Annie Kuster

Annie Kuster

Democratic Party

U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Tenure

2013 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

11

Predecessor

Charles Bass

Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

(2012) $1,969,579.50

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

Dartmouth College

Law

Georgetown University

Personal

Religion

Christian

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Annie Kuster (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Kuster (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District. She will not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on September 10, 2024.

Kuster announced on March 27, 2024, that she would not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Kuster was first elected in 2012 when she defeated incumbent Charles Bass (R) by nearly 5 percentage points. In 2010, Bass had defeated Kuster by less than 2 percentage points in a race to replace outgoing incumbent Paul Hodes (D).

Prior to entering Congress, Kuster worked as an attorney, a nonprofit consultant, and a healthcare and education lobbyist at the New Hampshire General Court.

Biography

Kuster was born and raised in Concord, New Hampshire. She earned her bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1978 and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984. She has served on the Board of Trustees of many community organizations, including the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Capitol Center for the Arts and Child and Family Services of New Hampshire. She is the founder of the Women's Fund of New Hampshire. In 2001, Kuster founded Newfound Strategies, LLC, a consulting and training practice that works with nonprofit clients to maximize their effectiveness and sustainability. Kuster lobbied for clients at New Hampshire General Court from 1989 to 2009.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Kuster's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2013-Present: U.S. Representative from New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District
• 1989-2009: Lobbyist at the New Hampshire General Court
• 1984: Earned J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C.
• 1978-1981: Staff member for U.S. Representative Paul Norton (Pete) McCloskey, Jr.
• 1978: Earned B.A. from Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.

Elections

2024

See also: New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024

New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (September 10 Republican primary)

New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (September 10 Democratic primary)

General election

The primary will occur on September 10, 2024. The general election will occur on November 5, 2024. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Ryan Donnelly is running in the general election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Ryan Donnelly (Independent)

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Colin Van Ostern and Becky Whitley are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 10, 2024.

		Candidate
		Colin Van Ostern
		Becky Whitley

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Annie Kuster (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 10, 2024.

		Candidate
		Bill Hamlen
		Mark Kilbane
		Vikram Mansharamani
		Robin Ng
		Jason Riddle
		Hillary Seeger
		Paul Wagner
		Lily Williams

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2022

See also: New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Incumbent Annie Kuster defeated Bob Burns in the general election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Annie Kuster (D)	55.8	171,636
		Bob Burns (R)	44.1	135,579
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	369

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 307,584
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Incumbent Annie Kuster advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 13, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Annie Kuster	99.3	48,630
		Other/Write-in votes	0.7	324

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 48,954
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 13, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Burns	33.0	21,065
		George Hansel	29.8	19,024
		Lily Williams	24.6	15,729
		Scott Black	3.5	2,211
		Jay Mercer	3.3	2,085
		Dean Poirier	3.2	2,047
		Michael Callis	1.8	1,133
		Other/Write-in votes	0.9	574

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 63,868
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jeffrey Greeson (R)
• Jeff Cozzens (R)
• Jason Riddle (R)

2020

See also: New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020

New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (September 8 Democratic primary)

New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (September 8 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Incumbent Annie Kuster defeated Steve Negron and Andrew Olding in the general election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Annie Kuster (D)	53.9	208,289
		Steve Negron (R)	43.7	168,886
		Andrew Olding (L)	2.4	9,119
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0	147

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 386,441
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Incumbent Annie Kuster defeated Joseph Mirzoeff in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 8, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Annie Kuster	92.8	71,358
		Joseph Mirzoeff	7.2	5,500

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 76,858
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Steve Negron defeated Lynne Blankenbeker, Matthew Bjelobrk, and Eli Clemmer in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 8, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Negron	48.1	30,503
		Lynne Blankenbeker	38.6	24,464
		Matthew Bjelobrk	6.9	4,381
		Eli Clemmer	6.1	3,850
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	153

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 63,351
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Gilead Towne (R)

2018

See also: New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Incumbent Annie Kuster defeated Steve Negron and Justin O'Donnell in the general election for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Annie Kuster (D)	55.5	155,358
		Steve Negron (R)	42.2	117,990
		Justin O'Donnell (L)	2.2	6,206
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	151

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 279,705 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Incumbent Annie Kuster advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 11, 2018.

