AAUW Action Fund Congressional Voting Record 115TH CONGRESS (January 2017-September 2018)
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AAUW Action Fund Congressional Voting Record 115TH CONGRESS (January 2017-September 2018) Dear AAUW Action Fund advocates, oliticians and policy makers routinely make decisions about issues that directly affect Pwomen and families. The 115th Congress saw legislative victories and defeats on issues impacting women and girls, ranging from attacks on Title IX and defunding Planned Parenthood to bipartisan legislation increasing women’s and girls’ access to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). To create real change, women must be part of the conversation, and one of the most powerful places for us to chime in is at the polls. The AAUW Action Fund Congressional Voting Record serves as an accountability tool inside and outside of Washington, D.C. for AAUW members and supporters, providing information about how elected federal legislators vote on critical issues. AAUW and its members and supporters have a long history of lobbying Congress and holding legislators accountable for how they vote on AAUW priorities. We’ve utilized various AAUW and AAUW Action Fund advocacy tools, including the Congressional Voting Record, to remind members of Congress that women are paying attention and will hold candidates’ feet to the fire for their actions—or inactions—on issues important to women and their families. The AAUW Action Fund It’s My Vote: I Will Be Heard campaign harnesses the power of our advocates to increase voter registration and turnout among young women voters, in turn fostering a generation in establishing lifelong voting habits. Using this Congressional Voting Record is a powerful way to ensure that elected officials are held accountable—before and after the election—on critical policy issues for women and families. The voting record will be used alongside our voter education resources to promote get-out-the-vote efforts such as issue forums, town halls, candidate debates, and local events in communities and on college campuses. These programs and resources help AAUW and AAUW Action Fund members and supporters educate local communities on important issues and policy makers’ records, and they demonstrate—particularly to women voters—what’s at stake as they head to the polls. Candidates and public officials must understand they need to speak to and act on issues important to women because they will be held accountable. We hope you raise your voice and join us in the fight for gender equity, not just on Election Day, but year-round. Sincerely, Julia Brown Kimberly Churches Chair, Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer AAUW ACTION FUND CONGRESSIONAL VOTING RECORD | 115th CONGRESS 3 About the Congressional Voting Record his voting record covers the 115th Congress and is distributed to every member of Congress. TScored legislation was selected on the basis of the AAUW Public Policy Priorities, voted on and adopted by the AAUW membership in June 2017. These priorities include economic security, education, and civil rights. The voting record lists bill cosponsorships and roll call votes officially recorded on the floor of the U.S. Senate or the U.S. House of Representatives. The voting record is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of any member of Congress. As a result of her or his votes and cosponsorships, each legislator earns a percentage rating for her or his support of AAUW priorities. This rating does not indicate the full extent of a legislator’s support of or opposition to AAUW positions. A vote in accordance with AAUW’s position is designated by a +. A vote contrary to AAUW’s position is designated by a -. A blank indicates that no vote was cast. AAUW also scores legislators based on their cosponsorship of key legislation. Cosponsorship demonstrates a member’s commitment to the issue and gives the bill momentum. Scoring cosponsorships is another way to hold policy makers accountable to their constituents. If a member of Congress cosponsors a bill that AAUW supports, it is designated in the vote charts by a +. An I indicates that the legislator was not in office at the time of the vote or cosponsorship opportunity. Votes and cosponsorship are given the same weight for scoring purposes in this voting record. A legislator’s final score is calculated from the votes and cosponsorships for which she or he was present. For more information contact the AAUW Action Fund at 202/785-7793 or [email protected]. 