Mike Bishop (MI-08) Swamp Creature

Significant Findings

 Bishop received almost $1.5 million in taxpayer funded salary

 Bishop voted with his party 96 percent for the time, including for Republican tax scam and health care repeal & ripoff bills

 Bishop joined lobbying firm 9 days after leaving Michigan Senate, though never registered as lobbyist

 As State Senator, Bishop admitted Michigan’s largest foreclosure law firm helped write foreclosure relief bill

 As State Senator, “single handedly killed” deal to build second bridge between Detroit and Windsor after accepting donations from Moroun family

 Bishop opposed auto bailout, supported Right-to-Work legislation, and supported Trade Promotion Authority

 Bishop called for Social Security privatization

Biography

Mike Bishop is a Member of Congress representing Michigan’s 8th Congressional District and has served in that position since 2015.

 Graduated from University of Michigan in 1989, and earned his law degree from MSU College of Law  Licensed real estate broker; owned two real estate businesses  Served in Michigan State House from 1999 to 2002  Served in Michigan State Senate from 2003 until 2010, in the seat previously held by his father; served as Senate Majority Leader from 2007 until 2010

Bishop Benefitted From The Perks Of Congress

Bishop Has Received Almost $1.5 Million In Taxpayer Funded Salary

Today, Bishop receives a Congressional salary of $174,000. Over his two years in Congress, Bishop has received a total of $522,000 in taxpayer-funded salary.

Year Congressional Salary 2015 $174,000 2016 $174,000 2016 $174,000 TOTAL $522,000.00 [Congressional Research Service, 6/21/16]

Bishop served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002, and the Michigan State Senate from 2003 to 2010. He served as Michigan Senate Majority Leader from November 2006 until he left the Senate, a position that earns a supplemental salary.

Over his 12 years in the Michigan Legislature, Bishop earned $1,150,285 in taxpayer funded salary and expense allowance.

Year Salary Expense Allowance Supplemental Salary 1999 55,054 10,000 2000 56,981 10,000 2001 77,400 12,000 2002 79,650 12,000 2003 79,650 12,000 2004 79,650 12,000 2005 79,650 12,000 2006 79,650 12,000 2007 79,650 12,000 26,000 2008 79,650 12,000 26,000 2009 79,650 12,000 26,000 2010 79,650 12,000 26,000 TOTAL $906,285 $140,000 $104,000 [Compensation of Michigan Legislators, June 2002; Detroit Free Press, 4/12/17]

Bishop Joined Lobbying Firm 9 Days After Leaving Michigan Senate, Though Never Registered As Lobbyist

Bishop Joined Clark Hill PLC Immediately After Leaving The Michigan Senate. “Former Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop has a new job as a member of the law firm Clark Hill PLC. Bishop, R-Rochester, whose 12 years in the Legislature ended in December, will be a member in the Detroit-based firm’s government and public affairs group. He will work in its Birmingham office, focusing on public policy, business law and government relations…He starts at Clark Hill on Monday.” [Crain’s Detroit Business, 1/07/11]

Left Clark Hill In August 2012.

[Mike Bishop LinkedIn Page, accessed 5/20/15]

Clark Hill Has Been A Registered Lobbying Firm In Michigan Since 1983.

[Michigan Department Of State Lobbyist Registry, accessed 6/1/15]

NOTE: Bishop has NEVER been a registered lobbyist

Clark Hill Is Active In Federal Lobbying. “Our team is an established leader in government relations in state capitols and Washington, D.C. We offer complete direct lobbying services and representation at the federal, state and local levels.” [ClarkHill.com, accessed 6/05/15]

Earned $2,000 From Lansing Lobbying Firm While Running For Congress In 2014

Earned $2,000 From Capitol[sic] Strategies Group Of Lansing In 2014.

[Michael Bishop Personal Financial Disclosure, 5/08/15]

Capitol Strategies Group Is A Full Service Lobbying Firm. “Capitol Strategies Group is a full service lobbying firm committed to delivering results for our clients. When your business or organization is impacted by the decisions made by lawmakers and regulators, it is vital to have experts facilitate and execute targeted plans to ensure your interests are protected. This is why major companies, trade associations and other organizations come to Capitol Strategies Group for guidance and results.” [CSGMI.com, accessed 8/16/15]

Capitol Strategies CEO Matthew Miner Served As Bishop’s Senate Chief Of Staff. “Matthew spent over 15 years working on the inside of state government going on to become one of the youngest individuals to be named chief of staff to a Senate Majority Leader in 2007. In his position as Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Michael D. Bishop…In 2010, Matthew left the Senate and co-founded Capitol Strategies Group.” [CSGMI.com, accessed 8/16/15]

Bishop Did Not Disclose Any Income From Capital Strategies In April 2015 Filing Covering January 2013 Through June 2014, Suggesting Fees Were Paid After June 2014. Bishop’s Financial Disclosure report covering the period of January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 makes no reference to any income from or relationship with Capital Strategies Group. [Bishop Personal Financial Disclosure, 4/12/15]

April 2014: Bishop Announced Bid For Michigan 8th Congressional District. “Former state Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop is running for Congress to replace Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. The Republican leader announced his bid Wednesday, saying he will ‘stand up to the liberal policies of the Obama administration.’ Bishop says he’ll work to cut federal spending and repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law, which he calls a ‘job-killing disaster.’” [AP State and Local Wire, 4/02/14]

Accepted $19,038 In Meals, Travel, And Expenses From Lobbyists While In Michigan Legislature

Bishop Accepted $19,038 In Meals, Travel, And Expenses While In Michigan Legislature

Lobby Name-ID# Type of Expense Amount ALTICOR INC (FORMERLY AMWAY CORPORATION) - L000928 Individual Food & Beverage $117.62 BROWN, JOHN H - A009175 Individual Food & Beverage $83.75 BROWN, JOHN H - A009175 Individual Food & Beverage $113.09 DAMERON, MICHAEL T - A007983 Individual Food & Beverage $62.41 DAMERON, MICHAEL T - A007983 Individual Food & Beverage $102.37 DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER - L002349 Travel & Lodging $1,090.53 DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER - L002349 Travel & Lodging $1,032.00 DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER - L002349 Travel & Lodging $734.52 DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER - L002349 Travel & Lodging $660.92 DOERR, ANDREW - A008794 Individual Food & Beverage $137.90 DTE ENERGY COMPANY - L008768 Individual Food & Beverage $125.50 DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC - A001118 Financial Transactions $2,516.33 DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC - A001118 Travel & Lodging $1,316.24 ELHENICKY, ROBERT - A007547 Individual Food & Beverage $109.57 FORD MOTOR COMPANY - L000535 Individual Food & Beverage $62.42 GENERAL MOTORS LLC - L011115 Individual Food & Beverage $158.14 GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES INC - A000027 Individual Food & Beverage $77.77 GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES INC - A000027 Individual Food & Beverage $99.57 GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES INC - A000027 Individual Food & Beverage $127.79 GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES INC - A000027 Individual Food & Beverage $130.57 GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES INC - A000027 Individual Food & Beverage $144.25 GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES INC - A000027 Individual Food & Beverage $211.68 GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES INC - A000027 Individual Food & Beverage $189.71 GRANT, RHONDA K - A004381 Individual Food & Beverage $87.76 GRANT, RHONDA K - A004381 Individual Food & Beverage $121.07 HUTCHINSON, CAROL L - A010101 Individual Food & Beverage $101.69 INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER - L000234 Individual Food & Beverage $59.61 JASKOSKI, PETER J - A006402 Individual Food & Beverage $65.38 KELLEY CAWTHORNE - L007414 Individual Food & Beverage $79.50 KWAPIS, JENNIFER - A008555 Individual Food & Beverage $80.00 LAPINE, PATRICK - A007444 Individual Food & Beverage $84.00 MANDELL, STEWART - A007568 Individual Food & Beverage $84.89 MARR, BRET R - A008653 Individual Food & Beverage $67.32 MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INC - L008690 Individual Food & Beverage $76.87 MCLELLAN, RICHARD D - A001439 Financial Transactions $3,804.05 MCLELLAN, RICHARD D - A001439 Travel & Lodging $1,510.45 MCLELLAN, RICHARD D - A001439 Individual Food & Beverage $419.95 MICHIGAN BEER AND WINE WHOLESALERS ASSOC - L000240 Travel & Lodging $708.94 MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE (AT AND T MICHIGAN) - L000346 Individual Food & Beverage $70.73 MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE (AT AND T MICHIGAN) - L000346 Individual Food & Beverage $146.17 MICHIGAN CREDIT UNION LEAGUE - L000992 Individual Food & Beverage $68.47 MICHIGAN DISTRIBUTORS AND VENDORS ASSOC INC - A000119 Individual Food & Beverage $121.50 MICROSOFT CORPORATION - L007978 Individual Food & Beverage $112.13 MICROSOFT CORPORATION - L007978 Travel & Lodging $1,070.66 MURRAY, JIM - A009434 Individual Food & Beverage $107.82 NYSTROM, NICOLE G - A007604 Individual Food & Beverage $94.10 NYSTROM, NICOLE G - A007604 Individual Food & Beverage $94.10 PFIZER INC - L001359 Individual Food & Beverage $34.67 ROSS, KIMBERLY G - A006397 Individual Food & Beverage $63.69 SPROLES GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTING LLC - A010159 Individual Food & Beverage $108.79 ZIMMERMAN, STEPHEN H - A001436 Individual Food & Beverage $52.79 ZIMMERMAN, STEPHEN H - A001436 Individual Food & Beverage $58.00 ZYBLE, DAVID A - A006811 Individual Food & Beverage $78.79 Total $19,038.54 [Michigan Elections Division, accessed 8/03/15]

