Lamar’s Legacy, A Look at Some of Sen. Alexander’s Key Votes

Lamar Alexander, a two-term Republican senator and former governor of Tennessee, faces Tea-Party supported Rutherford County resident Joe Carr, as well as George Flinn, Brenda Lenard and others on a crowded Republican Party primary ballot this August, leading up to the November general election. (Tennessee’s other Senator, Bob Corker, will be up for re-election in 2018).

A look at how Alexander voted in some of the noteworthy Senate votes over this past term:

Feb. 2014, Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act (suspending the United States debt ceiling until March 15, 2015) – Lamar voted: no

Oct. 2013, Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 (containing a resolution to fund the government until January 15, 2014, and suspending the U.S. debt ceiling until Feb. 7, 2014, ) – Lamar voted: yes

Dec. 2013, National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2014 (The law authorizes the DOD to spend $607 billion in Fiscal Year 2014, permits the military to detain individuals indefinitely without trial.) – Lamar voted: yes

June 2013, Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (Calling for 700 miles of reinforced, double-layered fencing along the U.S.–Mexico border) – Lamar voted: yes

Dec. 2012, National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013 (sets the U.S. Armed Forces budget for the 2013 fiscal year to $633 billion – Lamar voted: yes

Aug. 2011, Budget Control Act of 2011 (allowed an immediate $900 billion increase in the debt ceiling, while requiring $917 billion of budget cuts over 10 years) – Lamar voted: yes

May 2011, PATRIOT Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 (extending the provisions of the PATRIOT Act through June 1, 2015) – Lamar voted: yes

Oct. 2009, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 – Lamar voted: yes

Oct. 2008, The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Creating the Troubled Asset Relief Program [TARP], authorizing the Treasury to spend up to $700 billion to purchase distressed assets, especially mortgage-backed securities, in response to the subprime mortgage crisis.) – Lamar voted: yes

About the Author

Bracken, a 2003 graduate of MTSU’s journalism program, is the founder and publisher of the Murfreesboro Pulse. He lives in Murfreesboro with his wife, graphic artist and business partner, Sarah, and sons, Bracken Jr. and Beckett. Bracken enjoys playing the piano, sushi, football, chess, Tool, jogging, his backyard, hippie music, ice skating, Chopin, rasslin’, swimming, soup, tennis, sunshine, brunch, revolution and frying things. Connect with him on LinkedIn