Highlights:
2019: As A Democrat, Gabbard Ran For President Against Trump. According to NPR, “Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, she told CNN in an interview.” [NPR, 1/11/19]
2020: Gabbard Ended Her Run And Endorsed Biden For President. According to NBC News, “Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, has suspended her campaign for president. In a video posted to Twitter on Thursday, she said was endorsing Joe Biden for president.” [NBC News, 3/19/20]
Gabbard Praised Biden As Someone Who Would “Help Heal The Divisiveness That Has Been Tearing Our Country Apart.” According to NBC News, “Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, has suspended her campaign for president. […] ‘It's clear that Democratic primary voters have chosen, Vice President Joe Biden, to be the person who will take on President Trump in the general election,’ she said, adding that, ‘I'm confident that he will lead our country, guided by the spirit of aloha respect and compassion, and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart.’” [NBC News, 3/19/20]
Gabbard Voted With Trump 20.1% Of The Time. According to FiveThirtyEight,
[FiveThirtyEight, accessed 2/26/24]
Gabbard: “Trump’s Efforts To Intimidate Those With Dissenting Views Infringes Upon The Very Essence Of America.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “What makes us Americans has nothing to do with our skin color or political views, but rather our commitment to a set of ideals enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Trump’s efforts to intimidate those with dissenting views infringes upon the very essence of America.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 7/18/19]
Gabbard: “Trump’s Budget Guts Social Safety Nets And Dumps The Money Into The Swamp.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Trump's budget guts social safety nets and dumps the money into the swamp.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 5/14/19]
Gabbard: “Trump’s Trade-War Against China Has Damaged, Not Helped, Our Economy.” According to Twitter, “Trump’s trade-war against China has damaged, not helped, our economy, has undermined our efforts to denuclearize North Korea, and has strengthened the hand of Chinese anti-American militarists.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 2/5/19]
Gabbard: “Trump’s Trade Wars Are A Disaster.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Trump’s trade wars are a disaster. Billions in bailouts to farmers. Unstable markets for small businesses. We need trade policies that put the people first.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 2/26/19]
Gabbard Suggested That Trump Did Not “Always Act In The Best Interests Of Middle-Class Americans.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Unlike Trump, as president I’ll always act in the best interests of middle-class Americans, ensuring your family has the peace of mind being safe and secure. Working side-by-side, we can usher in the bright future of peace, human dignity, and genuine equality that you deserve.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 12/23/19]
Gabbard Said Trump’s Travel Ban Was “Completely Arbitrary And Useless.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Trump’s ‘travel ban’ is supposedly for our national security. However it doesn’t do anything to make us safer because it’s not based on a legitimate threat analysis - it is instead completely arbitrary and useless.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 6/26/18]
Gabbard: Trump Was “Pushing Us Closer & Closer To The Brink Of Nuclear Catastrophe.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Trump & warmongering politicians have failed us. They continue to escalate tensions w/ other nuclear armed countries pushing us closer & closer to the brink of nuclear catastrophe. As president, I will end this insanity.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 8/1/19]
Gabbard Criticized Trump For Hiring “Neocons” Like Bolton, Pompeo, And Haley. According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Good riddance. If Trump really was for peace, he never would have hired Bolton, Pompeo, Haley, and the rest of those neocons in the first place.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 9/10/19]
Gabbard Accused Trump Of Trying To “Help Saudi Arabia Develop Nuclear Weapons.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “President Trump’s recent decision to allow U.S. companies to sell Saudi Arabia nuclear technology is both mind-blowing and inexplicable. How does it serve our interests to help Saudi Arabia develop nuclear weapons?” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 4/1/19]
Gabbard: “By Vetoing War Powers Act, Trump Again Proves He’s The Servant Of Saudi Arabia.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “By vetoing War Powers Act, Trump again proves he’s the servant of Saudi Arabia—the theocratic dictatorship spending billions spreading the most extreme & intolerant form of Islam around the world, supporting al-Qaeda & other jihadists, & waging genocidal war in Yemen w/ US help.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 4/17/19]
Gabbard: “Trump Awaits Instructions From His Saudi Masters.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Trump awaits instructions from his Saudi masters. Having our country act as Saudi Arabia's bitch is not ‘America First.’” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 9/15/19]
Gabbard: “It’s A Mistake For Trump To Think His Friendship With Kim Jong-Un Is Enough To Achieve Denuclearization Of The Korean Peninsula.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “It’s a mistake for Trump to think his friendship with Kim Jong-un is enough to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. US policy needs to change so leaders like Kim know they can rely on a US pledge not to overthrow their govt if they give up their nukes.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 5/31/19]