Bishop Opposed Ethics Reforms In Michigan State Legislature

Claimed State Financial Disclosures Would Be “Overkill” And An “Overcorrection”

Bishop Said That Personal Financial Disclosures Backed By Republican Attorney General Would Be “Overkill.” “Want to see the governor’s 401(k), which bank holds your mayor’s mortgage or who takes your state senator to fancy restaurants? Attorney General Mike Cox says that should be public information. He’s pushing legislation to force state and many local elected officials to disclose personal finances…. Some Republican lawmakers back the proposal, but not Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, who said it is ‘overkill’ and would keep good candidates from seeking office.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/28/09]

Bishop Called Proposed Disclosure Requirement “An Overcorrection Of The Problem” “‘I don’t believe in blanket financial disclosure. That’s an overcorrection of the problem,’ Bishop said, adding that he would resent having to divulge his wife’s finances. ‘We’re not concerned about the private lives of people who run for public office,’ Bishop said.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/28/09]

Bishop: Public Officials Should Be Required To Divulge Conflicts Of Interest Under Threat Of Penalties When Voting For Legislation. “Bishop said it would be enough to require -- with threat of penalties -- that legislators divulge possible conflicts of interest when voting for legislation.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/28/09]

Michigan One Of Three States With No Financial Disclosure Requirement. “Forty-seven states require legislators to file some type of financial disclosure. The exceptions are Idaho, Michigan and Vermont.” [NCSL, 12/09/16]

Previously Introduced Bills Establishing Official Code Of Ethics, Mandate Financial Disclosure

Introduced Bill To Establish A Code Of Ethics Along With Mandatory Financial Disclosure Forms And Details Regarding Potential Conflicts Of Interest. In January 2003, Bishop introduced legislation to “create a Government Ethics Act which establishes a code of ethics that would be binding upon all elected state officials (legislature, governor, supreme court, attorney general, etc.) The bill would establish an ethics board and an ethics committee to investigate and rule upon potential violations. The ethics committee would be authorized to impose sanctions, and to hold violators liable for damages. All public officials would be required to file financial disclosure forms, and details regarding potential conflicts of interest.” The last action on the bill was its referral to the Senate Government Operations and Reform Committee the day of its introduction. [SB 58, 1/23/03]

Introduced Bill To Establish A Code Of Ethics Along With Mandatory Financial Disclosure Forms And Details Regarding Potential Conflicts Of Interest. In January 2001, Bishop introduced legislation to “to create a Government Ethics Act which establishes a code of ethics that would be binding upon all elected state officials (legislature, governor, supreme court, attorney general, etc…). This act would also empower an ethics board and an ethics committee to investigate and rule upon potential violations of the ethics act. The ethics committee would be authorized to impose sanctions, and to make violators liable for damages. All public officials would be required to file disclosure forms regarding potential conflicts of interest.” The last action on the bill was its referral to the House House Oversight and Operations Committee the day of its introduction. [HB 4070, 1/31/01]

2015: Bishop’s Congressional Office Spent $1,800 Housing His Chief Of Staff, Who Was Making More Than $130,000 Per Year At The Time

Bishop’s Congressional Office Spent $1,800 On Lodging Expenses For A Staffer In 2015. “Republican Rep. Mike Bishop’s office recently came under scrutiny for $1,800 in lodging expenses reported for the first quarter of 2015. Members of Congress aren’t supposed to be reimbursed for lodging in the Washington area, and Bishop wasn’t, according to his office. ‘The lodging expense was for a staffer which was paid at fair market value and is fully allowed under House rules,’ Bishop spokeswoman Kelli Ford said.” [Detroit News, 8/12/15]

Lodging Expenses Were For Chief Of Staff Who Lived In The District. “Bishop’s chief of staff is Allan Filip, former district director for Bishop predecessor Rep. Mike Rogers, who lives and is based in Michigan. The lodging expenses covered Filip’s housing in Washington on a temporary basis after Filip started on Bishop’s staff. By the end of April, he had found other accommodations and is no longer being reimbursed for lodging, according to the office.” [Detroit News, 8/12/15]

Bishop’s Chief Of Staff Allan Filip Earns $136,888.92 Per Year. “According to my sources, Bishop’s office says the expense is to pay for lodging for Bishop’s Chief of Staff Allan Filip. Filip made a tidy $34,222.23 in the first quarter of 2015 (which equates to $136,888.92 a year) according to the House Disbursement Report for Q1 2015 where the lodging expenses can also be found.” [ElectaBlog, 7/28/15]

Rent Was Paid To Firm Owned By Donor Whose Family Has Contributed $21,200 To Bishop’s Campaigns

Lodging Expenses Were Paid To McKinley Associates, Their Only DC Property Is In Anacostia. “In the first two months of this year, the only quarter that we have information on at the moment, Bishop expensed $900 each month for ‘lodging’ and paid it to McKinley Associates. The only lodging accommodations that McKinley Associates has in the area is Cole Gardens Apartments in Anacostia, one of D.C.’s poorest areas.” [ElectaBlog, 7/28/15]

McKinley Associates Is Owned By Ron Weiser, A Former US Ambassador And RNC National Finance Chair. “Another interesting thing to note is the McKinley Associates is owned by Ron Weiser, a former Bush- appointed ambassador to the Slovak Republic, a former RNC National Finance Chair, and a former Chair of the Michigan Republican Party.” [ElectaBlog, 7/28/15]

Ron And Eileen Weiser Have Contributed $21,200 To Bishops 2014 And 2015 Campaigns. “Weiser and his wife Eileen have donated a total of $21,200 to Bishop since 2014, $10,400 in 2014 and another $10,800 in 2015. Coincidentally(?), $900 a month in rent equates to $10,800 a year.” [ElectaBlog, 7/28/15]

Bishop Received $23,121 In Privately Funded Travel

Bishop Received $23,121 In Privately Funded Travel. As of August 2017, Bishop had gone on 3 privately funded trips, including one funded by the Heritage Foundation, receiving a total of $23,131 in travel benefits. [Political Moneyline, accessed 8/22/17]

Travel Lodging Other Total Year Sponsor(s) Location(s) Purpose Cost Cost Cost Amount 2017 Heritage New York, NY $844 $336 $168 $1,618 Conservative Members Foundation Retreat. Including spouse. 2016 Center for Havana, Cuba $1,526 $760 $48 $2,664 The trip provided the Democracy in opportunity to meet with the Americas Cuban civil society leaders, artists, academics and government officials 2015 American Israel Jerusalem, $10,892 $2,628 $3,046 $18,839 Educational Seminar in Education Israel, Tiberias, Israel Republican Members Foundation Israel of Congress. Including spouse. [Political Moneyline, accessed 8/22/17]

Bishop Overtly Sided With Special Interests

Bishop “Single Handedly Killed” Deal To Build Second Bridge Between Detroit And Windsor After Accepting Donations From Moroun Family

Detroit-Windsor Crossing Is Essential To US-Canada Trade, Ambassador Bridge Carries $82 Billion In US- Canada Truck Freight Annually

2012: 25 Percent Of US-Canada Truck Freight Crossed Ambassador Bridge, Amount To $82 Billion Worth Of Goods Per Year. “Twenty-five percent of U.S.-Canada truck freight moves across the bridge, some $82 billion worth of goods every year. That’s more than the U.S. exports to Germany or Japan.” [Bloomberg Business, 5/03/12]

New Detroit-Windsor Bridge Was Expected To Create 10,000 Michigan Construction Jobs, Support 25,000 Permanent Jobs Over 20 Years; State Unemployment Rate In 2010 Was 9.6 Percent

Detroit International River Crossing (DRIC) Project Expected To Create 10,000 Michigan Construction Jobs, Support 25,000 Permanent Jobs Over 20 Years. “The project is expected to create 10,000 Michigan construction jobs. Over the next 20 years, the new bridge is expected to support 25,000 full-time, permanent jobs in Michigan.” [MLive.com, 4/16/10]

Michigan’s Unemployment Rate For 2010 Overall Was 9.6 Percent. [Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget, accessed 8/24/15]

Billionaire Moroun Opposed DRIC, Argued It Would Unfairly Compete With His Ambassador Bridge

Moroun Opposed DRIC, Arguing It Would Unfairly Compete With His Ambassador Bridge. “Moroun has found himself in a heated battle with the cities on either end of his bridge, defending his claim to the lucrative trade business that takes place across the Detroit River each year. While all of the parties agree that the Ambassador, which 9,000 cars a day cross, is past its prime, they are fighting bitterly on how to fix the problem. Two months ago, Canadian officials took matters into their own hands and offered to loan Michigan $550 million to start construction on a new bridge a couple of miles downriver from the Ambassador to be called the Detroit River International Crossing (or DRIC). Such a plan did not sit well with Moroun who argues that a new bridge would unfairly compete with the Ambassador and could potentially burden taxpayers.” [Daily Finance, 7/07/10]

Moroun Is A Billionaire. “The major hurdle is that the Ambassador Bridge isn’t controlled by any municipal agency. It’s privately owned by 83-year-old billionaire Manuel (Matty) Moroun.” [CNN Money, 7/06/10]

