Nelson, Bill fl Sen

=<div>Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida introduced the Scientific Integrity Act in February; Rep. Paul Tonko of New York introduced a House version this month.2,3 Combined, they already have more than 100 cosponsors.The legislation would require agencies to create policies that provide researchers with whistleblower protections, the ability to review public communications on their research, and the right to communicate freely with the public and Congress.4"If ever there was a time that such a bill is needed, it is now," said Gretchen Goldman of the Union of Concerned Scientists in Science.1 References:1. Mervis, J. (8 February 2017). "<a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=f5c0c820f0a34fc709167c76989f5b3b45fe63e4041c159620b6ce6cb190b04ec65441e86c2d59cca6c8d13e5e0c7b7ece7a30145f2a6bb9" title="U.S. Senate bill aims to make sure federal scientists aren't 'muzzled.'" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background: transparent; outline: none;">U.S. Senate bill aims to make sure federal scientists aren't 'muzzled.'</a>" Science. 2. Nelson, B. (7 February 2017). "<a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=f5c0c820f0a34fc7b87225f034d31ab675e2869244bb1dc0c9800da2e819e235abe583481e3231dcfa0eadc6265d7c023c27f2dbc87e676b" title="S.338 - Scientific Integrity Act." id="yui_3_16_0_1_1490718841029_15669" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background: transparent; outline: none;">S.338 - Scientific Integrity Act.</a>" Congress.gov. 3. Tonko, P. (2 March 2017). "<a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=f5c0c820f0a34fc7b2fc7fc1294b5d7319aa8e575f4cbce6680bae4a7c073b7349ad1c5e2d0f198dd595be610f77ac2ec6e74488f4b2bb57" title="H.R.1358 - Scientific Integrity Act." style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background: transparent; outline: none;">H.R.1358 - Scientific Integrity Act.</a>" Congress.gov. 4. Marshall, C. (8 February 2017). "<a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=f5c0c820f0a34fc750a5c81c29ed7a6028f70a2cd91d18f81b2a835d11a7456a064cd6d5c92f519369ac1d0310288c38bc1b6fc6b3ea4bac" title="Senate Dems push bill to protect researchers." style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background: transparent; outline: none;">Senate Dems push bill to protect researchers.</a>" E&E News.</div><div>
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<div>BILL NELSON (D-FL)

Team: Clean Air Aces

Joined the League: January 3, 2001

Hometown: Tallahassee, FL </div><div>
</div><div>BIO:

Florida really has something to look forward to when

Senator Nelson’s on the field. He’s produced on climate

action and energy efficiency when it counts, and he’s

got all the potential to be one of the Aces’ All-Stars.

Earlier this season when some in Florida tried to muzzle

discussion of climate science, Nelson knocked it out of

the park with an amendment that sent the Fossil Fools

running.29 If he keeps this pace up, Florida’s clean energy

economy is going to be racking up runs.

QUOTED:

On sea levels that have risen five to eight feet in South

Florida, “[T]hat will continue to rise, unless we change the way we are

treating this home we call planet earth.”30</div><div>
</div><div> SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

« Senator Nelson has voted right across the board on

all critical votes for climate action, clean air, and clean

energy.

« On Clean Energy, Nelson supported solar and

wind but failed to vote for a nationwide renewable

electricity standard.

« Senator Nelson led the effort to fight censorship of

climate science.

STATS:

« Climate:

« Clean Air:

« Clean Energy:

