Senate: Jim Moran (R-KS)
House: Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY-29)
In the senate, Hoeven also seems like a good guy.
why moran??
Moran is a relatively moderate and inoffensive GOPer...he is a vast improvement over Brownback and beat out Todd Tiahart's challenge from the right...
Really? They had a very bruising primary where they each tired to be the "Most Conservative Candidate", so i don't see where you think he's some sort of Moderate Republican.
This issues page has some information about his voting record...sure he's solidly GOP but he has some mavericky votes... like many midwesterners he supports an end to the Cuba embargo and generally favors main street over wall street. He voted for SCHIP, opposed Bush's giveaway to big Pharma, opposed No Child Left Behind (I generally favor it but his vote shows an indy streak)...and when many GOPers were demagoguing against Kathy Sebelius, he refused to do so.
I think that if the pressure from tea partiers lets up, he will be a very sensible senator and that he won't be pressured to give in to big business as much as other GOPers are...though much the same can be said of Hoeven of course...
http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Jerry_Moran"The Issues
Moran has an American Conservative Union lifetime rating of about 92."American Conservative Union Ratings"(10)"American Conservative Union Ratings" During the 110th Congress, Moran voted with his party 97.2 percent of the time."Washington Post Votes Database"(11)"Washington Post Votes Database"
Though he sees himself as a traditional Republican, Moran has opposed some of President Bush's major domestic initiatives, including the No Child Left Behind Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.Hanna, John, "Senate race will test GOP base" Topeka Capital-Journal, July 16, 2009 (12)Hanna, John, "Senate race will test GOP base" Topeka Capital-Journal, July 16, 2009 Moon, Chris, "Call him ‘Avalanche Moran'" Topeka Capital-Journal, Nov. 12, 2006(13)Moon, Chris, "Call him ‘Avalanche Moran'" Topeka Capital-Journal, Nov. 12, 2006
Moran voted against both versions of the $700-billion financial bailout bill in fall 2008, saying he was "opposed to legislation which brazenly shifts the burden of risk from Wall Street to taxpayers."Rothschild, Scott, "3 Kan. House members vote against bailout" Lawrence Journal-World, Sept. 30, 2008 (14)Rothschild, Scott, "3 Kan. House members vote against bailout" Lawrence Journal-World, Sept. 30, 2008
Before President Obama's $787-billion economic stimulus plan was passed in February 2009, Moran dismissed the proposal as a gimmick. He said a long-term fix to the economy would address the cost of energy and health care.Wilson, Ryan, "Cong. Moran: Stimulus efforts 'a gimmick'" Clay Center Dispatch, Jan. 16, 2009 (15)Wilson, Ryan, "Cong. Moran: Stimulus efforts 'a gimmick'" Clay Center Dispatch, Jan. 16, 2009
Cuba
Moran has advocated easing the U.S. trade embargo with Cuba as a way to open up the island nation's market for Kansas farmers. In 2000, a Moran-sponsored amendment was enacted allowing Cuba to pay cash for certain grain and food products.Fagan, Mark, "Cuba’s shift feeds economic hopes" Lawrence Journal-World, Feb. 20, 2008 (16)Fagan, Mark, "Cuba’s shift feeds economic hopes" Lawrence Journal-World, Feb. 20, 2008
In 2007, a Moran-sponsored amendment was passed that would have reversed the Bush administration's rules that Cuba must pay for American agricultural goods before shipment and not upon arrival (the typical trade practice).Bachelet, Pablo, "House OKs easing agricultural exports to Cuba" Knight Ridder Washington Bureau, June 28, 2007(17)Bachelet, Pablo, "House OKs easing agricultural exports to Cuba" Knight Ridder Washington Bureau, June 28, 2007 The measure was stripped in the final bill to avoid a veto.Almanac of American Politics(3)Almanac of American Politics
In February 2010, Moran introduced legislation with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) that included similar language from his 2007 amendment. The bill also sought to allow direct cash payments from Cubans to U.S. financial institutions and to allow U.S. farmers and ranchers to freely travel to the island."Moran Introduces Legislation to Expand Exports to Cuba" Feb. 23, 2010 (18)"Moran Introduces Legislation to Expand Exports to Cuba" Feb. 23, 2010
Agriculture
Moran voted against a 2007 version of the farm bill, saying that "urban members of Congress are hijacking the farm bill."
That version included $4 billion in new funding for food stamps and Moran said too much money was being diverted from safety nets for agriculture.Carpenter, Tim, "Farm bill passes House" Topeka Capital-Journal, July 28, 2007(4)Carpenter, Tim, "Farm bill passes House" Topeka Capital-Journal, July 28, 2007 He also voted against the 2008 version of the bill that passed by a veto-proof margin. Though Moran said the cut in direct payments to farmers may be modest, he worried that "once we start down this path, direct payments will be the place that Congress looks to cut money to spend someplace else."Hananel, Sam, "Kansas lawmakers split on farm bill" Lawrence Journal-World, May 15, 2008 (19)Hananel, Sam, "Kansas lawmakers split on farm bill" Lawrence Journal-World, May 15, 2008
Energy
Moran has supported increasing domestic energy production as a way to lower costs and promote energy independence. He has supported setting federal standards requiring 25 percent of the nation's energy supply to come from renewable sources.Moon, Chris, "Moran promotes renewable sources" Topeka Capital-Journal, Aug. 23, 2006(20)Moon, Chris, "Moran promotes renewable sources" Topeka Capital-Journal, Aug. 23, 2006 Moran supports opening up currently off-limits areas to oil exploration in order to lower energy prices.Bickel, Amy, "Energy, farm bill top talk with ag leaders: Lawmakers discuss the role resources play in farm economy, needed steps." The Hutchinson News, Sept. 7, 2008(21)Bickel, Amy, "Energy, farm bill top talk with ag leaders: Lawmakers discuss the role resources play in farm economy, needed steps." The Hutchinson News, Sept. 7, 2008
In June 2009, Moran voted against the cap-and-trade bill that was passed by the House.
Health-Care Reform
Moran opposed the House Democrats' plans for health-care reform in 2009 and 2010. At an August 2009 community event, Moran said he favored incremental reform and that shifting money from Medicare to other health-care programs would hurt rural residents. He is an advocate for tort reform, saying doctors are hampered by medical malpractice lawsuit fears.
One of 25 Republicans to vote against the Medicare prescription drug bill in 2003, Moran said, "I have never been under such pressure to vote contrary to what I thought was right as I was with this vote." He said the bill did little to push down prices, shifting the tab to taxpayers.Moran, Jerry, "The Ways of Washington" Sept. 21, 2004 (22)Moran, Jerry, "The Ways of Washington" Sept. 21, 2004
In 2007, Moran broke with President Bush and supported a $35 billion increase to the State Children's Health Insurance Program. He voted for the bill in January 2009."
