assume due to the name that it was someone he might have known in Vietnam, or a friend of a friend there.

D

[OldFriend]

And flipper is eternally grateful for the never ending attention!

[freebilly]

Of these 56 only 9 passed the House and got signed into law. Of these 9, most are totally useless legislation

Hey, he who governs best governs least. Kerry's done less than anyone, he might be a great leader!

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

Bump.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

Bump.

[television is just wrong]

Sooooo, he should be stripped of his benefits, and salary.

[Chad Fairbanks]

A Bill For The Relief Of Kil Joon Yu Callahan. What is this?

A bill that provided federally-funded Tums to people of Korean\Irish heritage?