« Energy Efficiency: </div><div>
</div><div>sierra </div><div></div><div>sta barbara</div><div>
</div><div><h1 class="title" itemprop="name" style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px 0px 10px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1; letter-spacing: -0.05em; position: relative;">Texas company behind California oil spill a repeat offender</h1><div id="node-12940" class="node node-type-article node-promoted clearfix" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><article class="article-content"><p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">California <a href="http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=18967" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">declared a state of emergency</a> this week following Tuesday's spill from an onshore pipeline into the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County. Responding to reports of an overwhelming smell, the local fire department discovered crude pouring into a culvert from a ruptured 24-inch pipeline that carries oil produced offshore from an Exxon Mobil processing plant to a pump station and then on to refineries.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">As much as 105,000 gallons spilled, with an estimated 21,000 gallons ending up in the ocean. The oil has contaminated some nine miles of coastline, including Refugio State Beach, and it's injured <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/photos-animals-covered-crude-oil-turn-beaches-amid-california-oil-spill-334736" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">birds and fish</a> and at least <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-probe-california-coastal-oil-spill-pipe-excavation-20150521-story.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">one sea lion</a>. The spill occurred in the same area as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_Santa_Barbara_oil_spill" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">1969 oil spill disaster</a> that helped shape the modern environmental movement.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">The cause of this latest spill remains under investigation. But the company responsible — <a href="https://www.plainsallamerican.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Plains All American Pipeline</a>, headquartered in Houston — was already on federal regulators' radar as an operator with a history of problems.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">The company has been the target of 20 federal enforcement actions since 2006,
according to an <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/santa-barbara-oil--spill-05-21-2015.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">analysis</a> of U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration data by the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit conservation group. In all, Plains racked up 175 infractions in that time — mostly for spills, many involving pipeline corrosion control and maintenance issues.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">A <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-oilspill-pipeline-20150521-story.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Los Angeles Times analysis</a> of the same federal data calculated that Plains' rate of incidents per mile of pipe is more than three times the national average. Only four companies reported more infractions. Among the states where Plains' pipelines were cited for problems were<a href="http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/reports/enforce/documents/220085001W/220085001w_warning%20letter_02072008_text.pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Mississippi and Alabama</a>. The company also <a href="https://www.plainsallamerican.com/what-we-do/view-our-assets" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">has operations in other Southern states</a> including Arkansas, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Plains' various mishaps have caused more than $23 million in property damage. But even though the company has <a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1070423/000110465915013616/a14-25277_110k.htm" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">total assets valued at over $22 billion</a>, it was assessed a total of just $115,600 in civil penalties.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Miyoko Sakashita with the Center for Biological Diversity <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/santa-barbara-oil--spill-05-21-2015.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">called</a> Plains' record "disturbing." The group noted that the company had five incidents in California in 2014 alone, including the one that dumped oil into a Los Angeles neighborhood.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Coming soon to a beach near you?<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Pipeline breaks are among the many risks that come with offshore oil and gas development.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">An <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/americas_dangerous_pipelines/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">analysis</a> of federal pipeline data commissioned last year by the Center for Biological Diversity tallied almost 8,000 serious pipeline breaks nationwide since 1986. They spilled more than 80 million gallons of pollution into waterways and caused more than 2,300 injuries and nearly $7 billion in property damage. Most of those incidents involved oil pipelines.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Residents of the Southeast Atlantic Coast could soon be facing these risks: Earlier this year, the Obama administration proposed opening an area off the coast of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia to drilling. A recent <a href="http://www.southernstudies.org/2015/04/drive-to-drill-energy-lobbyists-behind-governors-c.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">Facing South investigation</a> found that a coalition of coastal state governors led by North Carolina's Pat McCrory (R) has been working closely with politically powerful oil and gas interests to make that proposal a reality.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">The governors' pro-drilling efforts got a boost earlier this month with the <a href="http://www.oedigital.com/component/k2/item/9136-us-sen-cassidy-proposes-s-1276" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">introduction of bills</a> in the U.S. Senate to expand offshore oil and gas development. Sens. Bill Cassidy and David Vitter of Louisiana, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and John Cornyn of Texas are sponsoring a measure to extend drilling to the Eastern Gulf. Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and Tim Scott of South Carolina introduced similar legislation targeting the Atlantic, while Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska sponsored legislation to expand drilling in the Arctic. All are Republicans except Warner, a Democrat.But the Senators face opposition from within their own ranks: U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, <a href="http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/nelson-florida-under-siege" style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">introduced a bill </a>this week that would extend the current moratorium on oil drilling in the Eastern Gulf. In a floor speech, Nelson pointed to the unfolding disaster in California to illustrate what's at stake.<p style="font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">"Drilling off the coast is not what the people of Florida want," he <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/242866-florida-dem-looks-to-extend-offshore-drilling-ban" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">said</a>. "We want fishing vessels hauling in prize catches, not Coast Guard vessels skimming oil."</article></div></div></div><div></div><div>wiki</div><div>
</div><div>Clarence William "Bill" Nelson II (born September 29, 1942)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-1" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[1]</a> is an American politician and member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Democratic Party</a> who serves as the senior <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senator" title="United States Senator" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Senator</a> from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida" title="Florida" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Florida</a>, in office since 2001. Nelson began his career in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_House_of_Representatives" title="Florida House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Florida House of Representatives</a>, where he served from 1973 to 1979. He then served in the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States House of Representatives</a> from 1979 to 1991 and in January 1986, Nelson became the second sitting member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Congress</a> to fly in space. He flew as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payload_Specialist" title="Payload Specialist" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Payload Specialist</a> on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle" title="Space Shuttle" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Space Shuttle</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Columbia" title="Space Shuttle Columbia" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Columbia</a>.He retired from Congress in 1990 to unsuccessfully run for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Florida" title="Governor of Florida" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Governor of Florida</a>. He then served