The effect of selected demographic characteristics on defense expenditure voting behavior of members of the United States House of Representatives
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Abstract
This thesis explores the relationships between the demographic characteristics of a Representative's Congressional District and his voting behavior on defense expenditure bills. The study covers 433 congressional districts, and includes the interaction of eight demographic characteristics in each district with the voting behavior of the Representative based on five major defense bills. The primary purpose of the thesis is to determine if there is a relationship between the characteristics of the constituency and the manner in which the Representative votes on defense bills. Special attention is focused on the supposition that if a military installation or prime defense contractor is located in a congressional district, its presense will induce a Representative to vote for continued if not increased defense expenditures.