Gabbard: “Trump's Missile Attack On Syria Is Dangerous, Rash And Unconstitutional.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “President Trump's missile attack on Syria is dangerous, rash and unconstitutional.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 4/7/17]
Gabbard Said Trump’s Decision To Pull Out Of The Iran Nuclear Deal “Dangerously Damages Our Country’s Credibility And Undermines The Safety & Security Of The American People.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal dangerously damages our country’s credibility and undermines the safety & security of the American people.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 5/8/18]
Gabbard: “Trump’s Decision To Charge Assange Under The Espionage Act Will Have A Serious Chilling Effect On Our Freedom Of Speech And Freedom Of The Press.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Trump’s decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act will have a serious chilling effect on our freedom of speech and freedom of the press. It also undermines our democracy by keeping crucial information from the American people that they deserve to know.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 6/5/19]
2019: Gabbard Voted To Condemn Trump’s Racist Comments Suggesting That Certain Members Of Congress Should “Go Back” To Other Countries. In July 2019, Gabbard voted for a resolution that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, “express the sense of the House of Representatives condemning President Trump's recent ‘racist’ comments suggesting that certain members of Congress should ‘go back’ to other countries and stating that his comments have ‘legitimized and increased fear and hatred’ toward people of color and naturalized American citizens. It would express support for policies ‘keeping America open’ to individuals lawfully seeking refuge and asylum and affirm that immigrants and their descendants have made America stronger.” The vote was on adoption. The House adopted the resolution by a vote of 240-187. The resolution was never taken up in the Senate. [House Vote 482, 7/16/19; Congressional Quarterly, 7/16/19; Congressional Actions, H.Res.489]
Gabbard: Trump Was “Fomenting” Bigotry “For Political Gain.” According to Gabbard’s Twitter, “Trump is shamelessly trying to foment religious bigotry against #IlhanOmar & all Muslims, based on the horrendous actions of a few individuals claiming to be Muslim. This is the very definition of religious bigotry & Trump is fomenting it for political gain. Dangerous & sad.” [Twitter, @TulsiGabbard, 4/14/19]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted For Forcing The Release Of Trump’s Tax Returns. In July 2018, Gabbard voted against a motion to kill a resolution demanding a release of Trump’s tax returns. According to Congressional Quarterly, the vote was on a “motion to appeal the ruling of the Chair that the Cicilline resolution related to the disclosure of President Trump’ tax returns does not constitute a question of the privileges of the House.” The vote was on a motion to table a motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. The House adopted the motion, effectively killing the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair and thus the resolution by a vote of 235 to 190. [House Vote 392, 7/19/17; Congressional Quarterly, 7/19/17]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted To Force The Release Of President Trump’s Tax Returns. In June 2017, Gabbard voted against a motion to kill a resolution demanding a release of Trump’s tax returns. According to The Hill, “House Republicans on Wednesday rejected yet another effort from Democrats to make President Trump’s tax returns available to Congress, coming on the eve of former FBI Director James Comey’s expected bombshell testimony. It’s the ninth time since late February that Democrats have forced a House floor vote on a resolution directing the committee with jurisdiction over the tax code to request Trump’s tax returns from the last decade.” The vote was on a motion to table a motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. The House adopted the motion, effectively killing the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair and thus the resolution by a vote of 228 to 186. [House Vote 292, 6/7/17; The Hill, 6/7/17]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted To Force The Release Of President Trump’s Tax Returns. In March 2017, Gabbard voted against a motion to kill a resolution that would have, according to The Hill, “order[ed] the committee with jurisdiction over the tax code to request copies of Trump’s tax returns.” The vote was on a motion to table a motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. The House adopted the motion, effectively killing the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair and thus the resolution by a vote of 229 to 188. [House Vote 261, 5/17/17; The Hill, 5/17/17]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted To Force The Release Of 15 Years Of President Trump’s Tax Returns. In March 2017, Gabbard voted against a motion to kill a resolution that would have, according to The Hill, “directed the House to request 15 years’ worth of Trump’s tax returns so lawmakers could determine whether he is violating the ‘Emoluments Clause’ of the Constitution. The cause prohibits government officials from receiving gifts or payments from foreign leaders.” The vote was on a motion to table a motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. The House adopted the motion, effectively killing the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair and thus the resolution by a vote of 228 to 190. [House Vote 201, 3/28/17; The Hill, 3/28/17]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted To Force The Release Of Ten Years Of President Trump’s Tax Returns. In March 2017, Gabbard voted against a motion that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “appeal[ed] the ruling of the Chair that the Crowley resolution related to the disclosure of President Trump’s tax returns does not constitute a question of the privileges of the House.” The vote was on a motion to table a motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. The House adopted the motion, effectively killing the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair and thus the resolution by a vote of 223 to 183. [House Vote 161, 3/15/17; Congressional Quarterly, 3/15/17]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted To Force The Release Of Ten Years Of President Trump’s Tax Returns. In March 2017, Gabbard voted against a motion to kill a resolution that would have, according to The Hill, “[instructed] the House to request 10 years of Trump’s tax returns so that they can be considered by the House Ways and Means Committee in a closed session. Under a provision of the Internal Revenue Code, the chairmen of the Ways and Means Committee, Senate Finance Committee and Joint Committee on Taxation can request tax-return information from the Treasury Department.” The vote was on a motion to table a motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. The House adopted the motion, effectively killing the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair and thus the resolution by a vote of 227 to 186. [House Vote 128, 3/7/17; The Hill, 3/7/17; Congressional Quarterly, 3/7/17]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted To Force The Release Of Ten Years Of President Trump’s Tax Returns. In February 2017, Gabbard voted against a motion to kill a resolution that would have, according to The Hill, “directed the House to request 10 years of Trump’s tax returns, have the House Ways and Means Committee review them in a closed session and then vote to send the information in the returns to the full House.” The legislation would have specifically, also according to The Hill, “force[d] a House floor vote on a resolution to request President Trump’s tax returns.” The vote was on a motion to table a motion to appeal the ruling of the chair. The House adopted the motion, effectively killing the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair and thus the resolution by a vote of 229 to 185. [House Vote 101, 2/27/17; The Hill, 2/27/17; Congressional Quarterly, 2/27/17]
2020: Gabbard Voted For An Amendment To The FY 2020 Minibus Spending Bill That Prohibited The State Department From Spending Money At Hotels And Golf Resorts Affiliated With The Trump Organization. In June 2019, Gabbard voted for an amendment to the FY 2020 minibus appropriations bill, which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, “prohibit the use of funds made available by the bill for a number of purposes, including to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty, to enter into contracts and agreements with business entities connected to President Donald Trump, or to provide military education and training to the government of Saudi Arabia. It would also make adjustments to a number of funds related to nonproliferation and anti-terrorism, international economic assistance, and foreign development.” The vote was on adoption. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of 231-187, but the related bill was never taken up in the Senate. [House Vote 332, 6/19/19; Congressional Quarterly, 6/19/19; Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.348; Congressional Actions, H.R.2740]
2018: Gabbard Effectively Voted For Amending A Financial Reform Bill To Clarify That Nothing In The Underlying Bill Could Benefit The President, His Family, Or Other Senior Executive Branch Officials. In March 2018, Gabbard effectively voted for an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “prevent[ed] changes in financial regulations in the bill from being made at the request of, or for the personal gain of, the president, a member of his family, or other senior Executive Branch official.” The underlying legislation, also according to Congressional Quarterly, “requires federal financial regulators to tailor their rules and regulations on covered institutions in a manner that is appropriate to the business models of the different types and classes of financial institutions. It would apply to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Fed), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).” The vote was on a motion to recommit. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 182 to 232. [House Vote 107, 3/14/18; Congressional Quarterly, 3/14/18; Congressional Quarterly, 3/14/18; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1116]
2017: Gabbard Effectively Voted To Prevent The President From Making Public Communications That Refer To Businesses Where The President Has Equity In, Including Statements Advocating On Behalf Of The Business. In March 2017, Gabbard effectively voted for an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “prohibit[ed] the president from making public communications that refer to a business in which the president has an equity interest and would prohibit the president from publically advocating on behalf of such business interests.” The underlying legislation would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “require[d] federal agencies to maintain and regularly update detailed online databases of regulatory actions taken and pending before the agency.” The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 189 to 232. [House Vote 125, 3/2/17; Congressional Quarterly, 3/2/17; Congressional Quarterly, 3/2/17; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1004]