		Candidate
✔		Annie Kuster

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Negron	26.0	11,166
		Stewart Levenson	25.3	10,858
		Lynne Blankenbeker	22.9	9,836
		Bob Burns	15.9	6,811
		Brian Belanger	5.6	2,388
		Jay Mercer	2.9	1,232
		Gerard Beloin	1.5	623

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 42,914
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

Justin O'Donnell defeated Tom Alciere in the Libertarian primary for U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 on September 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Justin O'Donnell	74.6	428
		Tom Alciere	25.4	146

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 574
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2016

Obama endorsement
During the 2016 election cycle Kuster was one of the candidates endorsed by President Barack Obama
Full list of Obama's 2016 endorsements

See also: New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Annie Kuster (D) won re-election, defeating Jim Lawrence (R) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Lawrence defeated Eric Estevez, Jack Flanagan, Walter Kelly, Andy Martin, Jay Mercer, and Casey Newell in the Republican primary on September 13, 2016.

U.S. House, New Hampshire District 2 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Annie Kuster Incumbent	49.8%	174,371
	Republican	Jim Lawrence	45.3%	158,825
	Independent	John Babiarz	4.9%	17,076
Total Votes				350,272
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

U.S. House, New Hampshire District 2 Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jim Lawrence	39.9%	17,180
Jack Flanagan	28%	12,046
Walter Kelly	10%	4,287
Andy Martin	7.3%	3,145
Eric Estevez	5.7%	2,443
Jay Mercer	4.9%	2,113
Casey Newell	4.3%	1,839
Total Votes		43,053
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

Kuster was one of the initial 14 members of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program. The program was designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents heading into the 2016 election.

2014

See also: New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014

Kuster won re-election to the U.S. House to represent New Hampshire's 2nd District. Kuster ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the primary on September 9, 2014, and defeated Marilinda Garcia (R) in the general election. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.

U.S. House, New Hampshire District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Annie Kuster Incumbent	54.9%	130,700
	Republican	Marilinda Garcia	44.9%	106,871
	N/A	Scatter	0.3%	613
Total Votes				238,184
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

Race background

Kuster was a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program. The program was designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents during the 2014 election cycle.

Media

• Americans for Prosperity released an ad on May 14, 2014, criticizing Kuster for her call for patience with the Affordable Care Act.

Americans for Prosperity ad attacking Kuster

2012

See also: New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2012

Kuster ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent New Hampshire's 2nd District. She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. She won the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, New Hampshire District 2 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Charles Bass Incumbent	45.4%	152,977
	Democratic	Ann McLane Kuster	50.2%	169,275
	Libertarian	Hardy Macia	4.4%	14,936
Total Votes				337,188
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Race background

The Washington Post listed the House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire in 2012 as one of the 10 states that could have determined whether Democrats retook the House or Republicans held their majority in 2013. New Hampshire ranked 10th on the list.

In February 2012, the grassroots organization Democracy for America, founded by Howard Dean, named Kuster one of the top 10 progressive candidates in the 2012 U.S. House races.

Bass staffer video

On September 26, one of Charles Bass' staffers took a video of Kuster in which the staffer followed Kuster and attempted to ask her questions until she took the camera from him and refused to return it. She returned the camera moments later, and the video was published by the conservative NH Journal on September 27. She responded by accusing Bass, and Republicans in general, of "political bullying."

Kuster used the video in an email-based fundraising campaign. This campaign was responsible for a substantial part of the $265,000 the campaign raised in the last week of September, capping off the $720,000 Kuster raised during the year's third quarter.

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Ann Kuster, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, Charles Bass won election to the United States House. He defeated Ann McLane Kuster (D), Tim vanBlommesteyn (Independent) and Howard L. Wilson (Libertarian) in the general election. U.S. House, New Hampshire District 2 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Charles Bass 48.3% 108,610      Democratic Ann McLane Kuster 46.8% 105,060      Independent Tim vanBlommesteyn 2.8% 6,197      Libertarian Howard L. Wilson 2.1% 4,796 Total Votes 224,663

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Annie Kuster did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Annie Kuster did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign advertisements

September 15, 2022

August 19, 2022

View more ads here:

• YouTube
• Facebook

2020

Annie Kuster did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2018

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Annie Kuster completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kuster's responses.