as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_State_Treasurer/Insurance_Commissioner/Fire_Marshal" title="Florida State Treasurer/Insurance Commissioner/Fire Marshal" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal of Florida</a> from 1995 to 2001. In <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Senate_election,2000" title="U.S. Senate election, 2000" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2000</a>, Nelson ran for and was elected to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican Senator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack_III" title="Connie Mack III" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Connie Mack III</a>. He was re-elected <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Florida,2006" title="United States Senate election in Florida, 2006" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">in 2006</a> with 60% of the vote<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-2006vote-2" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[2]</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Florida,2012" title="United States Senate election in Florida, 2012" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">in 2012</a> with 55% of the vote. In the Senate, he is generally considered a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_liberalism_in_the_United_States" title="Modern liberalism in the United States" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">liberal</a> on both social and economic issues.[beat mack 2012?]
<div id="toc" class="toc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 7px; display: table; zoom: 1;"><div id="toctitle" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; display: inline; line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Contents</h2>  [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#" id="togglelink" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">hide</a>] </div><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0.3em 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Early_and_personal_life" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">1 Early and personal life</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Spaceflight" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2 Spaceflight</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Early_political_career" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">3 Early political career</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Florida_legislature" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">3.1 Florida legislature</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#U.S.House_of_Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">3.2 U.S. House of Representatives</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#1990_gubernatorial_campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">3.3 1990 gubernatorial campaign</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Treasurer.2C_Insurance_Commissioner_and_Fire_Marshall" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">3.4 Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshall</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#United_States_Senate" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">4 United States Senate</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Elections" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">4.1 Elections</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-10" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#2000_election_campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">4.1.1 2000 election campaign</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-11" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#2006_re-election_campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">4.1.2 2006 re-election campaign</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-12" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#2012_re-election_campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">4.1.3 2012 re-election campaign</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Committee_assignments" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">4.2 Committee assignments</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Political_positions" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5 Political positions</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Central_America_Free_Trade_Agreement" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.1 Central America Free Trade Agreement</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Estate_tax" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.2 Estate tax</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-17" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Withholding_funding_from_the_CIA" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.3 Withholding funding from the CIA</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Health_care" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.4 Health care</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-19" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Abortion_rights_and_stem_cell_research" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.5 Abortion rights and stem cell research</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-20" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Space_exploration" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.6 Space exploration</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-21" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Don.27t_Ask_Don.27t_Tell" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.7 Don't Ask Don't Tell</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-22" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Same-sex_marriage" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.8 Same-sex marriage</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-23" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Government_spending" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.9 Government spending</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-24" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Taxes" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.10 Taxes</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-25" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Foreign_aid" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.11 Foreign aid</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-26" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Gun_control" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.12 Gun control</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-27" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Short_sales_and_credit_scores_of_consumers" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.13 Short sales and credit scores of consumers</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-28" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Flood_Insurance" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.14 Flood Insurance</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-29" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Interior" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">5.15 Interior</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-30" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Activities_while_in_Office" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">6 Activities while in Office</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-31" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Controversies" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">7 Controversies</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-32" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Fundraising" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">7.1 Fundraising</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-33" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Council_on_American-Islamic_Relations" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">7.1.1 Council on American-Islamic Relations</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-34" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Syria_visit" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">7.2 Syria visit</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-35" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Electoral_history" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">8 Electoral history</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-36" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#References" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">9 References</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-37" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#Further_reading" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">10 Further reading</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-38" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#External_links" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">11 External links</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Early and personal life[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=1&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Early and personal life" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h2>Nelson was born in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami" title="Miami" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Miami</a>, the only child of Nannie Merle (née Nelson) and Clarence William Nelson.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-fourh-3" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[3]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-4" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[4]</a> His ancestry includes Scottish, Irish, English, and Danish.