2019: Gabbard Voted For Legislation Undoing Some Of The Trump Administration’s Changes To The CFPB, Including Re-Establishing The CFPB Office Of Students And Young Consumers And Restoring The Enforcement Powers Of The Office Of Fair Lending And Equal Opportunity. In May 2019, Gabbard voted for a legislation that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “require[d] the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to reissue a 2017 rule prohibiting arbitration agreements between consumers and providers of consumer financial products, such as credit card companies, that bar consumers from participating in class action lawsuits against providers.” In addition, also according to Congressional Quarterly, “the bill, as amended, that would statutorily clarify and establish certain objectives, authorities, and offices of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Among provisions related to CFPB organization and authorities, the bill would require the CFPB director to ensure each statutorily established functional unit of the agency performs its assigned duties and functions; require the director to provide ‘adequate staff’ to each unit to carry out these functions; and prohibit the director from reorganizing or renaming such units. It would statutorily reestablish a CFPB Office of Students and Young Consumers to inform students and young people about education-related savings, loans, and debt. It would statutorily authorize the CFPB Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity to carry out any supervisory and enforcement activities regarding fair lending laws. It would statutorily designate the CFPB as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, replacing any references in federal laws and documents to the ‘Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.’ Among other provisions, the bill would require the CFPB director to ensure the number and duties of political appointees on staff match those of such appointees at other federal financial regulatory agencies. It would add certain qualifications for CFPB consumer advisory board members, urging the CFPB director to appoint certain experts and representatives, including experts in consumer protection, community development, and fair lending, and representatives of communities ‘significantly impacted’ by higher-priced mortgage loans. It would require the CFPB database of consumer complaints to remain publicly available on the CFPB website. As an offset for its provisions, the bill, as amended, would reduce by a total of $38 million the amount of discretionary surplus funds that may be held by the Federal Reserve. As amended, the bill would require the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to reissue a 2017 rule prohibiting arbitration agreements between consumers and providers of consumer financial products, such as credit card companies, that bar consumers from participating in class action lawsuits against providers. It would reinstate memoranda of understanding between the CFPB and Education Department regarding coordination of oversight related to federal student loans.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 231 to 191. [House Vote 228, 5/22/19; Congressional Quarterly, 5/22/19; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1500]
2018: Gabbard Voted Against Nullifying The CFPB’s 2013 Indirect Auto Lending Rule Which Attempted To Reduce Auto Lending Discrimination. In April 2018, Gabbard voted against legislation that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “nullify and disapprove of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that provides guidance to third parties that offer indirect financing for automobile loans. The rule states that such third party lenders are treated as creditors under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the lenders may not mark up the rate of an indirect loan in relation to a borrower’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or receipt of income from any public assistance program.” The vote was on passage legislation. The House passed the bill by a vote of 234 to 175. President Trump signed the resolution into law. [House Vote 171, 5/8/18; Congressional Quarterly, 4/17/18; Congressional Actions, S. J. Res. 57]
2020: Gabbard Effectively Voted For Requiring Banks To Invest In Areas Where They Have Offices. In June 2020, Gabbard voted for a joint resolution that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, “provide for congressional disapproval of a May 2020 Office of the Comptroller of the Currency rule modifying criteria used to evaluate bank compliance under the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act, which established a framework to evaluate and incentivize activities by banks to provide credit and make investments in low- and moderate-income areas. Among other provisions, the rule would expand the list of qualifying community reinvestment activities and modify criteria to determine deposit-based assessment areas for banks that do not rely on physical branches. The rule is currently scheduled to go into effect on October 1, 2020. Under the provisions of the joint resolution, the rule would have no force or effect.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 230-179. The bill died in the Senate. [House Vote 129, 6/29/20; Congressional Quarterly, 6/29/20; Congressional Actions, H.J.Res.90]
2020: Gabbard Voted For Overturning A Trump Administration Rule That Rolled Back Protections For Student Loan Borrowers. In June 2020, Gabbard voted for overriding President Trump’s veto on a joint resolution that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, “provide for congressional disapproval of a September 2019 Education Department rule establishing new policies related to federal student loan forgiveness for borrowers who attended schools that committed fraud or any type of institutional misrepresentation, requiring such borrowers to demonstrate financial harm as a result of the fraud to receive complete or partial cancellation of student loan debt. The rule would also allow for mandatory arbitration agreements related to such claims and require borrowers to file claims within three years of leaving an institution. The rule is currently scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2020. Under the provisions of the joint resolution, the 2019 rule would have no force or effect, and October 2016 rules that provide for complete cancellation of federal student loan debt for defrauded borrowers would be effectively maintained.” The vote was on passage over President Trump’s veto. The House failed to override the President’s veto by a vote of 238-173. [House Vote 120, 6/26/20; Congressional Quarterly, 6/26/20; Congressional Actions, H.J.Res.76]