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

My top priority will continue to be fighting the opioid epidemic that is devastating communities in New Hampshire and across the country. In 2015, I created the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force in Congress that now includes over 100 Members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans. The Task Force has led the way on passage of legislation to bring millions of dollars in assistance for first responders, treatment providers, health care professionals, law enforcement, and others that are working to save lives across the Granite State. As the Ranking Member of the Veterans Affairs Committee Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I am dedicated to serving those who have served our country. I was one of two Democratic cosponsors of the VA MISSION Act that made it easier for all veterans in New Hampshire to get care in their communities and helped improve protections for whistleblowers who identify waste, fraud, and abuse within the VA. Finally, I am fighting to spur greater job creation and opportunity to help hardworking Granite Staters get ahead. Earlier this year I released my Jobs and opportunity Agenda that is focused on creating more apprenticeships and vocational training, making college more affordable, and improving child care and paid family leave.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Like voters across New Hampshire, I'm tired of the bickering and fighting in Congress and want to deliver real results for people in the Granite State. I've focused on bridging the gap between Republicans and Democrats to take meaningful action to address the opioid epidemic and improve access to care for veterans in our state. Granite State families deserve a representative who will fight for them every day. I'm eager to continue standing up for our men and women who have served in uniform, helping to end the opioid epidemic plaguing our state, and expanding economic opportunity so that every Granite Stater is able to build the future they want for their family right here in New Hampshire.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Kuster's campaign website stated the following:

“	Jobs and Opportunity: Since taking office, Annie has made creating jobs and opportunity for Granite State families her number one priority, and she’s fighting hard in Congress to ensure that all Granite Staters have the opportunity to work hard and pursue the American Dream. Her Jobs and Opportunity Agenda outlines common sense steps Congress should take to help grow New Hampshire’s economy and create good, middle class jobs for our workers. Annie also regularly hosts jobs fairs that have helped connect scores of job seekers with New Hampshire employers looking to hire. Supporting Our Military and Veterans: Annie knows firsthand the sacrifices made by our service members and their families. Annie’s father and father-in-law both served in the Invasion of Normandy 70 years ago. Today, Annie serves on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where she works to ensure our government serves veterans as well as they served us. Education: Annie knows there is no greater investment than in our children’s education, and that we cannot compete in the global economy without investing in a highly skilled workforce. That is why the very first bill Annie introduced would facilitate public-private partnerships between businesses and educators to help prepare students for the 21st century workforce. Standing Up for Seniors: Annie believes we must keep our obligation to older generations of Granite Staters who cared for us and built the world we have today. That is why she will never vote to cut the Medicare and Social Security benefits our seniors rely on and have earned. Working across the Aisle: Annie strongly believes we must responsibly reduce the federal budget deficit and pay down the national debt to ensure the long-term health of our economy. That’s why she is working across the aisle with Republicans and Democrats to cut wasteful spending and make our government more efficient. In Congress, she sponsored legislation to stop spending taxpayer money on maintaining long-empty federal bank accounts, and cosponsored legislation to save hundreds of billions of dollars by eliminating and streamlining duplicative programs.	”
—Annie Kuster's campaign website (2018)

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage and endorsements scopes.

Notable candidate endorsements by Annie Kuster

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Joanna Weiss  source  (D)	U.S. House California District 47 (2024)	Primary	Lost Primary
Colin Van Ostern  source  (D)	U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 (2024)	Primary	–
Joanna Weiss  source  (D)	U.S. House California District 47 (2024)	Primary	Lost Primary
David Trone  source  (D)	U.S. Senate Maryland (2024)	Primary	–
Haley Stevens  source  (D)	U.S. House Michigan District 11 (2022)	Primary	Won General
Joe Biden  source  (D)	President of the United States (2020)	Primary	Won General
Pete Buttigieg  source  (D)	President of the United States (2020)	Primary	Withdrew in Convention
Hillary Clinton  source  (D)	President of the United States (2016)	Primary	Lost General

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2023-2024

Kuster was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
• Communications & Technology
• Energy, Climate, and Grid Security
• Health

2021-2022

Kuster was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Agriculture
• Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit
• Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry
• Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations
• Committee on Energy and Commerce
• Energy
• Health
• Oversight and Investigations

2019-2020

Kuster was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Energy and Commerce

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Kuster was assigned to the following committees:

• Committee on Agriculture
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs

2015-2016

Kuster served on the following committees:

• Agriculture Committee
• Veterans' Affairs Committee

• Subcommittee on Health
• Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Ranking member

2013-2014

Kuster served on the following committees:

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry
  • Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
• United States House Committee on Small Business