May 2010: Bishop Promised Vote On DRIC Bridge, But Publicly Reneged Four Months Later, “Single- Handedly Kill[ing] The Deal”

May 2010: Bishop Promised A DRIC Vote “As Soon As Possible.” “Six months after promising a vote ‘as soon as possible’ on legislation that would allow Michigan to enter a public-private partnership with Canada to build and operate the bridge, outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop re-iterated Tuesday he does not plan to take up the issue this year.” [Michigan Live, 11/10/10]

Bill Authorizing Department Of Transportation To Enter Public-Private Partnerships, Sell Bonds For Projects Including DRIC, Passed House. In May 2010, a bill to “authorize the Department of Transportation to enter ‘public-private partnerships’ and borrow money (‘sell bonds’) to provide a ‘transportation facility,’ which among other things means toll roads, and potentially the Detroit River International Crossing project. The bill establishes a regulatory framework for such projects, including provisions allowing future toll revenue to be pledged against debt incurred for the project.” The bill passed, 56 to 51, and was referred to the Senate Transportation Committee on June 1, 2010 but never received a vote. [HB 4961, RC #223, 5/26/10; Michigan Votes, 8/22/15]

Detroit Regional Chamber Of Commerce Praised Passage Of Legislation Advancing Bridge Project. “The Detroit Regional Chamber applauds the House of Representatives today for passing legislation that will allow public-private partnerships for construction and design of transportation projects, such as a new international bridge crossing in Metro Detroit.” [Detroit Regional Chamber Press Release, 5/26/10]

July 2010: Bishop Began Backpedaling From Legislation, Claiming A Lack Of Consensus On The Bridge. “The Michigan Senate is unlikely to vote this year on a proposed public-private partnership that would clear the way for another bridge to be built between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. A spokesman for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop said Thursday that the senator says there doesn’t appear to be consensus on the issue. If the Senate doesn’t vote this year, it would be left to the next Legislature and governor to address the issue starting in 2011. Bishop hasn’t declared the legislation as dead.” [WILX, 7/19/11]

September 16, 2010: Bishop Declared There Would Be No Vote Regarding Any New Crossing. “Finally on Sept. 16, 2010, the majority leader in the state Senate, Mike Bishop, announced that there would be no vote in the Senate after all. ‘There are so many legal issues involved that I am sure there is no way to get a [bridge] issue in this budget cycle,’ Bishop told the Gongwer News Service. ‘It’s just too complicated.’ By refusing to bring the measure for a vote, Bishop had single-handedly killed the deal.” [Maclean’s, 5/21/15]

July 2010: Bishop’s Campaign For Attorney General Accepted $20,000 From Lobbyist-Run PAC That Received $35,000 From Moroun Family, Lobbied Against DRIC On The Family’s Behalf

May 2010 – July 2010: Capitol Affairs PAC Accepted $35,000 From Moroun Family Members.

Name Employer Date Amount A.A. Moroun V.P. of Human Resources-Centra, Inc. 7/08/10 $5,000 M.J. Moroun CEO-Centra, Inc. 6/23/10 $10,000 Matthew Moroun Manager-Liberty Bell Agency 5/26/10 $10,000 M.J. Moroun CEO-Centra, Inc. 5/26/10 $10,000 Total $35,000 [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/19/15]

July 13, 2010: Capitol Affairs PAC Contributed $20,000 To Bishop’s Campaign For Attorney General. On July 13, 2010, Capitol Affairs PAC contributed $20,000 to Bishop’s campaign committee Mike Bishop For Attorney General. [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/19/15]

2010: Capitol Affairs PAC Was Run By Lobbyist And Former Staffer Of Moroun-Favored Sheriff That Was “Most Aligned With Moroun’s Position” On DRIC. “Ambassador Bridge owner and trucking magnate Manuel (Matty) Moroun and his family have doled out more than $110,000 in political contributions to Michigan candidates and committees since the beginning of the year. Most of the donations have come in recent months as he has battled to block a rival international span backed by the U.S. and Canadian governments linking Detroit to Canada. … The candidate who is most aligned with Moroun’s position, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, has gotten more. On top of the $10,200 he received on the last day of 2009, the Bouchard Victory Fund received $13,000 in May. And Capitol Affairs PAC, which is run by former Bouchard staffer and lobbyist Robert Kennedy, has received $35,000 from the Morouns since the middle of May.” [Detroit Free Press, 7/27/10]

Capitol Affairs PAC “Lobbie[d] On Behalf Of Moroun” As Morouns Engaged In War Against DRIC. “Vitale received $14,000 from the PAC formed by Capitol Affairs, a Lansing firms that lobbies on behalf of Moroun, the multi-millionaire bridge owner who is engaged in a political war with Gov. Rick Snyder over Snyder’s plan to build a second bridge to Canada. Capitol Affairs PAC received $45,000 in contributions from Moroun and two family members over a 6-week period in the summer of 2010.” [Macomb Daily News, 2/21/12]

Moroun Family Members Donations To Capitol Affairs PAC Made Up 25 Percent Of Capitol Affairs PAC Total Donations From October 2009 To October 2010. The Capitol Affairs PAC accepted $142,625 in campaign donations from October 2009 to October 2010. $35,000, or 25 percent, of those donations came from members of the Moroun family. [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/19/15]

October 2010: Bishop-Linked PACs Received Eight $12,500 Contributions — After His Attorney General Nomination Loss — On One Day From Moroun Family Members, Totaling $100,000

August 28, 2010: Bishop Lost Attorney General Nomination At GOP Convention. “Midland attorney Bill Schuette won the nomination for Michigan Attorney General, squeaking out a 1,072 to 971 victory over state Sen. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester. After the vote tally was done, Bishop made a motion to cast a unanimous ballot for Schuette.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/28/10]

October 15, 2010: Bishop-Linked Knights Of The Round Table (KORT) PAC Accepted $50,000 From Moroun Family Members. “North Oakland PAC also received $12,000 this reporting period from former Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop’s Knights of the Round Table (KORT) PAC. KORT PAC received $50,000 from the Morouns last October.” [Michigan Campaign Finance Network, 10/27/11]

Name City Date Amount M.J. Moroun Gross Pointe Shores 10/15/10 $12,500 Lindsay Moroun Gross Pointe Farms 10/15/10 $12,500 Matthew Moroun Gross Pointe Farms 10/15/10 $12,500 Nora Moroun Gross Pointe Shores 10/15/10 $12,500 Total $50,000 [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/14/15]

October 15, 2010: Bishop-Linked Conservative Leadership Fund (CLF) Accepted $50,000 From Moroun Family Members.

Name City Date Amount M.J. Moroun Gross Pointe Shores 10/15/10 $12,500 Lindsay Moroun Gross Pointe Farms 10/15/10 $12,500 Matthew Moroun Gross Pointe Farms 10/15/10 $12,500 Nora Moroun Gross Pointe Shores 10/15/10 $12,500 Total $50,000 [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/14/15]

May 2010 – September 2010: Bishop-Linked PACs Gave Bishop’s 2010 Attorney General Campaign $96,000 Prior To Nomination Loss—A $4,000 Difference From The $100,000 The Morouns Donated To The PACs In October 2010

Between Three And Ten Months Prior To October Moroun Donations: KORT Gave $42,000 To Bishop’s Attorney General Campaign.

Date Amount 7/15/10 $10,000 5/06/10 $12,000 3/09/10 $10,000 12/20/09 $10,000 Total $42,000 [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/14/15]

Between One And Three Months Prior To October Moroun Donations: CLF Gave $54,000 To Mike Bishop For Attorney General.

Date Amount 9/09/10 $10,000 9/09/10 $4,000 7/08/10 $20,000 7/08/10 $20,000 Total $54,000 [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/14/15]

October – November 2010: Bishop-Linked KORT PAC Reimbursed Bishop For Nearly $5,000 In Expenses, Including More Than $3,120 In Mileage

Name Description Date Amount Mike Bishop Mileage – Approx 3506 @ 11/24/10 $1,560 $.445 Mike Bishop Mileage – Approx 3506 @ 11/20/10 $1,560 $.445 Mike Bishop Reimbursement 10/21/05 $380 Mike Bishop Reimbursement 10/05/10 $1,497.56 Total $4,998.56 [MI Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Database, accessed 8/14/15]

Reduced And Restructured Campaign Debt By Loaning $5,000 To Campaign, Contributed Total Of $3,900 From Knights Of The Round Table Leadership PAC And Bishop Majority Fund

Bishop Reduced And Restructured Campaign Debt By Loaning $5,000 To Campaign, Contributed Total Of $3,900 From His Two PACs. In its 2013 annual statement, the committee Mike Bishop for Prosecutor reported receiving a $5000 loan from Mike Bishop while Bishop’s Knights of the Round Table Leadership PAC contributed $1600 and the Bishop Majority Fund contributed $2300. The loan and contributions were reported as being received on December 18, 2012. [Oakland County Board of Elections, 1/31/14]

Bishop’s Congressional Campaigns Accepted More Than $25,000 From Moroun Family

2014-2016: Bishop Accepted $25,900 From The Moroun Family For Congressional Campaigns:

Name Employer City St Date Amount

Moroun, A.A. Central Transport Int’l VP Human Resources Grosse Pointe Shores MI 6/30/14 $2,600

