Frank Kratovil

Frank Kratovil has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 1st district of the State of Maryland, since 2009 (map).

Immigration
According to his campaign website, Kratovil believes immigration reform is necessary to prosecute employers who exploit cheap labor from illegal immigrants and to increase funding for securing our borders. He wants to promote and to increase legal immigration. He does not oppose immigration because he understands that America is nation of immigrants. As a prosecutor, he believes that all citizens should abide the nation's laws and anyone who violates the laws must be prosecuted.

Balanced Budget and Spending
Kratovil says he would support passing a Constitutional amendment mandating a balanced budget every year except in times of war or national emergency, and requiring a three-fifths super-majority on all votes to raise the debt limit, enacting statutory “pay-as-you-go” rules that will prevent Congress from spending money it doesn’t have, bringing transparency to the earmark process by requiring members of Congress to submit written justification for public review before any pet projects can be approved. Kratovil wants Congress to held accountable by requiring a roll call vote on all spending bills, requiring members to actually read spending bills before voting on them, and requiring honest cost estimates for every new bill.Kratovil has also expressed support of establishing strict spending caps that limit discretionary spending increases to 2.1% annually for the next three years.He would also hold federal agencies accountable for spending by forcing them to improve their internal auditing procedures, and freezing the budget of any agency that fails to balance their books.

Energy and the Environment
Kratovil has said he will support closing regulatory loopholes that have allowed rampant speculation in the energy futures market and artificially driven up oil prices, PAYGO rules and require balanced budgets to slash the federal deficit and strengthen the dollar, making energy imports less expensive. He would also seek to expand domestic oil production, starting with the 68 million acres of leased lands that oil companies have not yet developed, aggressively promote the development of alternative energy sources through tax incentives, block grants, and funding for green-collar job training and improve energy efficiency standards for automobiles and public buildings.

Kratovil believes we need aggressive, effective and tough leadership that focuses on farm practices, vehicle emissions, storm water controls, sewage treatment plants and power plants to make progress on improving the environment. He says he would be a leader on a comprehensive federal strategy to require upstream states (Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and West Virginia) to enact stricter pollution laws to cut the flow of pollution into the Chesapeake Bay and will fight for the resources necessary to enforce those laws.

Iraq War
Kratovil says on his campaign website that he does not believe that setting a specific timetable for withdrawal will creating stability in Iraq and that doing so sends the wrong message to our troops, our enemies and to the other nations from whom we need assistance to stabilize Iraq. He also supports equipping officers with body armor, effective weaponry, reliable communications and appropriate benefits.

The Second Amendment
Kratovil has said he will fight against any attempt to arbitrarily restrict the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and that he supports vigorously enforcing the laws on the books and going after the criminals breaking those laws. He believes this is the best way to lessen gun crimes in the U.S, not adding new restrictions. Kratovil received "A" rating from NRA.

2008 elections
On February 12th, 2008, Kratovil won the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican  Andy Harris, who defeated incumbent Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.) in the Republican primary. Kratovil went on to defeat Harris in the November 2008 general election.

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Campaign contributions
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Committees

 * House Committee on Armed Services

Related SourceWatch articles

 * 2008 U.S. congressional elections
 * 2008 U.S. congressional election dates
 * Portal:Maryland and the U.S. Congress

External resources

 * 2008 Race Tracker page on Maryland's 1st Congressional District
 * Official Kratovil for Congress website

External articles

 * "Gilchrest Says He's Running Again," WBOC-TV 16 FOX 21, June 5, 2007.