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-5" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[5]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[6]</a> His father died of a heart attack when he was just 14 and his mother of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis" title="Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Lou Gehrig's disease</a> when he was 24.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-7" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[7]</a>He spent his youth in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne,Florida" title="Melbourne, Florida" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Melbourne, Florida</a>, where he attended <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_High_School(Melbourne,Florida)" title="Melbourne High School (Melbourne, Florida)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Melbourne High School</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-officialbio-8" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[8]</a> He grew up attending <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptist" title="Baptist" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Baptist</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church(United_States)" title="Episcopal Church (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Episcopal</a> churches but would be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immersion_baptism" title="Immersion baptism" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">baptized</a>through submersion after his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_salvation" title="Personal salvation" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">personal salvation</a> in a Baptist church. He served as President of Kiwanis-sponsored Key Club International in 1959–60.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-9" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[9]</a> In 2005, he joined the First Presbyterian Church in Orlando.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-10" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[10]</a>Nelson attended the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Florida" title="University of Florida" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">University of Florida</a>, where he was a member of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Blue_Key" title="Florida Blue Key" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Florida Blue Key</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_Theta_Pi" title="Beta Theta Pi" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Beta Theta Pi</a> social fraternity, before transferring to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_University" title="Yale University" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Yale University</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-11" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[11]</a>He received a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juris_Doctor" title="Juris Doctor" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">law degree</a> from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Virginia" title="University of Virginia" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">University of Virginia</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-whorunsgov-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[12]</a> In 1965, he joined the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Reserves" title="United States Army Reserves" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">U.S. Army Reserve</a>; he served on active duty from 1968 to 1970, attaining the rank of<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain(U.S.Army)#U.S.Army" title="Captain (U.S. Army)" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">captain</a>, and he remained in the Army until 1971. Nelson was admitted to the Florida bar in 1968, and began practicing law in Melbourne in 1970. In 1971, he worked as legislative assistant to Governor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reubin_Askew" title="Reubin Askew" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Reubin Askew</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-whorunsgov-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[12]</a>In 1972, Nelson married Grace Cavert. The couple have two adult children: Charles William "Bill Jr." Nelson,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-13" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[13]</a> and Nan Ellen Nelson.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-officialbio-8" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[8]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-14" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[14]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Spaceflight[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=2&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Spaceflight" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h2>In 1986, Nelson became the second sitting member of Congress (and the first member of the House) to travel into space. He went through NASA training with Senator<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Garn" title="Jake Garn" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Jake Garn</a> of Utah. He was a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payload_Specialist" title="Payload Specialist" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Payload Specialist</a> on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle" title="Space Shuttle" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Space Shuttle</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Columbia" title="Space Shuttle Columbia" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Columbia</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-61-C" title="STS-61-C" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">STS-61-C</a> mission from January 12 to 18, 1986. Columbia landed at Edwards AFB at 5:59 a.m. PST, on January 18. Mission elapsed time was 6 days, 2 hours, 3 minutes, 51 seconds. It was the last successful Space Shuttle flight before the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster" title="Space Shuttle Challenger disaster" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Challenger accident</a>, as the disaster occurred only 10 days after Columbia's return.<h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Early political career[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=3&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Early political career" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Florida legislature<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=4&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Florida legislature" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In 1972, Nelson was elected to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_House_of_Representatives" title="Florida House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Florida House of Representatives</a>. He won re-election in 1974 and 1976.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-wapobio-15" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[15]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">U.S. House of Representatives<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=5&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: U.S. House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>Nelson was elected to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">U.S. House of Representatives</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.House_election,1978" title="U.S. House election, 1978" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">1978</a>. He served in the U.S. House from 1979 to 1991.<h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">1990 gubernatorial campaign<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=6&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 1990 gubernatorial campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In 1990, Nelson ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Florida" title="Governor of Florida" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Governor of Florida</a>. He lost to former U.S. Senator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawton_Chiles" title="Lawton Chiles" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Lawton Chiles</a>, who went on to win the general election. During the primary campaign, Nelson tried to make an issue out of Chiles' health and age, a strategy that backfired on him in a state with a large population of retirees and senior citizens.<h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshall<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=7&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshall" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In 1994 Nelson announced his intention to seek the office of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_State_Treasurer/Insurance_Commissioner/Fire_Marshal" title="Florida State Treasurer/Insurance Commissioner/Fire Marshal" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal of Florida</a>. He won the election with 52% of the vote over State Rep. Tim Ireland's 48%. In 1998, he again defeated Ireland for his reelection to the office.In 2000, Nelson announced that he would be running for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Senate</a> seat held by retiring Republican <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack_III" title="Connie Mack III" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Connie Mack III</a>. effective January 3, 2001.