RUBBER STAMP
Republican Jon Porter
(NV-03)

Jon Porter took office just before President Bush launched the War in Iraq. And ever since, Porter has been a loyal rubberstamp for the Bush administration's policies in Iraq. Porter opposed setting benchmarks for success in Iraq, voted against oversight of Bush's Iraq policies and last year, voted to endorse the Bush administration's failed agenda in Iraq. In 2007, Porter has continued to walk in lockstep with Bush, refusing to hold the Bush administration accountable and even supporting Bush's troop escalation.

Jon Porter... once a rubberstamp for Bush, always a rubberstamp.

Jon Porter's Rhetoric

A Short Window

  • Porter: Ask Me What I Think in Six to Eight Months
    "Porter said the lawmakers were briefed by military leaders including Gen. Peter Schoomaker... Schoomaker 'was saying in six, eight months we might be able to stabilize the communities. It would be a very short window of time,' Porter said. 'It will take much longer if we remain status quo.'" [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12/30/06]



The Real Jon Porter Record: Case #1

Opposing Oversight, Wasteful Spending

  • Opposed Competitive Bidding on Iraq Contracts
    In 2003, Porter voted against an amendment to require that normal competitive bidding procedures were followed in procurement using funds appropriated for Iraq's oil infrastructure, even in emergencies. [HR 3289, Vote #557, 10/16/03]
  • Opposed Investigation into Contractor Spending in Iraq
    In 2005, Porter voted against the establishment of 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. [HR 1268, Tierney amendment, Vote #72, 3/15/05]
  • Opposed Crackdown on War Profiteering
    In 2005, Porter voted against a motion to recommit a gang violence bill with instructions that it be amended to include a provision expanding the criminal code to cover "war profiteering and fraud relating to military action, relief, and reconstruction efforts in Iraq." [HR 1279, Vote #167, 5/11/05]
  • 11/3/05: Porter Voted to Kill Hearings on Bush Iraq Policy
    In 2005, Porter voted to kill a bid by Democrats for the House to begin conducting oversight hearings into a wide range of administration actions and policies relating to the war in Iraq. [Washington Post, 11/06/05; Motion to Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, Vote #562, 11/03/05]
  • Voted Against Accountability in Iraq Contracting
    In 2006, Porter voted against an amendment that would prohibit contracts by the Secretary of the Army to any contractor if the Defense Contract Audit Agency has determined that more than $100 million of a contractor's costs involving work in Iraq were unreasonable. [HR4939, Vote #60, 3/16/06]
  • Opposed Requiring Bush to Report on Progress in Iraq
    In 2007, Porter voted in favor of a motion to kill a requirement that the Bush administration report to Congress on benchmarks for success in Iraq. [HR 2206, Vote #332, 5/10/07]



The Real Jon Porter Record: Case #2

The Surge

  • 2007: Support Bush Escalation Plan
    "There are no guarantees, but I believe the quickest way to bring our sons and daughters home is to send additional troops for a short period of time," Porter said. [Congressional Record, Page H1725-H1775, 2/15/07]
  • 2007: Rubberstamped Bush Escalation Plan
    In 2007, Porter voted against a resolution expressing support for U.S. military personnel serving in Iraq while disapproving of President Bush's decision to deploy more than 20,000 additional U.S. combat troops to that country. [HCONRES 63, Vote #99, 2/16/07]



The Real Jon Porter Record: Case #3

Timelines

  • 2007: Opposed Bringing Troops Home by August 2008
    In 2007, Porter voted against a bill that would set in motion a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq by August 2008. [CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3, 3/20/07; HR 1591, Vote #186, 3/23/07]
  • Porter: Timelines are Bad
    "[B]y telling the enemy that we are leaving three days from now, they are going to wait until the fourth day," Porter said. [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 4/5/07]



The Real Jon Porter Record: Case #4

Benchmarks

  • Voted Against Setting Benchmarks for Success in Iraq
    In 2005, Porter voted against requiring President Bush to set benchmarks for measuring U.S. progress in Iraq in areas such as defeating the insurgency, establishing democratic institutions and bringing U.S. troops home. [HR 2601, Vote #398, 7/20/05]
  • Opposed Requiring Iraqi Government to Meet Benchmarks for Success
    In 2007, Porter voted against a bill that set a goal of redeploying most U.S. combat troops in Iraq by the end of March 2008, if the president can certify the Iraq government is meeting benchmarks, and by the end of 2007 if he cannot. [HR 1591, Vote #265, 4/25/07]
  • Rubberstamped Bush Veto of Benchmarks for Iraq
    In 2007, Porter voted against an attempt to override President Bush's veto of legislation to require accountability in Iraq. The bill set as a goal of redeploying most U.S. combat troops in Iraq by the end of March 2008, if the president can certify the Iraq government is meeting benchmarks. [Congressional Quarterly; HR 1591, Vote #276, 5/2/07]
  • Voted Against Benchmarks for Iraqi Government
    In 2007, Porter voted against legislation to require the president to report on progress the Iraqi government has made toward meeting specified benchmarks and goals. [Congressional Quarterly; HR 2206, Vote #333, 5/10/07]



The Real Jon Porter Record: Case #5

Staying the Course

  • 2006: Endorsed Bush Policy in Iraq
    In 2006, Porter voted for a resolution endorsing President Bush's Iraq policy while declaring that the United States will prevail in the war against terrorism. The resolution also took a stand against setting withdrawal dates. [CQ Today, 6/16/06; HRS 861, Vote #288, 6/16/06]
  • Porter: Cell Phones = Victory
    "We've built 4,000 schools, the morale of the troops is high and now you can get cellphone service just about anywhere... " Porter said. "We're winning the war." [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/15/06]
  • Porter: Voting Hurts War Effort
    According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Porter said the U.S. election campaigns in the fall 'were very detrimental to the war on terror and the war in Iraq.'" "There was a lot of finger-pointing and both parties made it difficult for a logical decision process to take place on the war," he said. "But now that the election season is over, both parties know we want to get this over with as soon as possible." [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12/30/06]
  • Porter: We Have to Fight them in Iraq or They'll Follow us Home
    "We have to fight the war," Porter said. If America leaves Iraq, then the enemy "will follow us here." [Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), 4/6/07]
  • Porter Says Constituents Support Staying the Course
    According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Porter "said most of his constituents tell him they want 'to win the war, not to retreat.'" [Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), 4/6/07]
  • Porter Says His Constituents Support Staying the Course, Redux
    "[T]he bulk of my constituents say we've got to win this." [Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 4/16/07]
  • Opposed Accountability in Iraq, Redeployment of Troops
    In July 2007, Porter voted against a bill to require the Defense secretary to begin redeploying U.S. troops and contractors out of Iraq within 120 days of the bill's enactment. [Congressional Quarterly; HR 2956, Vote #624, 7/12/07]



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