Moroun, Lindsay Homemaker Grosse Pointe Farms MI 5/6/14 $2,600

Moroun, Lindsay Homemaker Grosse Pointe Farm MI 9/27/16 $2,700

Moroun, M.J. Centra, Inc. CEO Warren MI 10/29/14 $2,600

Moroun, M.J. Centra, Inc. CEO Warren MI 5/4/14 $2,600

Moroun, Matthew T Centra, Inc. Vice Chairman Grosse Pointe Farms MI 5/6/14 $2,600

Moroun, Matthew T Centra, Inc. Vice Chairman Grosse Pointe Farm MI 6/22/15 $2,700

Moroun, Matthew T Centra, Inc. Vice Chairman Grosse Pointe Farm MI 6/22/15 $2,300

Moroun, Nora Homemaker Grosse Pointe Shores MI 10/29/14 $2,600

Moroun, Nora Homemaker Grosse Pointe Shores MI 5/4/14 $2,600 TOTAL $25,900.00

[FEC.gov, accessed 8/14/15]

Bishop Provided Counsel And Consulting Services To Moroun Companies After Leaving Office

Provided Legal Counsel To Moroun-Owned Companies CenTra Inc., And Central Transport Inc. “Bishop formerly provided legal counsel for CenTra Inc., the Moroun company that operates the bridge, and for Central Transport International, the family’s trucking company.” [Lansing State Journal, 10/20/14]

CenTra, Inc. Operates Through Subsidiaries As A Trucking Company Owned By Moroun. “CenTra, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a trucking company in North America. The company focuses on providing transportation services for the manufacturing and retail markets. It offers less-than-truckload carrier services. CenTra, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Warren, Michigan…Key Executives for CenTra, Inc.: Mr. Manuel J. Moroun, Owner.” [Bloomberg Business, accessed 5/31/15]

Detroit International Bridge Company, A Subsidiary Of CenTra, Inc., Owns And Operates The Ambassador Bridge. “Detroit International Bridge Company owns and operates an international border crossing bridge in North America. It operates Ambassador Bridge for commuters and travelers. The company was founded in 1929 and is based in Warren, Michigan. Detroit International Bridge Company operates as a subsidiary of Central Transport International, Inc.” [Bloomberg Business, accessed 5/31/15]

Earned Compensation In Excess Of $5,000 From The Detroit International Bridge Company For Himself Or His Firm Between June 2012 And June 2014.

[Michael Bishop Personal Financial Disclosure, 6/27/14]

Joined Clark Hill In 2011, The Firm That Represents The Ambassador Bridge Company. “Bishop, a vocal opponent of the new bridge while in the legislature, is now a lawyer for the firm of Clark Hill that represents the Ambassador Bridge Company.” [Michigan Chronicle, 11/02/11]

Manuel “Matty” Moroun Owns The Ambassador Bridge Through The Detroit International Bridge Company. “Today, billionaire Manuel ‘Matty’ Moroun, 84, was sent to jail for contempt of court. Moroun is owner of Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge, the most important border crossing between the U.S. and Canada…The Ambassador was privately built in 1929 by a palm reader turned financier, Joseph Bower. It became publicly held when Bower put his company, Detroit International Bridge Co., into bankruptcy in the Depression and issued stock as part of a reorganization. In the late 1970s the sage investor Warren Buffett acquired 25% of the stock, emboldening Moroun to act. In 1979 he used his small trucking company’s credit line to buy out Buffett and acquire the rest of the company for a total of $30 million.” [Forbes, 1/12/12]

Bishop Admitted That The State’s Largest Foreclosure Law Firm, Which Processed As Many As Two- Thirds Of Michigan Foreclosures, Helped Write The Senate Foreclosure Relief Bill

Bishop Admitted That Trott & Trott Was Involved In Writing 2008 Foreclosure Relief Bill. “Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) admitted Tuesday night that foreclosure powerhouse Trott & Trott was involved in the writing of a lame-duck bill designed to address the foreclosure crisis in Michigan.” [Michigan Messenger, 2/05/09]

Detroit Free Press: “Trott & Trott Is Michigan’s Largest Foreclosure Law Firm And One Of The Biggest In The Country.” [Detroit Free Press, 5/18/15]

Trott & Trott Processed Two-Thirds Of All Michigan Foreclosures, As Many As 80,000 In A Year. “He would grow the firm to 1,800 employees, processing two-thirds of all Michigan foreclosures and completing as many as 80,000 foreclosures a year.” [New Republic, 9/10/14]

Trott’s Campaign Did Not Deny Trott & Trott’s Involvement In Rewriting Foreclosure Reform. “The firm directed a request for comment to the Trott campaign, which said in a statement: ‘Trott and Trott was one of several entities that was asked for input which they gave.’” [Mother Jones, 1/06/14]

Mother Jones: Trott & Trott “Pushed To Change State Law To Make It Easier For Banks To Kick People Out Of Their Homes.” “Trott doesn’t just benefit from foreclosures; his firm has pushed to change state law to make it easier for banks to kick people out of their homes.” [Mother Jones, 1/06/14]

Senate’s Foreclosure Relief Bill Which Was Written With Trott & Trott Input Stripped House Version’s Consumer Protections, Shortened Redemption Periods Before Eviction

Senate Foreclosure Relief Bill, Written With Input From Trott & Trott, Stripped House Version’s Consumer Protections And Shortened Redemption Periods Before Eviction. “A bill with those consumer protections passed the state House in December and arrived in the Republican-dominated Senate, only to be rewritten, stripping the consumer protections from the legislation while shortening the periods for redemption in certain foreclosure situations. The Senate bill was passed and sent to the House, where a decision was made to let the bill die in hopes of resurrecting it this legislative session.” [Michigan Messenger, 2/05/09]

Trott & Trott Was Paid Flat Fee Per Foreclosure, Former Firm President Dave Trott Admitted Firm Made More By Foreclosing Than Preventing With Loan Modifications

Trott & Trott Process 80,000 Foreclosures In 2009, Banks Paid Them A Flat Fee For Each. “For lenders looking to take back a home from a delinquent borrower, Trott & Trott offered a unique one-stop-shopping business model. For Trott, there was money to be made on each foreclosure that came through his business empire — in 2009, by his own accounting, he handled 80,000 in Michigan alone. The banks paid his firm a flat fee for each foreclosure completed — exactly how much, Trott won’t say.” [Detroit Free Press, 5/18/14]

Trott Admitted Trott And Trott Makes More Money Foreclosing Than By Stopping The Process With A Loan Modification. “Trott denies that he or his bank clients mistreated homeowners seeking loan modifications. ‘I don’t purposefully avoid giving someone a loan modification to make more money,’ he told the Free Press. ‘It suggests I’m unethical.’ But he acknowledged that he makes more money by foreclosing than by stopping the process with a loan modification. ‘Absolutely,’ he said. ‘You could say the same thing about a doctor who says you’re healthy now. I don’t need to see you anymore.’” [Detroit Free Press, 5/18/14]

Foreclosure Prevention Act Written Version With Trott & Trott Input Was Recommended By Senate On December 11, 2008, Trott Contributed $2,000 To Bishop PAC Six Days Later

Senate Substitute Version Of Home Foreclosure Prevent Act Was Recommended By The Committee Of The Whole On December 11, 2008. After receiving the House Version of HB 6614, the Senate referred the bill to the Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions on December 2, 2008 which reported favorably with a new substitute version (S-1) on December 11, 2008. [HB 6614, 12/11/15]

David Trott Contributed $2,000 To One Of Bishop’s PACs, Bishop Majority Fund, On December 17, 2008. According to the Michigan Bureau of Elections, on December 17, 2008, Trott contributed $2,000 to Bishop Majority Fund. [Michigan Bureau of Elections, 8/21/15]

Trott Contributed $257,725 To State-Level Michigan Candidates Prior To First Giving To Bishop

Trott Contributed $257,725 To State-Level Michigan Candidates Prior To First Giving To Bishop. Prior to December 17, 2008, Bishop had contributed $257,725 to state-level candidates in Michigan. [Michigan Secretary of State, accessed 12/12/13]

Since 2008, Trott And His Wife Have Contributed $9,800 To Bishop’s Campaigns

Representative Dave Trott And His Wife Have Contributed $9,800 To Bishop’s Campaigns:

Trott Family Contributions To Mike Bishop Political Committees Name Bishop-Allied Committee Date Amount David Trott Mike Bishop For Congress 6/03/14 $1,000 David Trott MIKE BISHOP FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL 12/16/09 $3,400 Kathleen Trott MIKE BISHOP FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL 12/16/09 $3,400 David Trott BISHOP MAJORITY FUND 12/17/08 $2,000 Total: $9,800 [FEC.gov, accessed 8/21/15; Michigan Bureau of Elections, 8/21/15]

Half A Million Michiganders Lost Homes During Housing Crisis, Michigan Had 8th Worst Foreclosure Rate In Nation In 2009, 5th Worst In 2008, Metro Detroit Had Highest In 2007

Half A Million Michiganders Lost Homes During The Housing Crisis. “In 2009, the federal government launched massive housing assistance programs to try to stem the avalanche of foreclosures; Michiganders alone lost 500,000 homes during the crisis. The assistance was available through banks.” [Detroit Free Press, 5/18/14]

2009: Michigan Ranked 8th Nationally With 2.6 Percent Of Housing Units Receiving At Lease One Foreclosure Notice. “Michigan ranks 8th nationwide with 2.6 percent of housing units receiving at least one foreclosure filing in 2009, according to data released today by RealtyTrac. States with the highest percentage of foreclosure filings in 2009 include Nevada (10.2%), Arizona (6.1%) and Florida (5.9%). The U.S. rate in 2009 was 2.2%.” [Detroit Free Press, 1/14/10]