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-16" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[16]</a> Florida's "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resign-to-run_laws" title="Resign-to-run laws" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">resign-to-run</a>" law requires an incumbent office holder seeking another elective office to submit an irrevocable resignation from the office they currently hold unless that tenure would end anyway before they would assume the new position if elected. The candidate may designate the effective date of the resignation to be in the future, but it must be no later than the date that they would assume the new office. This compelled Nelson to submit his resignation as Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshall early in 2000 when he began to campaign for the U.S. Senate seat. He chose January 3, 2001 as the effective date of his resignation, as that was the date new Senators would be sworn in.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-17" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[17]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Senate[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=8&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: United States Senate" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Elections<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=9&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Elections" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2000 election campaign<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=10&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2000 election campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h4><div class="hatnote relarticle mainarticle" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Florida,2000" title="United States Senate election in Florida, 2000" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Senate election in Florida, 2000</a></div>In <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Senate_election,2000" title="U.S. Senate election, 2000" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2000</a>, Nelson ran as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican Senator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack_III" title="Connie Mack III" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Connie Mack III</a>. He won the election, defeating U.S. Representative <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_McCollum" title="Bill McCollum" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bill McCollum</a>, who ran as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Republican_Party" title="United States Republican Party" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Republican</a>candidate.<h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2006 re-election campaign<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=11&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2006 re-election campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h4><div class="hatnote relarticle mainarticle" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Florida,2006" title="United States Senate election in Florida, 2006" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Senate election in Florida, 2006</a></div>Following the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_elections,2004" title="United States elections, 2004" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2004 election</a>, in which Republican <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W.Bush" title="George W. Bush" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">George W. Bush</a> was re-elected and the Republican party increased its majority in both the House and the Senate, Nelson was seen as vulnerable. He was a Democrat in a state that Bush had won, though by a margin of only five percentage points.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-watimes-18" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[18]</a>Evangelical Christian activist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dobson" title="James Dobson" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">James Dobson</a> declared that such Democrats, including Nelson, would be "in the 'bull's-eye'" if they supported efforts to block Bush's judicial nominees;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-19" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[19]</a> and Nelson's refusal to support efforts in Congress to intervene in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo_case" title="Terri Schiavo case" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Terri Schiavo case</a> was seen as "a great political issue" for a Republican opponent to use in mobilizing Christian conservatives against him.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-20" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[20]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Harris" title="Katherine Harris" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Katherine Harris</a>, the former Florida Secretary of State and two-term U.S. representative, defeated three other candidates in the September 5 Republican primary. Harris's role in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,2000" title="United States presidential election, 2000" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2000 presidential election</a> made her a polarizing figure. Many Florida Republicans were eager to reward her for her perceived party loyalty in the Bush-Gore election; many Florida Democrats were eager to vote against her for the same reason.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-sunsentinel-images-21" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[21]</a>In May, when the party found itself unable to recruit a candidate who could defeat Harris in the primary, many Republican activists admitted that the race was already lost.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-sptimes-may-22" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[22]</a>Nelson focused on safe issues, portraying himself as a bipartisan centrist problem-solver.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-sunsentinel-images-21" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[21]</a> He obtained the endorsement of all 22 of Florida's daily newspapers.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-nakedpols-23" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[23]</a> Harris failed to secure the endorsement of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeb_Bush" title="Jeb Bush" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Jeb Bush</a>, who publicly stated that she could not win; the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Chamber_of_Commerce" title="United States Chamber of Commerce" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>, which had supported her in her House campaigns, did not endorse her in this race.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-endorsements-24" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[24]</a>As the election approached, polls showed Harris trailing Nelson by 26 to 35 points.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-gonesouth-25" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[25]</a> Nelson transferred about $16.5 million in campaign funds to other Democratic candidates,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-nelsonrolls-26" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[26]</a> and won the election with 60.4% of the vote to Harris's 38.2%.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-27" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[27]</a><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2012 re-election campaign<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=12&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2012 re-election campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h4><div class="hatnote relarticle mainarticle" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Florida,2012" title="United States Senate election in Florida, 2012" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Senate election in Florida, 2012</a></div>Vice President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden" title="Joe Biden" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Joe Biden</a> called Nelson crucial to President Obama's chances for winning Florida in 2012. In March 2011, Biden was reported as having said that if Nelson lost in 2012, "it means President Obama and the Democratic presidential ticket won't win the key battleground state, either....'He's a truly, truly decent guy who has the absolute respect of his colleagues, and I've heard that from both sides of the aisle,' Biden said of his former Senate colleague."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[28]</a> Congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack_IV" title="Connie Mack IV" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Connie Mack IV</a>, the son of Nelson's direct predecessor in the Senate, won the Republican nomination. Nelson eventually defeated Mack with 55.2% of the vote to Mack's 42.2%.