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023

The 118th United States Congress began on January 3, 2023, at which point Republicans held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-212), and Democrats held the majority in the U.S. Senate (51-49). Joe Biden (D) was the president and Kamala Harris (D) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 22, 2023, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2024. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (310-118)
Not Voting	To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes.   H.R. 185 (To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes.) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to nullify a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) order restricting the entry of foreign citizens to the United States unless the individual was vaccinated against the coronavirus or attested they would take public health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (227-201)
Nay	Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023   The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to raise the federal debt limit before a June 5, 2023, deadline. The bill also sought to repeal certain green energy tax credits, increase domestic natural gas and oil production, expand work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, and nullify President Joe Biden's (D) proposed student loan debt cancellation program. This bill was not taken up in the Senate, and the debt limit was instead raised through the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-215)
Yea	Denouncing the horrors of socialism.   H.Con.Res. 9 (Denouncing the horrors of socialism.) was a resolution approved by the House of Representatives denouncing socialism and opposing the implementation of socialist policies in the United States. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (328-86)
Nay	Lower Energy Costs Act   The Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to increase domestic energy production and exports by increasing the production of oil, natural gas, and coal, reducing permitting restrictions for pipelines, refineries, and other energy projects, and increase the production of minerals used in electronics, among other energy production-related policies. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (225-204)
Nay	Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".   H.J.Res. 30 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and vetoed by President Joe Biden (D) on March 20, 2023. This was Biden's first veto of his presidency. The resolution sought to nullify a Department of Labor rule that amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow retirement plans to consider certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment-related decisions. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (219-200)
Nay	Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.   H.J.Res. 7 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 10, 2023. The resolution ended the national coronavirus state of emergency, which began on March 13, 2020. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (229-197)
Yea	Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023   The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 3, 2023. The bill raised the federal debt limit until January 2025. The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024, rescinded unspent coronavirus relief funding, rescinded some Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding, enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), simplified environmental reviews for energy projects, and ended the student loan debt repayment pause in August 2023. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (314-117)
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)	Speaker of the House election (January 2023) - 15th vote   In January 2023, the House of Representatives held its regular election for Speaker of the House at the start of the 118th Congress. Voting began on January 3, and ended on January 7. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was elected speaker of the House in a 216-212 vote during the 15th round of voting. In order to elect a Speaker of the House, a majority of votes cast for a person by name was required. Click here to read more.	Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) (216-212)
Yea	Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.   H.Res. 757 (Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that removed Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position as Speaker of the House. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (216-210)
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)	Speaker of the House election (October 2023) - 4th vote   In October 2023, following Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) removal as Speaker of the House, the House of Representatives held another election for the position. Voting began on October 17 and ended on October 25. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was elected Speaker of the House in a 220-209 vote in the fourth round of voting. In order to elect a Speaker of the House, a majority of votes cast for a person by name was required. Click here to read more.	Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) (220-209)
Nay	Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America, and for other purposes.   H.Res. 918 (Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America, and for other purposes.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that formally authorized an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden (D). The inquiry focused on allegations that Biden used his influence as vice president from 2009 to 2017 to improperly profit from his son Hunter Biden's business dealings. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (221-212)
Yea	Providing for the expulsion of Representative George Santos from the United States House of Representatives.   H.Res. 878 (Providing for the expulsion of Representative George Santos from the United States House of Representatives.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that removed Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from office following a House Ethics Committee investigation that determined there was substantial evidence that Santos violated the law during his 2020 and 2022 campaigns. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (311-114)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

{HouseKeyVotes117 |name= Kuster}} Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020 Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018 For detailed information about each vote, click here. Votes on domestic policy (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023. Voted Nay on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))  Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program. Voted Nay on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)  Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018 Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border. Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)  Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017 Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. Voted Yea on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)  Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017 Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally. Voted Nay on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)  Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017 Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws. Voted Nay on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)  Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017 Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Yea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Yea on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Yea on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)  Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018 Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)  Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Yea on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)  Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017 Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)  Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017 Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017 Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses. Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.) Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. Voted Nay on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)  Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017 Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills. Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)  Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017 Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts. Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)  Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017 Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Voted Nay on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)  Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017 Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts. Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)  Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017 Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017. Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand) Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)  Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)  Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018. Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. Voted Nay on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)  Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017 Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018. Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)  Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017 Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)  Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)  Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority. Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)  Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017 The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding. 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Kuster's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Kuster was one of 144 Democrats to vote against the bill. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Kuster was one of 157 Democrats to vote against the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Kuster was one of 158 Democrats to vote against the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Kuster was one of 175 Democrats to vote in favor of HR 1295. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Kuster voted with 40 Democrats and 228 Republicans to approve the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Kuster voted with 134 other Democrats and 235 Republicans to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, including Kuster, voted against the resolution. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Kuster voted with 186 Democrats and 79 Republicans in favor of the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Kuster voted with 176 Democrats to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Kuster voted with 161 Democrats for the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Kuster voted with 185 Democrats against the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Kuster voted with 185 Democrats against the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Kuster voted with 185 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favor of the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Kuster voted with 141 Democrats and 196 Republicans to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Kuster voted with 179 Democrats against the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Kuster voted with 134 Democrats and 220 Republicans to approve the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Kuster voted with 104 Democrats and 202 Republicans in favor of the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Kuster voted with 46 Democrats and 242 Republicans in favor of the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Kuster's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security NDAA Kuster supported HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote. DHS Appropriations Kuster supported HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines. Keystone Pipeline Amendment Kuster voted in favor of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines. CISPA (2013) Kuster supported HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans but divided the Democratic Party. Economy Farm Bill See also: United States Farm Bill 2013 Kuster voted against the Farm Bill on July 11, 2013. The bill passed in a 216-208 vote. The bill passed included farm policy, but did not include food stamps. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Kuster voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Kuster voted for HR 2775. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Kuster voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Repealing Obamacare Kuster has voted against all attempts to repeal or delay the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Social issues Abortion Kuster voted against HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.