2009: 118,302 Properties Received A Foreclosure Filing. “A total of 131,132 Illinois properties received a foreclosure filing in 2009… Other states with 2009 totals among the 10 highest in the country were Michigan (118,302).” [RealtyTrac 2009 Year-End-Foreclosure Report, accessed 8/23/15]

2008: Michigan Foreclosure Rate Was 2.4%, Fifth Worst In Nation. According to USA Today, 2.4% of Michigan homes were in foreclosure in 2008, and 106,058 had foreclosure filings against them. [USA Today, 2/03/09]

2007: Detroit Area Had Highest Foreclosure Rate Among The 100 Largest Metro Areas, 5 Percent Of It Households Entering Foreclosure, 4.8 Times National Average. “Detroit registered the highest foreclosure rate among the nation’s 100 largest metro areas, with close to 5 percent of its households entering some stage of foreclosure during the year — 4.8 times the national average.” [RealtyTrac, 2/14/08]

Bishop Disclosed In 2014 He Had Earn More Than $5,000 In Consulting Fees From Trott & Trott

Bishop Disclosed In 2014 He Had Earn More Than $5,000 In Consulting Fees From Trott & Trott

[Michael Bishop Personal Financial Disclosure, 06/27/14]

Bishop Consistently Voted For Trump-Ryan Agenda

Bishop Has Voted With Donald Trump 97% Of The Time

FiveThirtyEight: Bishop Has Voted With Trump 97% Of The Time. According to FiveThirtyEight, as of August 2017, Bishop had voted with President Trump 97% of the time. [FiveThirtyEight, updated 8/2/17]

Bishop Supported Donald Trump, Despite Scandal After Scandal

Bishop Said Trump Was Not His First Or Second Choice, But He Would “Get Behind The Nominee.” “Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, said Wednesday that Trump ‘was not my first or second choice in this race … but I will get behind the nominee.’ ‘I don’t have any reservation whatsoever supporting the Republican nominee against the same old, same old,’ Bishop told The Detroit News. National Democrats are targeting Bishop and Rep. Tim Walberg of Tipton in the November general election and have been highlighting how both Republican incumbents have been referring to Trump as ‘the nominee’ instead of invoking the New York businessman by name.” [Detroit News, 5/12/16]

Bishop Said Trump Was “Not A Perfect Candidate” But He Would Support Trump If He Were The Republican Nominee. “But Bishop, a first-term Republican whose 8th District includes Rochester, Rochester Hills and much of north Oakland County, says if Trump is the nominee, he will support him. ‘This is not a perfect candidate,’ Bishop says of Trump. ‘I don’t agree with all that’s been said.’ But, he said, Republican Party officials ‘have let the people speak’ and apparently intend to select Trump as the nominee, based on his wins in state primaries.” [Oakland Press, 6/30/16]

Bishop Said He Was Not Comfortable With Trump’s Rhetoric, But “It’s The Exact Kind Of Personality That A Lot Of People Like.” “Bishop, R-Rochester, also has endorsed Trump, but quickly notes he doesn’t condone the sharp tongue of his party’s new standard bearer. ‘A lot of folks aren’t comfortable with it, I’m not comfortable with it,’ said Bishop, a former Michigan Senate majority leader who also supported Bush in the primaries. ‘But this is the kind of personality that he has. Interestingly enough, it’s the exact kind of personality that a lot of people like because they’re sick of ... the political correctness in this country, and they want to see something different.’” [Detroit News, 6/6/16]

Trump: “I’m Hoping That If He Is The Nominee, He’ll Modulate, He’ll Be Presidential And I Won’t Have To Defend His Words.” “And it's safe to say GOP House members on the hot seat in November are intent to steer clear of Trump — and the matter of how he might affect their fortunes. […] Freshman Rep. Mike Bishop (R-Mich.) said he "probably" wouldn’t share a stage with Trump. ‘I’m hoping that if he is the nominee, he’ll modulate, he’ll be presidential and I won’t have to defend his words,’ Bishop said.” [Politico, 3/18/16]

After Trump’s “Disgusting Comments About Women,” Bishop Said He Would No Longer Answer Questions About Donald Trump, But Did Not Withdraw His Support. “Mike Bishop made the following statement: ‘I have lived in this community my entire life and been serving this district well before the 2016 presidential campaign began. Donald Trump was not my first or second choice during the primary process, but Republican voters chose him and I respect their decision. I have been continuously troubled by his conduct and statements, and I publicly admonished him over his disgusting comments about women. When my opponent, Ms. Shkreli, was asked what she thought of the prior candidate Melissa Gilbert defending child rapist Roman Polanski, Shkreli said she would focus on her own campaign. I am choosing to do the same. I am focusing on Michigan and the Eighth District. I will not answer any more questions regarding Donald Trump. Our families deserve a campaign that is focused on the issues, something our 2016 discussions are solely lacking this close to Election Day.’” [Bishop for Congress, Press Release, 10/10/16]

Supported Trump’s Executive Order Limiting Refugees From Muslim-Majority Countries

As A Candidate, Bishop Said Trump’s Immigration Ban “Isn’t Just Offensive, It’s Devoid Of What Our Constitution Stands For.” “‘Donald Trump’s proposed policy isn’t just offensive, it’s devoid of what our Constitution stands for,’ said U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, via a spokesperson. ‘I agree with Speaker Ryan - Trump’s proposal is not the conservative or American way.’ Bishop, along with Michigan Reps. Dave Trott, R- Birmingham; Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton and Candice Miller, R-Harrison Twp., have said they would support their party’s nominee, even if Trump wasn’t their first choice.” [MLive, 6/17/16]

Detroit Free Press: Bishop “Supported Trump’s Executive Order” Limiting Refugees From Seven Majority Muslim Nations. “While the rallies in Troy and Brighton were focused on the ACA, Trump’s executive order on limiting immigration and refugees from seven majority-Muslim nations also raised the ire of protesters. […] Both Trott and Bishop said they supported Trump’s executive order, but Bishop also said that the order needs more clarity, ‘to ensure this order is not carried out in a way that infringes on civil liberties and the protections guaranteed by our Constitution.’” [Detroit Free Press, 1/30/17]

Republicans, Including Bishop, “Complimented Trump On Moving To Address What They Consider A Potential Danger To The Nation From Refugees, Immigrants And Visitors.” “Republican legislators contacted by the Free Press, including Bishop, Mitchell and others, complimented Trump on moving to address what they consider a potential danger to the nation from refugees, immigrants and visitors they believe may not be adequately vetted before being allowed in. Several also agreed that a “pause” in entry is called for, while officials review vetting procedures.” [Detroit Free Press, 1/30/17]

Bishop Said “Pause” In Immigration Should Be Used To “Strengthen Our Vetting Process And Immigration Policies.” “‘The primary duty of Congress is to keep Americans safe. All of our nation's security agencies agree that admitting individuals without the ability to properly vet them places national security and American lives at risk. ‘That said, we need greater clarity from the administration to ensure this order is not carried out in a way that infringes on civil liberties and the protections guaranteed by our Constitution. We must remain vigilant and focused on going after enemies like ISIS – without targeting our allies in the process. ‘The reality of this situation is that our national security agencies do not have the proper resources or background information to fully vet refugees from Syria and the nations outlined by the Obama administration in this new Executive Order. While a pause is in place, we must strengthen our vetting process and immigration policies – and fast – so we can keep families together and bad actors out.’” [Rep. Bishop Press Release, 1/30/17]

Bishop Voted With Paul Ryan 100% Of The Time

Bishop Voted With Ryan 100% Of The Time. According to ProPublica, in the 115th Congress, Bishop had voted with Speaker Ryan 100% of the time. [ProPublica, accessed 3/8/18]

Vote Comparison Congress Total Votes Votes Disagreeing Percent Agreement 115th 19 0 100% 114th 574 29 95% Lifetime Average 593 29 95% [ProPublica, accessed 3/8/18]

Voted To Elect Paul Ryan Speaker Of The House

2017: Voted To Make Ryan Speaker Of The House. In January 2017, Bishop voted for Ryan to be Speaker of the House. Ryan was elected by a vote of 239-189. [Election to the Speaker, Vote #2, 1/3/17; CQ, 1/3/17]

2015: Voted To Make Ryan Speaker Of The House. In October 2015, Bishop voted for Ryan to be Speaker of the House. Paul Ryan received 236 votes, Nancy Pelosi received 184 votes, and Daniel Webster received 9 votes. [Election to the Speaker, Vote #581, 10/29/15]

2015: Voted To Make Boehner Speaker Of The House. In January 2015, Bishop voted for Boehner to be Speaker of the House. John Boehner received 216 votes, and Nancy Pelosi received 164 votes. [Election to the Speaker, Vote #2, 1/06/15]

Bishop Has Voted With His Party 96% Of The Time

Bishop Has Voted With The Republican Party 96% Of The Time. According to CQ, in 2017, Bishop has voted with other members of the Republican Caucus 96% of the time. [CQ Vote Studies, accessed 3/8/18]

Party Unity Year Support Oppose 2017 96% 4% 2016 97% 3% 2015 96% 4% [CQ Vote Study, accessed 3/8/18]

Bishop’s Record Is Bad For Michigan Workers

Opposed Auto Bailout That Saved Millions Of US Jobs, Stating “I Don’t Think, If I Had Been Here, That I Would Have Supported It”

