By Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster and Jacob Carpenter of the Naples Daily News

Editor's note: The Daily News reviewed dozens of congressional votes and statements by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Connie Mack on 10 hot-button issues, ranging from spending to health-care reform to foreign policy.

Government spending, deficit

Bill Nelson

? Voted in favor of a bill that would increase the debt ceiling by $400 billion. Nelson said in August 2011 that the bipartisan plan wasn't perfect, but was something the country needed because "this kind of gridlock doesn't do anything" to help the economy.

? Joined the majority of Senate Democrats in voting against U.S. Rep Paul Ryan's GOP House budget.

Connie Mack

? Runs on his Penny Plan, proposed legislation cutting 1 percent of federal spending for six years, then capping federal spending at 18 percent of the gross domestic product thereafter.

? Voted against a bill to increase the debt ceiling in July 2011, saying the bipartisan deal "isn't a solution" to budget issues.

? Generally supportive of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposals, which would balance the federal budget and overhaul social programs, voting in favor of it in 2011; missed 2012 vote but his office told the Daily News he would have voted against it ? critique has been that Ryan's budget doesn't balance the budget soon enough.

Taxes

Bill Nelson

? Voted against a Republican plan that would extend Bush-era tax cuts for everyone, however, Nelson supported a Democratic proposal that would let tax cuts expire for earnings over $250,000.

? Voted in favor of a bill that provides $143 billion in tax cuts, unemployment benefits and other measures to help stimulate the economy. Nelson said in December he was pleased the House "finally agreed to do the right thing and extend tax relief for 160 million Americans."

Connie Mack

? Generally supported Bush-era tax cuts, voting to extend them this year; voted once in 2010 against extending the cuts because they weren't permanent.

? Supported bill this year that would cut corporate tax rate to 25 percent, cut tax brackets from six to two, and broaden the tax base.

? Voted in favor of Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which extends a 2 percent payroll tax, continues unemployment benefits and changes parts of Obama's health-care law regarding Medicare reimbursement rates.

Health care

Bill Nelson

? Supported, and voted for, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Nelson on his Senate website said the health-care law wasn't perfect, but was needed because "the system was broken and we had to do something."

? Opponents have blasted Nelson for his support of the president's health-care proposal and have said Nelson was the deciding vote in the Senate. PolitiFact Florida has called that claim mostly false.

Connie Mack

? Ardently opposes Obama's signature health-care law, the Affordable Care Act, co-sponsoring and voting for legislation to repeal all parts of the plan.

? Introduced legislation that would prevent federal dollars from being used to implement the Affordable Care Act.

Social issues

Bill Nelson

? Voted against a proposal to block Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds, against a budget bill that would cut funding for contraceptive and cancer screenings and received a 100 percent on the NARAL, or National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, Pro-Choice America 2011 congressional record on choice.

? Voted to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell ? a 17-year-old law that prohibited gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.

? Co-sponsored the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.

Connie Mack

? Anti-abortion-rights candidate who voted for amendment to Affordable Care Act to ban use of federal dollars for abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother's life.

? Voted against the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

? Voted in 2006 for the Federal Marriage Amendment, a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and woman.

? Breaks with majority of GOP in backing stem cell research; voted for the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, supported by 19 percent of Republicans.

Immigration

Bill Nelson

? Voted for the Dream Act ? which would have allowed undocumented immigrants who came to the United States before they turned 16 to apply for permanent residency if they meet certain requirements ? in December 2010. The measure failed, and in May, Nelson said he was open to Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's alternative "if that's the only thing we can pass." Rubio's proposal was similar to the DREAM Act, but didn't provide a path to citizenship.

? Voted in favor of the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which authorizes construction of up to 700 miles along the U.S-Mexico border.

Connie Mack

? Voted in December 2010 against the DREAM Act, saying the focus should be on securing the U.S.-Mexico border.

? Voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which authorized building up to 700 miles of fence along the border.

? Voiced opposition to the 2010 Arizona immigration law ? which, in part, allowed law enforcement officers to check the immigration status of a person stopped by the police if there was a "reasonable suspicion" the person was undocumented ? calling it "a severe blow to freedom and the principles that make our nation strong" in a statement.

Stimulus

Bill Nelson

? Voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Nelson said in a February 2009 speech on the Senate floor that the stimulus package was a "compassionate assistance that, in an economic downward spiral, only the government can provide."

Connie Mack

? One of the House Republicans who unanimously voted against Obama's stimulus plan, now estimated at $831 billion.

Environment

Bill Nelson

? Doesn't support offshore drilling off Florida's coast. Nelson in 2007 told the Florida League of Cities he was "fighting in the Senate to keep big oil companies from drilling off our coast," and in May said he wouldn't support a climate bill if it contained provisions to allow oil and gas drillers to operate off Florida's Atlantic coast.

? Opposed the Keystone XL Pipeline project, which would transport crude oil from Canada to multiple destinations in the United States.

? Supports legislation that would protect the Everglades and Florida's waterways. Nelson is the sponsor of the Everglades for the Next Generation Act and voted in favor of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.

Connie Mack

? Views on offshore drilling have wavered; has said he's a longtime opponent of offshore drilling, adding Florida voters should decide about drilling off state's coasts; one of nine Republicans to vote against ending offshore drilling moratorium in May 2011; said in April he "always said I would be for drilling."

? Supporter of building the Keystone XL Pipeline.

? Backs bills regarding Gulf Coast and Everglades restoration; voted for the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, which put nearly $2 billion into Florida environmental restoration projects.

NASA

Bill Nelson

? Supported the NASA Authorization Act of 2010. Nelson, a former astronaut, said in a July 15 statement the legislation's "goal was to preserve U.S. leadership in space exploration and keep as much of the rocket-industry talent as possible."

? Proposed legislation in 2010 that would allow space-related businesses to qualify for tax breaks.

Connie Mack

? Voted against the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, a $58 billion budget bill changing the path of the space program.

? Opposes current direction of NASA under Obama, including the shift to unmanned rockets.

Foreign afffairs

Bill Nelson

? Supported the administration's 2011 decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. Nelson said in a statement at the time that he "thinks it's time to start bringing our troops home."

Connie Mack

? Voted against a May 2011 bill to remove troops from Afghanistan; has said Congress and military officials need more dialogue about troop withdrawals.

? Largely focused foreign policy efforts on opposing the regimes of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

TARP

Bill Nelson

? Voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, commonly known as TARP. Nelson said in an Oct. 2, 2008, speech on the Senate floor that the legislation "sends a message to Wall Street that if they play fast and loose in the name of short-term profits, the government will actually make up for their losses."

Connie Mack

? Joined 76 percent of Republicans in voting against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which created the Troubled Assets Relief Program. The program allowed the U.S. government to purchase assets from financial institutions and was a component of the 2008 measures to address the subprime mortgage crisis.

? Among the 82 percent of Republicans who voted against the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, which became a $17 billion bailout of the domestic auto industry.