Issues

King Amendment

Kuster signed a letter sent to Rep. Collin Peterson (D) in August 2013, asking him to keep Rep. Steve King's (R) amendment out of the final Farm Bill. The "Protect Interstate Commerce Act" amendment prevents states from applying their own laws on agricultural products to agricultural products from another state. King introduced the amendment in response to a law in California, requiring a larger size cage for egg-producing chickens. King represented Iowa, which was a large egg producer.

SNAP challenge

See also: United States Farm Bill 2013

In June 2013, more than two dozen House Democrats, including Kuster, took part in a SNAP challenge, feeding themselves for a week on the average benefit level of a SNAP recipient. Participants agreed to eat all meals from a limited food budget comparable to that of a SNAP participant, approximately $1.50 per meal, or $4.50 a day.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Annie Kuster campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House New Hampshire District 2	Withdrew primary	$1,722,632	$821,512
2022	U.S. House New Hampshire District 2	Won general	$4,449,498	$5,376,445
2020	U.S. House New Hampshire District 2	Won general	$3,045,110	$3,055,351
2018	U.S. House New Hampshire District 2	Won general	$3,372,279	$3,357,381
2016	U.S. House, New Hampshire District 2	Won	$3,146,656	N/A**
2014	U.S. House (New Hampshire, District 2)	Won	$3,665,168	N/A**
2012	U.S. House New Hampshire District 2	Won	$3,161,004	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only availabale data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Kuster's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $1,699,083 and $2,240,076. That averages to $1,969,579.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Kuster ranked as the 150th most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2011 and 2012, Kuster's calculated net worth increased by an average of 9 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Annie Kuster Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2011	$1,799,475
2012	$1,969,579
Growth from 2011 to 2012:	9%
Average annual growth:	9%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Kuster received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Retired industry.

From 2009-2014, 28.1 percent of Kuster's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Annie Kuster Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$8,265,892
Total Spent	$6,634,905
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Retired	$833,918
Women's Issues	$502,057
Lawyers/Law Firms	$443,650
Leadership PACs	$322,250
Democratic/Liberal	$220,868
% total in top industry	10.09%
% total in top two industries	16.16%
% total in top five industries	28.1%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Kuster was a centrist Democratic follower as of July 2014. Kuster was rated as a "centrist Democrat" in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Kuster most often votes with:

• Dan Boren
• Bob Gibbs

Kuster least often votes with:

• Janice Schakowsky
• Walter Jones

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Kuster missed 16 of 1,752 roll call votes from January 2013 to September 2015. This amounted to 0.9 percent, which was lower than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Kuster ranked 148th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Kuster voted with the Democratic Party 94.3 percent of the time, which ranked 61st among the 204 House Democratic members as of July 2014.

2013

Kuster voted with the Democratic Party 91.8 percent of the time, which ranked 158th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Kuster wrote a book with her mother, State Senator Susan McLane. The book was called The Last Dance: Facing Alzheimer’s with Love and Laughter.

Kuster lists her religious affiliation as Christian.

See also

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U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

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U.S. House New Hampshire District 2

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Charles Bass (R)	U.S. House New Hampshire District 2 2013-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

New Hampshire's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Maggie Hassan (D)

Jeanne Shaheen (D)

Representatives

District 1

Chris Pappas (D)

District 2

Annie Kuster (D)

Democratic Party (4)