How Texas Senators and Representatives Voted on Violence Against Women Act

Votes on the Violence Against Women Act Passed 2013

Texas Delegation

Those that voted for VAWA are printed in blue.
Those that voted against VAWA printed in red.
Those not voting in green.

Texas Senators: 
   Senator John Cornyn [R] 
   Senator Ted Cruz [R]
 Texas Representatives by district number:
1  Rep. Louie Gohmert Jr.[R]
2  Rep. Ted Poe [R]
3  Rep. Sam Johnson [R]
4  Rep. Ralph Hall [R]
5  Rep. Jeb Hensarling [R]
6  Rep. Joe Barton [R]
7  Rep. John Culberson [R]
8  Rep. Kevin Brady [R]
9 Rep. Al Green [D]
10 ]Rep. Michael McCaul [R]
11 Rep. Michael Conaway [R]
12 Rep. Kay Granger [R]
13 Rep. Mac Thornberry [R]
14 Rep. Randy Weber [R]
15 Rep. Rubén Hinojosa [D]
16 Rep. Beto O'Rourke [D]
17 Rep. Bill Flores [R]
18 Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee [D]
19 Rep. Randy Neugebauer [R]
20 Rep. Joaquin Castro [D]
21 Rep. Lamar Smith [R]
22 Rep. Pete Olson [R]
23 Rep. Pete Gallego [D] 
24 Rep. Kenny Marchant [R]
25 Rep. Roger Williams [R]
26 Rep. Michael Burgess [R]
27  Rep. Blake Farenthold [R]
28 Rep. Henry Cuellar [D]
29 Rep. Gene Green [D]
30 Rep. Eddie Johnson [D]
31 Rep. John Carter [R]
32 Rep. Pete Sessions [R]
33 Rep. Marc Veasey [D]
33 Rep. Filemon Vela [D]
35 Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D]
36 Rep. Steve Stockman [R]

"a Christian land governed by Christian principles"

The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) believes that students should be taught we are a Christian nation founded on Christian principles.  I am a Christian, but do not believe this.  We are nation founded by men who had a variety of beliefs.  Some were devout Christians, others questioners of orthodoxy.  What they most detested was the imposition of governmental directives on their faith.  They designed our Constitution to limit governmental power over religion.  Our founders also knew the danger of theocracy.  Many knew English and European history and knew what had resulted from church rule.  The Constitution was designed to keep us from becoming a theocracy.  The SBOE wants to change the meaning of the First Amendment to reflect their skewed view of reality.

Texans need to come together to protect the school children of Texas.  We need to insist that changes in textbooks are made by a panel of experts in that field, men and women with academic credentials, appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House.  The experts recommendations need to be accepted on an up or down vote by the three officials.  No changes allowed.  If voted down, the experts would bring new recommendations.  There would be no issue by issue review.  Only the whole would be accepted or sent back for revision.

While political influence could be exerted, it would be wielded by two officials elected statewide and one elected by his peers in the House. Narrow ideologues would be less likely to be elected to the statewide offices or to be able to obtain a majority in the House.  I would rather take my chances with those three officials than with the SBOE.

The time has come to write our state representatives and tell them to put an end to this nonsense.  Texas does not need to be the laughing stock of the nation.  Change how education is done in Texas.  Do away with the SBOE.