Opposed Auto Bailout Stating “I Don’t Think, If I Had Been Here, That I Would Have Supported It. There Were Plenty Of Other Options Out There.” “Finally, in an interview with MIRS news service, Bishop stated that he wouldn’t have supported loans to the domestic auto makers that kept GM and Chrysler afloat during the Great Recession: ‘I wasn’t there for that vote. I didn’t hear what the issues were,’ Bishop said. ‘I don’t think, if I had been here, that I would have supported it. There were plenty of other options out there.’” [ElectaBlog, 10/30/14]

Center For Automotive Research: Auto Bailout Saved 2.6 Million Jobs. “Our results show The U.S. government saved or avoided the loss of $105.3 billion in transfer payments and the loss of personal and social insurance tax collections or 768 percent of the net investment. Additionally 2.6 million jobs were saved in the U.S. economy in 2009 alone and $284.4 billion in personal income saved over 2009-2010.” [Center For Automotive Research, 12/05/13]

Touted Early Support For Anti-Worker Right-To-Work Laws, Constitutional Amendment

July 2007: Bishop Declared Support For Right-To-Work Initiative To Amend Michigan Constitution. “In July 2007, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop indicated that he would support a right-to-work ballot initiative to amend the Michigan Constitution.” [Mackinac Center For Public Policy, 8/29/07]

Bishop Touted Record As “One Of The First Elected Officials In Michigan To Publicly Call For Right-To- Work.” “Mike Bishop was one of the first elected officials in Michigan to publicly call for Right-to-work. In 2007, Mike Bishop publicly called for Michigan to become a right-to-work state.” [ElectMikeBishop, accessed 5/28/15]

Opposed Requiring Contractors To Pay Union Wages, Supporting Making State Right To Work

Bishop Opposed Requiring Contractors To Pay Union Wages, Supporting Making State Right To Work. “Bishop said he’s serious about pushing controversial ideas such as no longer requiring contractors to pay union wages to workers on public projects and making Michigan a right-to-work state meaning employees at union shops wouldn’t have to join unions.” [Associated Press, 12/30/07]

Voted For Trade Promotion Authority, A Necessary Step To Complete TPP

Voted In Favor Of Trade Promotion Authority Through The Trade Act Of 2015. In June 2015, Bishop voted for the Ryan motion to “concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (HR2146) to allow public safety workers over the age of 50 to make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans, with an amendment that would grant Trade Promotion Authority, under which implementing legislation for trade agreements negotiated by the administration would be considered by Congress under expedited procedures and could not be amended.” The motion was agreed to by a vote of 218 to 208. The bill was signed into law by the president on June 29, 2015. [HR 2146, Vote #374, 6/18/15; CQ Floor Votes, 6/18/15]

Bishop: “TPA Legislation Is Required In Order For The US Trade Negotiations To Complete TPP.” BISHOP: TPA legislation is required in order for the US trade negotiations to complete TPP. [Rep. Bishop YouTube video, 2:30, 6/12/15]

Detroit Free Press: The Administration Sought TPA “To Fast-Track The Trans-Pacific Partnership[.]” “In a rare rebuke of a key priority of President Barack Obama's, Democrats in the U.S. Senate today rejected a measure that would have given his administration additional authority to negotiate a wide-reaching trade bill with Pacific Rim nations. For weeks, opponents of giving the Obama administration the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) it sought to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership argued that Congress should not surrender the leverage it has to insist on currency, worker and environmental protections being part of the deal.” [Detroit Free Press, 5/12/15]

USA Today Via Detroit Free Press: House Passage Of TPA Would Make Approval Easier For TPP. “The Senate overwhelmingly approved TPA, which is also known as ‘fast track authority,’ late Friday. If passed by the House, the move would make it easier for Obama to get approval for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which includes countries in the Asia-Pacific region that make up about 40% of the world's economy.” [USA Today via Detroit Free Press, 5/23/15]

The Hill: TPA “Greatly Increases” The “Chances Of Concluding Negotiations On The TPP[.]” “Fast- track, or trade promotion authority, will allow the White House to send trade deals to Congress for up-or- down votes. The Senate will not be able to filibuster them, and lawmakers will not have the power to amend them. The expedited process, which lasts until 2018 and can be extended until 2021, greatly increases Obama’s chances of concluding negotiations on the TPP, which is a top goal of the president’s.” [The Hill, 6/24/15]

Said He Opposed TPP Despite Voting For Fast-Track Authority

Said He Opposed TPP Despite Voting For Fast-Track Authority. “Bishop, who is backing Trump, voted to give the president fast-track authority to negotiate the Trans Pacific Partnership but said he does not support the 12- country trade deal in its current form, which would require congressional approval for ratification.” [Detroit News, 7/21/16]

Called For Social Security Privatization

Bishop: Solution To Social Security Sustainability Has To Include Letting Younger Works Invest Their Own Money In Retirement. “Bishop contends the Social Security system is ‘unsustainable’ because it is projected to start running in deficit…’Congress needs to come up with a solution, and part of that has to be giving the younger generation the opportunity to use their own money to invest in their own retirement,’ said Bishop, referring to earlier proposals to let some taxpayers direct a portion of their Social Security tax into investments. ‘They will not benefit from the current system, so they need to have another option.’ [Detroit News, 10/26/14]

AARP: “Replacing At Least Part Of The Publicly Run Social Security With A Privately Managed And Funded One” Is Privatization. “The term ‘privatization’ is used here to mean replacing at least part of the publicly run social security system with a privately managed and funded one. Mandatory individual accounts are included within this definition.” [AARP, October 2005]

PolitiFact: “Privatization” Includes ‘A System Where Workers Invest At Least A Portion Of Their Money To Provide For Retirement.” “First, some background about Social Security privatization. Currently, Social Security benefits for today’s recipients are paid from the proceeds of payroll taxes paid by younger and middle-aged workers. But over the years, some conservatives have advocated turning Social Security into a system where workers invest at least a portion of their money to provide for retirement.” [PolitiFact, 8/21/14]

PolitiFact: Privatization Would “Carry Risk That The Beneficiary Could Lose Value, Or, In A Worst- Case Scenario, See Their Savings Wiped Out Entirely.” “The downside is the possibility of market losses. Even though Social Security funds would likely be invested more conservatively than many private investments, doing so would still carry risk that the beneficiary could lose value or, in a worst-case scenario, see their savings wiped out entirely. Neither is possible under the current Social Security program.” [PolitiFact, 8/21/14]

Bishop Voted For Key Republican Priorities In The 115th Congress

Bishop Voted For Final Passage Of The Republican Tax Scam Bill

Bishop Voted For Final Passage Of The Republican Tax Scam Bill

Bishop Voted For Adopting The Conference Report Of The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act. In December 2017, Bishop voted for “adoption of the conference report on the bill that would revise the federal income tax system by lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent; lowering individual tax rates through 2025; limiting state and local deductions to $10,000 through 2025; decreasing the limit on deductible mortgage debt through 2025; and creating a new system of taxing U.S. corporations with foreign subsidiaries. Specifically, it would repeal personal exemptions and would roughly double the standard deduction through 2025. It would raise the child tax credit to $2,000 through 2025, would repeal the alternative minimum tax for corporations and provide for broader exemptions to the tax for individuals through 2025. It would double individual exemptions to the estate tax and gift tax through 2025, and would establish a new top tax rate for "pass-through" business income through 2025.” The conference report was adopted 227-203. [HR 1, Vote #692, 12/19/17; CQ Floor Votes, 12/19/17]

Bishop Voted For Final Passage Of The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act By Concurring With A Senate Amendment. In December 2017, Bishop voted for “Brady, R-Texas, motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the tax overhaul that would revise the federal income tax system by: lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent; lowering individual tax rates through 2025; limiting state and local deductions to $10,000 through 2025; decreasing the limit on deductible mortgage debt through 2025; and creating a new system of taxing U.S. corporations with foreign subsidiaries. Specifically, it would repeal personal exemptions and would roughly double the standard deduction through 2025. It would raise the child tax credit to $2,000 through 2025, would repeal the alternative minimum tax for corporations and provide for broader exemptions to the tax for individuals through 2025. It would double individual exemptions to the estate tax and gift tax through 2025, and would establish a new top tax rate for "pass-through" business income through 2025. It would effectively eliminate the penalty for not purchasing health insurance under the 2010 health care overhaul law in 2019. It would also open portions of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.” The motion was passed 224-201. [HR 1, Vote #699, 12/20/17; CQ Floor Votes, 12/20/17]

House Was Forced To Vote For A Second Time On The Final Bill After Small Changes Were Made To Comply With Senate Budget Rules. “The House, forced to vote a second time on the $1.5 trillion tax bill, moved swiftly to pass the final version on Wednesday, clearing the way for President Trump to sign into law the most sweeping tax overhaul in decades. House lawmakers approved the tax bill 224 to 201 on Wednesday, after being forced to vote on the bill again after last-minute revisions were made to it in the Senate, which passed the measure 51 to 48 early Wednesday morning. The final House vote was essentially a formality, as the changes, which were made to comply with Senate budget rules, did not significantly alter the overall bill.” [New York Times, 12/20/17]

Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Benefitted The Wealthy, Corporations, And Special Interests…