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[29]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee assignments<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=13&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Committee assignments" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In the 113th session of Congress (ended January 3rd, 2015), Senator Nelson served on the following committees:<ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A); line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Armed_Services" title="United States Senate Committee on Armed Services" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on Armed Services</a><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Airland" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Airland</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Emerging_Threats_and_Capabilities" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Seapower" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Seapower</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_the_Budget" title="United States Senate Committee on the Budget" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on the Budget</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Commerce,Science,and_Transportation" title="United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation</a><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Aviation_Operations,Safety,and_Security" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Oceans,Atmosphere,Fisheries,and_Coast_Guard" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Science_and_Space" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science and Space" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Science and Space</a> (Chairman)</li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Finance" title="United States Senate Committee on Finance" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on Finance</a><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Health_Care" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Health Care</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Energy,Natural_Resources,and_Infrastructure" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Social_Security,Pensions,and_Family_Policy" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Special_Committee_on_Aging" title="United States Senate Special Committee on Aging" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Special Committee on Aging</a> (Chairman)</li></ul>Nelson currently serves on the following committees for the 114th session of Congress:<ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A); line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Commerce,Science_and_Transportation" title="United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation</a> (Ranking Member)<ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Aviation_Operations,Safety,and_Security" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Communications,Technology,Innovation,and_the_Internet" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Consumer_Protection,Product_Safety,Insurance_and_Data_Security" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Oceans,Atmosphere,Fisheries,and_Coast_Guard" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Space,Science_and_Competitiveness" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Surface_Transportation_and_Merchant_Marine_Infrastructure,Safety,and_Security" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Armed_Services" title="United States Senate Committee on Armed Services" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on Armed Services</a><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Emerging_Threats_and_Capabilities" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities</a> (Ranking Member)</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Seapower" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Sea Power</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Strategic_Forces" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Strategic Forces</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Finance" title="United States Senate Committee on Finance" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on Finance</a><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Energy,Natural_Resources,and_Infrastructure" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_International_Trade,Customs,and_Global_Competitiveness" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Taxation_and_IRS_Oversight" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Special_Committee_on_Aging" title="United States Senate Special Committee on Aging" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Senate Special Committee on Aging</a></li></ul><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Political positions[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=14&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Political positions" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h2>According to ratings by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Journal" title="National Journal" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">National Journal</a>, Nelson's votes have been liberal on economic matters, moderate on social issues, and liberal but close to the center on foreign policy.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[30]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Central America Free Trade Agreement<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=15&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Central America Free Trade Agreement" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In 2005, Nelson was one of ten Democrats who voted in favor of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic%E2%80%93_Central_America_Free_Trade_Agreement" title="Dominican Republic – Central America Free Trade Agreement" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Dominican Republic – Central America Free Trade Agreement</a> (CAFTA) on its 55–45 passage in the Senate.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[31]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Estate tax<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=16&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Estate tax" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>On several occasions, Nelson has voted to reduce or eliminate the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estate_tax(United_States)" title="Estate tax (United States)" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">estate tax</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-32" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[32]</a> notably in June 2006, when he was one of four Democrats voting for a failed (57–41) cloture motion on a bill to eliminate the tax.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-33" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[33]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Withholding funding from the CIA<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=17&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Withholding funding from the CIA" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In 2007, Nelson was the only Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee to vote against an amendment to withhold funds for CIA use of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_interrogation_techniques" title="Enhanced interrogation techniques" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">harsh interrogation techniques</a> on terrorism suspects. His vote, combined with those of all Republican members of the committee, killed the measure.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[34]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Health care<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=18&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Health care" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In March 2010, Nelson voted for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act" title="Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Care_and_Education_Reconciliation_Act_of_2010" title="Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010</a>, which passed and were signed into law by President Obama.<h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Abortion rights and stem cell research<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=19&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Abortion rights and stem cell research" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>Nelson is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-choice" title="Pro-choice" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">pro-choice</a>. He voted against denying federal funding to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_Parenthood" title="Planned Parenthood" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Planned Parenthood</a> and against another bill that would have cut funding for contraception and cancer screenings. He has received a 100% rating from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NARAL" title="NARAL" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">NARAL</a>. Nelson also co-sponsored the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-Comparison-35" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[35]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Space exploration<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=20&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Space exploration" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>Nelson is seen as a major supporter of the space program. In 2010 he proposed creating as many as "five business enterprise zones as magnets for commercial space ventures". He said that "the move is expected to attract thousands of jobs to Florida's 'Space Coast' area around NASA's Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-36" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[36]</a>In March 2010 Nelson complained that Obama had made a mistake in canceling NASA's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation_program" title="Constellation program" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Constellation program</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[37]</a> On July 7, 2011, it was reported that Nelson said Congress "starved" the space program of funding for several years, but suggested that the situation was turning around and called on the Obama Administration to push for NASA funding.