Home Run (H Run): This Congressperson took a stand for the American people. +10 points

AWOL: This Congressperson was AWOL when the American people needed him/her to take a stand. -5 points

Strike (STR): This Congressperson voted or agreed to an outcome harmful to the American people, freedom and/or democracy. -10 points

STRIKE PRESENT (STRP) and HOME RUN PRESENT (HRP): PRESENT is usually a protest vote.  When the protest vote would make a difference (or if a combination of the AWOLs and PRESENT votes added together would make a difference, as was the case on 1/6/05), it will be counted the same as a strike.  When it is a protest by individuals who know that they are outnumbered and are simply standing up and saying they will not vote on the bill at all, we will give them the home run points.  However, from looking at the vote column, you can see whether the home runs or strikes were voted as a PRESENT.  In 2005, we counted PRESENT votes as zero. We believe that by taking into account the effect  and the intent of the "present" vote on the 2006 chart, it will give a clearer picture of the voting records of the individuals who use take this action.  However, if a Representative has more than one or two HRPs, the readers should wonder why this individual doesn't  take a clearer position on the issues.  

Human Rights Percentage or HR%: Current percentage of all votes related to human rights issues in which this Congressman/woman voted in support of human rights in 2006 rounded to the nearest percentage.  This column will be revised as each ten-vote layer of the chart is completed.  Until each layer of the chart is finished, the HR% will reflect the fiinal score from the previous layer of the chart.

Perfect scores and bad leadership: At last recorded vote, the only perfect score was that of Dennis Kucinich.  Subtractions for both the minority leader and minority whip included votes for two pieces of legislation clearing the way for war with Iran and legislation giving $513 billion to war profiteers.

Other votes:  (1/6/05-4/28/05)  (5/5/05-6/9/05)  (6/15/05-7/20/05B)  (7/20/05C-7/28/05C)  (9/14/05-9/29/05D)  (10/07/05-11/09/05B)  (11/17/05-12/19/05A)  (12/19/05B-12/19/05C)  (2/1/06-4/26/06A)  (4/26/06-5/25/06)  (6/07/06A-6/22/06B)  (6/29/06-7/28/06)   (7/29/06-9/26/06C)   (9/27/06-12/8/06D)

Votes counted this page:

5/03/06:  HR 5254 was the Refinery Permit Process Scedule Act which threatened the environment by lessening environmental standards and increasing the number of communities impacted by refinery pollution.  The vote required a 2/3 vote as it attempted to suspend the rules and pass the act before those voting had a chance to read the bill.  It failed to receive the 2/3 vote.

5/10/06:  Roll Call 135 was the vote agreeing to the Conference Report on the Tax Relief (for the rich only) REconciliation Act.  It was the last chance to oppose this bill.

5/11/06:  Roll Call 145 was the vote to pass HR 5122, the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that steals $513 billion from the U.S. Treasury for the benefit of war profiteers.  The support of so many Democrats for the looting of funds which could be used to help people and children clearly shows that the Democrats need new leadership.

5/17/06:  HR 4200 is best named the Forest Destruction Act, an environmentally dangerous bill.

5/18/06: HR 5386 (which made appropriations for the Department of the Interior, etc and allowed drilling in the Alaskan Wild Life Refuge) is a bill which will lead to the possible extinction of the polar bear and cause an environmentla ripple effectg that could endanger more than one species of life.

5/23/06: HR 4681 was move towards overthrowing the legitimately and democratically elected government of the Palestinians and towards taking us into war Sagainst the Palestinian people.

5/24/06: HR 5427 provided more funding for Yucca Mountain, a dangerous project that endangers the health and safety of Americans in more than 2/3rds of the states and which threatens California's food and water supply.

5/25/06A:  HR 5429` prividing for drilling in the Alaskan Whild Life Refuge threatens the Porcupine Caribou and the Polar Bear with the possibility of extinction.  In opposing this extreme legislation, Kucinich pointed out that rather than allowing the oil companies to take over ANWR for driling, America should be taking over the oil companies.

5/25/06B:  This was the vote on the Kucinich amendment to the Homeland Security Act.  Dennis Kucinich proposed the amendment to the Homeland Security Act calling for use of the funds to study the increase  in demand for FEMA's emergency response and disaster relief services as a result of wealther related disasters associated with global warming.  If global warming is contributing to disasters like Katrina, as the scientists currently think, such research is crutial to saving lives.