4 AAUW ACTION FUND CONGRESSIONAL VOTING RECORD | 115th CONGRESS VOTE DESCRIPTIONS SENATE ECONOMIC SECURITY Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 819) (Cosponsorship) McConnell Amendment to the American Health Care Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the Paycheck Act of 2017 (S. Amdt. 667 to S. Amdt. 267 to H.R. 1628) Fairness Act (S. 819) on April 4, 2017. The Senate- The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a comprehensive introduced bill, which is a companion to the House health care reform law enacted in March 2010. The legislation by the same name, would provide much- ACA has greatly improved women’s access to quality, needed updates to the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by affordable health care. Since its enactment, millions of strengthening penalties for equal pay violations; Americans, including 55 million women, have access to prohibiting retaliation against workers who inquire preventive services without cost sharing.3 More women about employers’ wage practices or disclose their of reproductive age were also insured as a result of the wages; banning the use of prior salary history in setting ACA. The number of uninsured women ages 15 to 44 future pay; requiring the EEOC to collect pay data; years old dropped during the first two full years of ACA and providing incentives and technical assistance to implementation.4 The ACA has improved women’s employers to help them comply with the law. health and economic security. These positive changes As AAUW’s research shows, women of every race and underscore the need for a robust ACA, and AAUW urged ethnicity experience a gender pay gap. In 2017, women members of Congress to oppose any efforts to gut or working full time in the United States typically were repeal the law. paid just 80 percent of what men were paid, a gap of Since the enactment of the ACA, the Republican majority 20 percent.1 The gap has narrowed since the 1970s, due in Congress made consistent attempts to repeal the largely to women’s progress in education and workforce Obama administration’s signature legislation. Citing participation and to men’s wages rising at a slower rate. numerous perceived failures of the ACA, the Trump But progress has stalled in recent years, closing by less administration also advocated to carry out its signature than 5 cents in the 21st century. That is why we need the campaign promise of repealing Obamacare. Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill would arm employees, During the summer of 2017, the Senate took up debate employers, and the government with new tools to help of the House-passed ACA repeal bill with amendments. close the wage gap. The Paycheck Fairness Act provides This damaging proposal would have led to increases the much-needed assistance to battle the pervasive pay in health insurance costs, covered fewer medical gap that affects so many women and people of color, expenses for most Americans, and limited access to 2 which is why we urged Senators to cosponsor the bill. health care for millions of women. The proposal would Cosponsorship of the bill is designated by a +. have also defunded Planned Parenthood, resulting in 1 AAUW, “It’s Time to Close the Gender Pay Gap,” September 12, 2018, 4 Guttmacher Institute, “Dramatic Gains in Insurance Coverage for https://www.aauw.org/article/its-time-to-close-the-gender-pay-gap/. Women of Reproductive Age Are Now in Jeopardy,” January 17, 2018, https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2018/01/dramatic-gains- 2 AAUW, “AAUW Letter to Congress Urging Cosponsorship and Passage insurance-coverage-women-reproductive-age-are-now-jeopardy. of the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 819/H.R. 1869),” June 7, 2018, https://www.aauw.org/files/2018/06/S819-HR1869-Letter-Urging- 5 AAUW, “AAUW Letter Opposing the Health Care Freedom Act,” July Cosponsorship-Passage-of-Paycheck-Fairness-Act-060718-nsa.pdf. 28, 2017, https://www.aauw.org/files/2017/01/AAUW-Senate-ACA- Repeal-Oppose-Letter-7.27.17-nsa.pdf. 3 Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR) Office of Budget (OB), “FY 2017 Budget in Brief – CMS – PHI,” HHS.gov, February 12, 2016, https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy2017/budget-in-brief/ cms/private-insurance-programs/index.html. AAUW ACTION FUND CONGRESSIONAL VOTING RECORD | 115th CONGRESS 5 VOTE DESCRIPTIONS many women losing access to key preventive services, EDUCATION including birth control.5 In a dramatic turn of events Confirmation of Betsy DeVos to Serve as U.S. Secretary during a late-night vote, the Senate’s attempt to repeal of Education the ACA was rejected (49-51). On November 23, 2016, then President-elect Donald A vote for this amendment is designated by a -. First Trump announced his nomination of Betsy DeVos to Session Roll Call #179, July 28, 2017 serve as U.S. Secretary of Education. The Michigan native and well-known champion of school choice drew sharp Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) criticism from many education and civil rights groups, In fall 2017, the majority in Congress, with the support of including AAUW, for her lack of experience in classrooms the Trump administration, spearheaded legislative efforts or in public schools. Prior to her hearing, AAUW to overhaul the tax system. The ensuing legislation expressed grave concerns regarding DeVos’ nomination, would cost $1.5 trillion over ten years and would benefit noting that she had been conspicuously silent on the corporations and wealthy taxpayers.6 AAUW is dedicated importance of Title IX and other civil rights laws and had to advancing the economic, social, and physical well- advocated against public education.9 being of all women and families.7 The Tax Cuts and Jobs The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor Act does not address these critical needs.