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[38]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Don't Ask Don't Tell<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=21&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Don't Ask Don't Tell" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>On December 18, 2010, Nelson voted in favor of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Ask,Don%27t_Tell_Repeal_Act_of_2010" title="Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[39]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-40" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[40]</a> which established a legal process for ending the policy that prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Armed_Forces" title="United States Armed Forces" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States Armed Forces</a>.<h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Same-sex marriage<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=22&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Same-sex marriage" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>On April 4, 2013, Nelson's announced he no longer opposes same-sex marriage. He wrote, "The civil rights and responsibilities for one must pertain to all. Thus, to discriminate against one class and not another is wrong for me. Simply put, if The Lord made homosexuals as well as heterosexuals, why should I discriminate against their civil marriage? I shouldn't, and I won't."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-41" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[41]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Government spending<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=23&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Government spending" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>Bill Nelson voted for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009" title="American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009</a>, often referred to as economic stimulus, proposed by President Obama.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-STAUG-42" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[42]</a> In August 2011, Nelson voted for a bill to increase the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_ceiling" title="Debt ceiling" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">debt ceiling</a> by $400 billion. Nelson said that while the bill was not perfect, "this kind of gridlock doesn't do anything." Nelson voted against <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ryan" title="Paul Ryan" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Paul Ryan</a>'s budget.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-Comparison-35" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[35]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Taxes<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=24&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Taxes" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3><div class="thumb tright" style="clear: right; float: right; margin: 0.5em 0px 1.3em 1.4em; width: auto; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><div class="thumbinner" style="min-width: 100px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 3px; text-align: center; overflow: hidden; width: 222px;">
<div class="thumbcaption" style="border: none; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px; text-align: left;"><div class="magnify" style="float: right; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nelson_Hurricane_Hunter.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge" style="text-decoration: none; display: block; text-indent: 15px; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; width: 15px; height: 11px; -webkit-user-select: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent), url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%20standalone%3D%22no%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2011%2015%22%20width%3D%2215%22%20height%3D%2211%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3Cg%20id%3D%22magnify-clip%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%23000%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cpath%20id%3D%22bigbox%22%20d%3D%22M1.509%201.865h10.99v7.919h-10.99z%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cpath%20id%3D%22smallbox%22%20d%3D%22M-1.499%206.868h5.943v4.904h-5.943z%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A); background-attachment: initial, initial; background-size: initial, initial; background-origin: initial, initial; background-clip: initial, initial; background-repeat: repeat, repeat;" /></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nelson_Hurricane_Hunter.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge" style="text-decoration: none; display: block; text-indent: 15px; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; width: 15px; height: 11px; -webkit-user-select: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent), url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%20standalone%3D%22no%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2011%2015%22%20width%3D%2215%22%20height%3D%2211%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3Cg%20id%3D%22magnify-clip%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%23000%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cpath%20id%3D%22bigbox%22%20d%3D%22M1.509%201.865h10.99v7.919h-10.99z%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cpath%20id%3D%22smallbox%22%20d%3D%22M-1.499%206.868h5.943v4.904h-5.943z%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A); background-attachment: initial, initial; background-size: initial, initial; background-origin: initial, initial; background-clip: initial, initial; background-repeat: repeat, repeat;">Sen. Nelson works with government storm trackers during a hurricane-hunter flight into the center of Hurricane Charley in August 2004</a></div></div></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nelson_Hurricane_Hunter.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge" style="text-decoration: none; display: block; text-indent: 15px; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; width: 15px; height: 11px; -webkit-user-select: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent), url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%20standalone%3D%22no%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2011%2015%22%20width%3D%2215%22%20height%3D%2211%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3Cg%20id%3D%22magnify-clip%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%23000%22%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cpath%20id%3D%22bigbox%22%20d%3D%22M1.509%201.865h10.99v7.919h-10.99z%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cpath%20id%3D%22smallbox%22%20d%3D%22M-1.499%206.868h5.943v4.904h-5.943z%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A); background-attachment: initial, initial; background-size: initial, initial; background-origin: initial, initial; background-clip: initial, initial; background-repeat: repeat, repeat;">Nelson voted against a Republican plan to extend the </a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_tax_cuts" title="Bush tax cuts" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bush tax cuts</a> to all taxpayers. Instead, Nelson supported extending the tax cuts for those with incomes below $250,000.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-Comparison-35" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[35]</a> Nelson voted for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffett_Rule" title="Buffett Rule" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Buffett Rule</a> in April 2012. Speaking of his support for the Buffett Rule, Nelson said he voted to raise the minimum tax rate on incomes over $1 million per year to 30% in order to reduce the budget deficit and to make the tax code more fair. Nelson said, "In short, tax fairness for deficit reduction just makes common sense."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-43" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[43]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Foreign aid<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=25&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Foreign aid" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>Bill Nelson voted against <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/112-2012/s196" style="text-decoration: none; padding-right: 13px; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent), url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E); background-attachment: initial, initial; background-size: initial, initial; background-origin: initial, initial; background-clip: initial, initial; background-position: 100% 50%, 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat, repeat;">Senate Bill 3576</a>, which called for a prohibition of US aid to the governments of Egypt and Libya "contingent upon the release to US authorities the aggressors who attacked our embassy and consulate in Egypt and Libya."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-government.brevardtimes.com-44" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[44]</a> The bill also would have limited aid to Pakistan until the release of Dr. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakil_Afridi" title="Shakil Afridi" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Shakil Afridi</a>, the doctor who helped the CIA trace Osama bin Laden and is currently imprisoned by the Pakistani government.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-government.brevardtimes.com-44" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[44]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Gun control<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=26&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Gun control" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>Bill Nelson is an advocate for new gun control laws including an Assault Weapons Ban and imposing a ban on magazines over ten rounds.