Hot Dog Vendor: ' Til I checked, I didn't know - Rob Simmons votes with George Bush more than any Congressman from Connecticut.
Congressional Quarterly: Simmons votes with Bush more than any other member of the Congressional Delegation. An independent study conducted by Congressional Quarterly focused on votes made in 2005 where the President expressed a position.
The rankings were determined by how many times the member's vote agreed with the Presidential position on the legislation. Simmons topped the delegation in Presidential support, and was the member who opposed the President the least. [CQ Weekly, January 9, 2006]
CQ's Connecticut Delegation Bush Support Rankings:
#1
Rob Simmons
#2
Nancy Johnson
#3
Chris Shays
#4
John Larson
#5
Rosa DeLauro
Fan I: Rob Simmons voted for George Bush's "Big Oil" energy policies six times .
Rob Simmons: Connecticut's #1 Supporter of Big Oil. Simmons is the only member of the Connecticut delegation to vote for the Bush Energy Bill 5 times. The bill gave billions in tax breaks to oil companies, increases our dependence on fossil fuels, and has done nothing to lower the cost of fuel.
Vote #1: Simmons is lone Connecticut vote for Bush's energy legislation. In 2001, Simmons was the lone Connecticut vote in favor of the first version of Bush's energy bill. This version of the bill specifically called for drilling in the ANWR
[Vote #320, 2001]
Vote #2: Simmons is again lone Connecticut vote for the Bush Energy Bill. Bush again brought his energy legislation to the House in 2003. Once again, the bill called for drilling in the ANWR. The bill included provisions to shield oil and gas companies from liability from MTBE contamination. [Vote #145 - 2003]
Vote #3: Simmons votes for Bush Energy Bill conference report. This is the first vote where Simmons is joined by fellow Connecticut delegation member Nancy Johnson in voting yes. Shays, DeLauro, and Larson vote no. [Vote #630 - 2003]
Vote #4: Simmons once again the lone Connecticut vote on Bush's Energy Bill. Bush's third attempt to pass his energy bill through the Congress, Rob Simmons once again was the lone Connecticut vote. This version of the bill again called for drilling in the ANWR and also eliminated Connecticut's ability to fight the installation of a liquefied natural gas terminal on Long Island Sound [Vote#132 - 2005].
Vote #5: Simmons votes for final conference report. Simmons votes for the final passage of the bill that went to President Bush's desk. Shays, DeLauro, and Larson voted no. [Vote #445 - 2005]
Vote #6: Simmons Supported Refinery Bill. Simmons voted for Bush's refinery bill that subsidizes refinery construction and relaxes air pollution regulations. The bill gives even more multi-billion dollar subsidies to the oil industry while easing air pollution regulations on new refinery construction. It passed by two votes. [Vote #519, - 2005]
Fan II: Simmons was the deciding vote to pass Bush's confusing prescription drug plan.
Simmons cast the deciding vote for Bush's prescription drug plan. The House of Representatives passed the Medicare Prescription drug plan by one vote on June 27, 2003. The program subsidizes HMO's, bans the government from negotiating lower prices on prescriptions, penalizes seniors with lifetime penalties for applying late to the program, and has enormous gaps in coverage. In passed by one vote [Vote #332 - 2003]
Simmons refused to end lifetime enrollment penalties. In the November 23 rd edition of the Norwich Bulletin, Simmons said he would oppose efforts to eliminate lifetime penalties for late enrollment: "This is an insurance program to help seniors with prescription drug costs and you can't successfully do that unless you close off the enrollment," Simmons said. "It seems to me that holding a press conference with political opponents has a lot more to do with partisan politics than with prescription drugs." [Norwich Bulletin, November 23, 2005]
Fan III: And Simmons refuses to hold Bush accountable for his disastrous policy in Iraq.