New York Times: Tax Bill “Creates As Many New Preferences For Special Interests As It Gets Rid Of” After Republican Ambitions “Fell To The Powerful Forces Of Lobbying And The Status Quo.” “The Republican tax bill does not pass the postcard test. It leaves nearly every large tax break in place. It creates as many new preferences for special interests as it gets rid of. It will keep corporate accountants busy for years to come. And no taxpayer will ever see the postcard-size tax return that President Trump laid a kiss on in November as Republican leaders launched their tax overhaul effort. This was not the grand simplification of the code that Republicans promised when they set out to eliminate tax breaks and cut the number of tax brackets as they lowered rates. As their bill tore through Congress, their ambitions fell to the powerful forces of lobbying and the status quo.” [New York Times, 12/16/17]

Washington Post: Final Tax Bill Included A “Significant Tax Break For The Very Wealthy” And “A Massive Tax Cut For Corporations.” “A new tax cut for the rich: The final plan lowers the top tax rate for top earners. Under current law, the highest rate is 39.6 percent for married couples earning over $470,700. The GOP bill would drop that to 37 percent and raise the threshold at which that top rate kicks in, to $500,000 for individuals and $600,000 for married couples. This amounts to a significant tax break for the very wealthy, a departure from repeated claims by Trump and his top officials that the bill would not benefit the rich. […] A massive tax cut for corporations “A massive tax cut for corporations: Starting on Jan. 1, 2018, big businesses' tax rate would fall from 35 percent to just 21 percent, the largest one-time rate cut in U.S. history for the nation's largest companies.” [Washington Post, 12/15/17]

…While Millions Of Americans Would Pay More In Taxes

Politifact: GOP Tax Bill Would Raise Taxes For The Middle Class After Individual Tax Cut Provisions Expired In 2025. “Gillibrand said the Republican ‘tax [plan] raises middle-class taxes.’ That's not true during the first years of the new tax provisions. If not for the sunset for the tax changes for individuals, we likely would have rated Gillibrand's statement False or perhaps Mostly False. Middle-income taxpayers will either benefit or see no change in their tax liability through 2025. But her claim could hold up after the bill's individual provisions expire that year. There's no guarantee a future Congress will extend those parts of the bill.” [Politifact, 12/22/17]

Tax Policy Center: In 2018, 5 Percent Of Taxpayers Would Pay More In Taxes Under The GOP Tax Bill, But Would Increase To 53 Percent Of Taxpayers In 2027. “Some taxpayers would pay more in taxes under the proposal in 2018 and 2025 than under current law: about 5 percent of taxpayers in 2018 and 9 percent in 2025. In 2027, however, taxes would increase for 53 percent of taxpayers compared with current law.” [Tax Policy Center, 12/18/17]

RESOURCE: The Final Trump-GOP Tax Plan: National and 50-State Estimates for 2019 & 2027 [ITEP, 12/16/17]

Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Increased The Federal Debt – Increasing Pressure To Cut Program Like Medicare

Official CBO Estimate Found Final Tax Bill Would Increase The Federal Deficit By $1.46 Trillion. “Republicans decided it would be all right to go into debt up to $1.5 trillion to fund the tax cut. In the end, they nearly hit that mark. The official estimate -- released Friday evening alongside the bill -- came in at $1.46 trillion.” [Washington Post, 12/15/17]

Center For A Responsible Federal Budget Found True Cost of Tax Bill Would Be $2 Trillion Or More, After Budget Gimmicks Were Accounted For. “Adding these gimmicks to the cost of the bill would increase the total cost to $2.0 trillion to $2.2 trillion. Though the dynamic effect of making the bill permanent is unknown, we estimate a permanent bill would produce roughly $450 billion of feedback,* leading to a dynamic cost of roughly $1.6 trillion to $1.7 trillion. With interest, these costs would rise to $2.4 trillion to $2.5 trillion, or $1.9 trillion to $2 trillion with dynamic effects included, over a decade.” [CRFB, 12/18/17]

After Passing A Tax Bill That Added Trillions To The Deficit, Speaker Ryan Said Medicare And Medicaid Would Need To Be “Reformed” In Order To Decrease The Deficit. “With his dream of tax reform now realized, Ryan is hoping to make progress on two other issues he’s targeted during his two-decade career in Washington: entitlement and welfare reform. ‘We’re going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform, which is how you tackle the debt and the deficit,’ Ryan, a former Budget Committee chairman, said in a recent interview this month on the Ross Kaminsky radio talk show. Medicare and Medicaid are the ‘big drivers of debt,’ Ryan said, suggesting Republicans could once again use the budget reconciliation process to avoid a Democratic filibuster. Medicare is the ‘biggest entitlement that’s got to have reform,’ Ryan added.” [The Hill, 12/27/17]

HEADLINE: After Tax Overhaul, GOP Sets Sights on Medicare, Social Security [US News, 12/7/17]

HEADLINE: Ryan says Republicans to target welfare, Medicare, Medicaid spending in 2018 [Washington Post, 12/6/17]

HEADLINE: Paul Ryan Pushes to Keep Overhaul of Safety-Net Programs on GOP Agenda [Wall Street Journal, 2/4/18]

AP: “A Wide Range Of Economists And Nonpartisan Analysts Have Warned That The Bill Will Likely Escalate Federal Debt, Intensify Pressure To Cut Spending On Social Programs And Further Widen America's Troubling Income Inequality.” “The tax overhaul of 2017 amounts to a high-stakes gamble by Republicans in Congress: That slashing taxes for corporations and wealthy individuals will accelerate growth and assure greater prosperity for Americans for years to come. The risks are considerable. A wide range of economists and nonpartisan analysts have warned that the bill will likely escalate federal debt, intensify pressure to cut spending on social programs and further widen America's troubling income inequality.” [Associated Press, 12/17/17]

Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Would Increase Incentives To Move Jobs Overseas

Tax Experts Said The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Increased Incentives For Companies To Move Jobs Overseas. “What happened to the workers in Clinton, tax experts say, will probably happen to more Americans if the Republican tax overhaul becomes law. The legislation fails to eliminate long-standing incentives for companies to move overseas and, in some cases, may even increase them, they say. ‘This bill is potentially more dangerous than our current system,’ said Stephen Shay, a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School and former Treasury Department international tax expert in the Obama administration. ‘It creates a real incentive to shift real activity offshore.’” [Washington Post, 12/15/17]

Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Would Lead To More Expensive Health Insurance; 13 Million More Uninsured

Final Tax Bill Eliminated Central Affordable Care Act Provision, Leading To 13 Million Fewer Americans With Insurance. “The individual mandate is part of the Affordable Care Act, and removing it was a top priority for Trump and congressional Republicans. The Congressional Budget Office projects the change will increase insurance premiums and lead to 13 million fewer Americans with insurance in a decade, while also cutting government spending by more than $300 billion over that period.” [Washington Post, 12/15/17]

GOP Tax Bill Would Cause Health Insurance Premiums To Rise, And Could Lead Insurers To Drop Out Of Regional Markets. “The final GOP plan will repeal the Affordable Care Act’s individual insurance mandate, which would allow young and healthy people to leave the insurance pool, forcing insurers to compensate by raising prices due to the higher costs of insuring only less-healthy people. Not only would premiums likely rise, but many insurers could drop out of regional markets.” [Newsweek, 12/18/17]

HEADLINE: Republican Tax Plan Will Make Health Insurance More Expensive [Newsweek, 12/18/17]

Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Failed To Live Up To Republican Promises

HEADLINE: “New Tax Code Will Still Be Complicated Despite GOP Promise To Simplify.” [CNN Money, 12/18/17]

CNN Money: Final Tax Bill “Adds Plenty Of Complications, Particularly For Small Businesses.” “But the plan Republicans and Trump came up with almost certainly won't put tax preparers out of business. The final tax bill, released on Friday, does indeed deliver some simplification, but not as much as promised. And it adds plenty of complications, particularly for small businesses.” [CNN Money, 12/18/17]

Time: Republicans Failed To Follow Through On The “Central Promises” Of Their Tax Bill – To Allow People To File On A Postcard And To Benefit Working And Middle Class Americans. “As they pushed their sweeping tax bill through Congress, Republicans made two central promises. First, that the bill would simplify the U.S. tax code, allowing citizens to file their taxes ‘on the back of a postcard.’ And second, that the overhaul would primarily benefit working Americans and the middle class. The first claim proved false. And economic experts are skeptical about the second, arguing that the bill aids businesses at the expense of middle-class taxpayers.” [Time, 12/19/17]

Bishop Voted For House Passage Of The Republican Tax Scam Bill

Bishop Voted For Passage Of The House Version Of The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act. In November 2017, Bishop voted for “passage of the bill that would revise the federal income tax system by: lowering individual and corporate tax rates; consolidating the current seven tax income rates into four rates; eliminating the deduction for state and local income taxes; limiting certain deductions for property taxes and home mortgages; and creating a new system of taxing U.S. corporations with foreign subsidiaries. Specifically, it would eliminate personal exemptions and would nearly double the standard deduction. It would raise the child tax credit through 2022, repeal the alternative minimum tax, repeal the estate tax in 2025 and reduce the gift tax rate in 2025. It would establish a new top tax rate for pass-through business income and would modify tax credits related to energy production.” The bill passed 227- 205. [HR 1, Vote #637, 11/16/17; CQ Floor Votes, 11/16/17]