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-45" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[45]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Short sales and credit scores of consumers<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=27&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Short sales and credit scores of consumers" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In May 2013 the Senator requested the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Trade_Commission" title="Federal Trade Commission" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Federal Trade Commission</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Financial_Protection_Bureau" title="Consumer Financial Protection Bureau" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a> investigate why consumers who go through a real estate<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_sale(real_estate)" title="Short sale (real estate)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">short sale</a> have their credit score lowered to the same degree as those who go through <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreclosure" title="Foreclosure" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Foreclosure</a>. The Senator suggested a penalty if the problem is not rectified within ninety days.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-46" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[46]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Flood Insurance<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=28&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Flood Insurance" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>Nelson voted in favor of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biggert%E2%80%93Waters_Flood_Insurance_Reform_Act_of_2012" title="Biggert–Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Biggert–Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012</a>, which required the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Flood_Insurance_Program" title="National Flood Insurance Program" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">National Flood Insurance Program</a> to raise insurance rates for some properties at high risk of flooding.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-47" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[47]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-48" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[48]</a> In 2014, following an outcry by Florida property owners facing steep flood insurance rate hikes,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-49" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[49]</a> Nelson supported legislation to provide retroactive refunds for people who have had large flood insurance rate increases due to the sale or purchase of a home, cap average annual premium increases at 15 to 18 percent and allow subsidies for insurance rates that are based on current flood maps.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-50" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[50]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Interior<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=29&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Interior" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>On June 27, 2013, Nelson co-sponsored the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmful_Algal_Bloom_and_Hypoxia_Research_and_Control_Amendments_Act_of_2013(S.1254;113th_Congress)" title="Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2013 (S. 1254; 113th Congress)" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2013 (S. 1254; 113th Congress)</a>, a bill that would reauthorize and modify the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 and would <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_bill" title="Authorization bill" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">authorize</a> the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appropriations_bill(United_States)" title="Appropriations bill (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">appropriation</a> of $20.5 million annually through 2018 for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Oceanic_and_Atmospheric_Administration" title="National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA) to mitigate the harmful effects of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algal_blooms" title="Algal blooms" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">algal blooms</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoxia(environmental)" title="Hypoxia (environmental)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">hypoxia</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-1254cbo-51" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[51]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-ThisWkHill-52" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[52]</a>Environmental activists praised him for his work on legislation to restore the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-53" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[53]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Activities while in Office[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=30&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Activities while in Office" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h2>In 2012 Nelson asked the State Department for help in solving the case of Florida woman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Albano" title="Wendy Albano" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Wendy Albano</a> murdered in Thailand.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-54" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[54]</a> This helped India and Thailand work together to solve the case.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-55" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[55]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Controversies[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=31&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Controversies" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Fundraising<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=32&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Fundraising" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>On February 17, 2009, David D. Kirkpatrick wrote that Nelson was one of three lawmakers who "were returning campaign contributions from donors listed as employees of the PMA Group, a Washington lobbying firm whose founder is under investigation for purportedly funneling money through bogus donors".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-56" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[56]</a>During his 2006 Senate campaign, according to the Open Congress website, Nelson "was accused of taking $80,000 in illegal campaign contributions from Riscorp, Inc... The Riscorp scandal involved dozens of Florida state legislators and was among the largest scandals in recent Florida history."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-57" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[57]</a><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Council on American-Islamic Relations<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=33&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Council on American-Islamic Relations" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h4>In November 2011, Ahmed Bedier, an activist linked to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_on_American-Islamic_Relations" title="Council on American-Islamic Relations" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">CAIR</a> and the Muslim Brotherhood, donated money to Nelson and co-hosted a fundraiser for him. Nelson's representatives later claimed that he "did not know about Bedier's relationship with CAIR" and that Bedier had exaggerated his closeness to the senator.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-58" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[58]</a> In November 2011 Marc Caputo of the Miami Herald wrote that the scandal over Bedier threatened the Jewish vote for Nelson, given that Bedier had called Israel a "terrorist state." Caputo noted that while "Nelson has gone to great lengths to fashion himself as pro-Israel", that was not enough for some conservative groups.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-59" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[59]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Syria visit<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Nelson&action=edit&section=34&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Syria visit" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">edit</a>]</h3>In December 2006, Bill Nelson made a trip to Syria to visit President Bashar Assad in Damascus.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-60" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[60]</a> At the time, the Bush Administration had a no contact policy with Syrian officials because "of its support of Hezbollah and Hamas, which the U.S. deems terrorist organizations".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-washingtonpost.com-61" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[61]</a> The White House press secretary commented on the trip saying, "We don't think that members of Congress ought to be going there".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-washingtonpost.com-61" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[61]</a> The State Department also disapproved of the trip, but provided logistical support to Nelson.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nelson#cite_note-62" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[62]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Electoral history</h2></div><div>==</div></div></div>