June 16, 2006: Simmons supports Bush "stay the course"
Iraq policy. On June 16 th , Simmons supported a resolution drafted by GOP leadership to stay the course in Iraq. In floor remarks, Simmons offered his "qualified support" for the war, saying there was "much in the resolution to like" [Vote # 288 - 2006]
November, 2005: Simmons Met with Bush on Iraq for talking points on Iraq War. "Two days earlier, Bush met with 18 members of Congress, including Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, to urge them to "tell the truth about what's going on in Iraq," as Rep. Ray H. LaHood, R- Ill., one of the meeting participants, put it. "He said the message about Iraq just wasn't getting out." Simmons proceeded to stress Iraq and the rightness of the cause on Nov. 11 as he traveled through eastern Connecticut." [Hartford Courant, November 20, 2005]
Simmons Opposed Setting Benchmarks for Success in Iraq. In 2005, Simmons voted against an effort to require President Bush to submit a plan for success in Iraq, supply the military with adequate equipment and other resources to complete their mission, and provide veterans with adequate health care services. The proposal was rejected, 203-227. [Vote #398, - 2005]
Simmons Voted Against Accounting For Billions Of Taxpayer Dollars Spent On Iraq. In 2005, Simmons voted against an amendment to provide $5 million to establish a select committee to investigate reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, including contracting procedures, protection against money laundering, and the allocation of contracts to foreign companies and small businesses. In October 2004, the International Advisory and Monitoring Board released an audit of the Bush Administration's management of Iraqi oil proceeds and other funds in the Development Fund for Iraq. Problems found involved hundreds of millions of dollars, numerous sole source contracts and missing and nonexistent contract files. The amendment was rejected, 191-236. [Vote #72 - 2005]
Simmons' Quotes on the War
August 31, 2006: Simmons continues support of Bush on Iraq: "But many embattled Republicans remain reluctant to break with the administration's current approach. Rep. Rob Simmons, another Connecticut Republican facing a difficult campaign in a Democratic-leaning district, said he will oppose any effort by Shays to establish a pullout deadline. 'I don't think that is a good idea,'" Simmons said. - [Washington Post, August 31, 2006]
Simmons offered 'qualified' support for "stay the course" Iraq Resolution. On June 16 th , Simmons supported a resolution drafted by GOP leadership to stay the course in Iraq. In floor remarks, Simmons offered his "qualified support" for the war, saying there was "much in the resolution to like' [Vote # 288 - 2006]
Simmons says Republicans have provided "aggressive" oversight of Iraq war. "Meanwhile, Republicans defend Congress's record of oversight of the war effort. 'I would say that as a member of the Armed Services Committee we have done our best to pursue that responsibility in an aggressive fashion,' Simmons said in a recent interview." [The Day, June 20, 2006]
Simmons says Iraq war success dependent on "American Will." In a February Journal Inquirer op-ed, Simmons writes the success of US soldiers relies "upon the will of the American people." [Journal Inquirer, February 2, 2006]
Simmons says debate about Iraq should not be public. In November, 2005 Simmons told the Associated Press debate about the Iraq War should be a private matter: "It's appropriate for Congress to have these conversations, but not in public," [AP, November 19, 2005]
Simmons Said "It's Not Responsible" to Set a Withdrawal Date. In June 2004, according to the Hartford Courant , " Simmons said setting a withdrawal date would put troops at risk. 'I think it's inappropriate to be specific. It's not responsible." [Hartford Courant, 6/30/04]
One Year After Going to War, Simmons Said it "Was the Right Thing to Do." On March 19, 2004, one year after the U.S. invaded Iraq and no weapons of mass destruction found, Simmons said, "I continue to think the war was the right thing to do." [Hartford Courant, 3/19/04]
Simmons Said His Vote Was Not a Declaration of War. Despite his vote in favor of the resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq, Simmons called his vote "not a declaration of war," but "a declaration of will." [Hartford Courant , 3/19/04]
Simmons Said Waiting for a U.N. Resolution Was Not Worth the Sacrifice. According to Gannett News , Simmons said, "having once supported working with U.N. inspectors, 'Nobody is going to sacrifice a U.S. city waiting for a U.N. resolution.'" [Gannett News Service, 3/14/03]