Bishop Voted For Considering The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act. In November 2017, Bishop voted for: “Adoption of the rule (H Res 619) that would provide for House floor consideration of the bill (HR 1) that would revise the federal income tax system by: lowering individual and corporate tax rates; consolidating the current seven tax income rates into four rates; eliminating the deduction for state and local income taxes; limiting certain deductions for property taxes and home mortgages; and creating a new system of taxing U.S. corporations with foreign subsidiaries.” The rule was adopted 235-191. [HRes 619, Vote #633, 11/15/17; CQ, 11/15/17]

Bishop Voted For FY18 Senate Republican Budget That Set The Stage For Tax Reform

Bishop Voted For Agreeing To The Senate Republican’s Version Of The FY18 Budget. In October 2017, Bishop voted for “Black, R-Tenn., motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the concurrent resolution that would provide for $3.1 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018, not including off-budget accounts. It would allow the cap on defense spending to be raised to $640 billion for fiscal 2018, without the need for offsets. It would require the Senate Finance Committee to report legislation under the budget reconciliation process that would increase the deficit by no more than $1.5 trillion over the period of fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2027. It would also instruct the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to report legislation under the budget reconciliation process that would reduce the deficit by $1 billion over the period of fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2027. The concurrent resolution would authorize the establishment of various reserve funds, including a deficit-neutral reserve fund related to repealing or replacing the 2010 health care overhaul law, and a revenue-neutral reserve fund related to modifying the federal tax system.” The budget passed 216-212. [H Con Res 71, Vote #589, 10/26/17; CQ Floor Votes, 10/26/17]

Washington Times: “The Goal Of The Budget Was To Set Up What's Known As The ‘Reconciliation’ Process” For Tax Reform. “Already months overdue the fiscal year began Oct. 1 the budget calls for about $1 trillion in discretionary spending this year, and envisions deficits of $641 billion. But even Republicans said those numbers were probably irrelevant, and it will take a bipartisan deal later this year to set actual spending levels for 2018. Instead, the goal of the budget was to set up what's known as the ‘reconciliation’ process, which allows big financial measures to pass the Senate by majority vote, without having to overcome a filibuster.” [Washington Times, 10/20/17]

HEADLINE: House approves Senate-passed budget plan, paving way for tax reform [CBS News, 10/26/17]

Senate Budget Cut $473 Billion From Medicare And More Than $1 Trillion From Medicaid Over 10 Years. “Under Capitol Hill's byzantine budget rules, the nonbinding budget resolution is supposed to lay out a long-term fiscal framework for the government. This year's measure calls for $473 billion in cuts from Medicare over 10 years and more than $1 trillion from Medicaid. All told, Senate Republicans would cut spending by more than $5 trillion over a decade, though they don't attempt to spell out where the cuts would come from.” [Associated Press, 10/19/17]

Senate Budget Eliminated House Republican’s Requirement That Tax Legislation Be Revenue Neutral. “The path to a compromise earlier looked contentious. The House’s budget writers, led by fiscal hawk Rep. Diane Black of Tennessee, drew out a legislative map that would require any tax bill to be deficit-neutral and to be coupled with billions in mandatory cuts. Members of the Senate budget panel, by contrast, have given themselves much more flexibility. The Senate’s budget allows the GOP’s tax plan to add up to $1.5 trillion to the deficit over 10 years, which proponents say will allow for more aggressive tax cuts.” [NPR, 10/20/17]

Senate Budget Promoted Reducing The State And Local Tax Deduction. “The Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate may revise the allocations of a committee or committees, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution, and make adjustments to the pay-as-you-go ledger, for one or more bills, joint resolutions, amendments, amendments between the Houses, motions, or conference reports relating to changes in Federal tax laws, which may include reducing federal deductions, such as the state and local tax deduction which disproportionally favors high-income individuals, to ensure relief for middle- income taxpayers, by the amounts provided in such legislation for those purposes, provided that such legislation would not increase the deficit over either the period of the total of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.” [H Con Res 71, Text As Engrossed In The Senate, 10/19/17]

Bishop Voted For FY18 House Republican Budget That Cut Medicare And Medicaid

Bishop Voted For FY18 Republican House Budget. In October 2017, Bishop voted for “adoption of the concurrent resolution that would provide for $3.2 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018, not including off- budget accounts. It would assume $1.22 trillion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2018. It would assume the repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul law. It also would propose reducing spending on mandatory programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and changing programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps). It would call for restructuring Medicare into a "premium support" system beginning in 2024. I would also require the House Ways and Means Committee to report out legislation under the budget reconciliation process that would provide for a revenue-neutral, comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. tax code and would include instructions to 11 House committees to trigger the budget reconciliation process to cut mandatory spending. The concurrent resolution would assume that, over 10 years, base (non-Overseas Contingency Operations) discretionary defense spending would be increased by a total of $929 billion over the Budget Control Act caps and non-defense spending be reduced by $1.3 trillion.” The budget pass 219-206. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17; CQ Floor Votes, 10/5/17]

AP: House Budget “Reprises A Controversial Plan To Turn Medicare Into A Voucher-Like Program.” “The House on Thursday passed a $4.1 trillion budget plan that promises deep cuts to social programs while paving the way for Republicans to rewrite the tax code later this year. The 2018 House GOP budget reprises a controversial plan to turn Medicare into a voucher-like program for future retirees as well as the party's efforts to repeal the "Obamacare" health law. Republicans controlling Congress have no plans to actually implement those cuts while they pursue their tax overhaul.” [Associated Press, 10/5/17]

CBPP: FY18 Budget As Passed By House Budget Committee “Would Cut Medicare Spending By $487 Billion Over The 2018-27 Period, Largely By Shifting More Health Care Costs To Beneficiaries.” “The 2018 budget resolution that the House Budget Committee approved this week would end Medicare’s guarantee of health coverage by converting the program to a premium support system. Overall, it would cut Medicare spending by $487 billion over the 2018-27 period, largely by shifting more health care costs to beneficiaries. President Trump’s budget, by contrast, would spare Medicare from cuts.” [CBPP, 7/21/17]

House Budget Called For $5 Trillion In Spending Cuts, Including Slashing Medicaid By $1 Trillion. “The plan, passed by a nearly party-line 219-206 vote, calls for more than $5 trillion in spending cuts over the coming decade, promising to slash Medicaid by about $1 trillion over the next 10 years, repeal the ‘Obamacare’ health law, and force huge cuts to domestic programs funded each year by Congress.” [Associated Press, 10/5/17]

AP: “Republicans Are Not Actually Planning To Impose Any Of Those Cuts… Those GOP Proposals For Spending Cuts Are Limited To Nonbinding Promises.” “But Republicans are not actually planning to impose any of those cuts with follow-up legislation that would be required under Washington's Byzantine budget rules. Instead, those GOP proposals for spending cuts are limited to nonbinding promises, and even a token 10-year, $200 billion spending cut package demanded by tea party House Republicans appears likely to be scrapped in upcoming talks with the Senate.” [Associated Press, 10/5/17]

Washington Post: House Budget “Set The Stage For An Ambitious Tax-Overhaul Bill They Are Planning To Pass Without Democratic Help.” “House Republicans passed crucial budget legislation Thursday, setting aside months of intraparty squabbles to set the stage for an ambitious tax-overhaul bill they are planning to pass without Democratic help. The House budget resolution includes major spending cuts demanded by the party’s conservative wing, but the party’s focus is now on passing a tax bill that could add as much as $1.5 trillion to the budget deficit. Special procedures set out in the legislation would ultimately allow Republicans to pass the bill over a potential Democratic filibuster in the Senate.” [Washington Post, 10/5/17]

Bishop Voted Twice For Republican Repeal & Ripoff

Bishop Voted For The American Health Care Act. In May 2017, Bishop voted for repeal and replace major parts of the Affordable Care Act. According to the New York Times, the bill “would eliminate tax penalties for people who go without health insurance. It would roll back state-by-state expansions of Medicaid, which covered millions of low-income Americans. And in place of government-subsidized insurance policies offered exclusively on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces, the bill would offer tax credits of $2,000 to $4,000 a year, depending on age. […] The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the first version of the bill would trim the federal budget deficit considerably but would also leave 24 million more Americans without health insurance after a decade. Average insurance premiums would be 15 percent to 20 percent higher in 2018 and 2019, but after that, they would be lower than projected under current law.” The bill passed by a vote of 217-213. [HR 1628, Vote #256, 5/4/17; New York Times, 5/4/17]

Bishop Voted To Approve The American Health Care Act Out Of Ways And Means Committee. “Today the House Ways and Means Committee approved the American Health Care Act (AHCA). This legislation will: Repeal Obamacare’s massive taxes—including eliminating the unpopular individual and employer mandate penalties that have forced Americans to buy expensive insurance they do not want or need; Help Americans access health care options that are tailored to their needs by providing a monthly tax credit; and Empower individuals and families to spend their health care dollars the way they want and need by enhancing and expanding Health Savings Accounts.” The motion was approved for Budget Committee action 23-16 along party lines. [Ways and Means, Press Release, 3/9/17; Committee On Ways And Means, 3/9/17]

American Health Care Act Would Gut Protections For People With Pre-Existing Conditions

Politifact Found That AHCA “Would Weaken Protections” For Those With Pre-Existing Conditions, “Would Allow States To Give Insurers The Power To Charge People Significantly More.” “An ad by the American Action Network says that under the American Health Care Act ‘people with pre-existing conditions are protected.’ The only kernel of truth here is that the amendment has language that states insurers can’t limit access to coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. However, the ad omits that the House GOP health plan would weaken protections for these patients. The legislation would allow states to give insurers the power to charge people significantly more if they had a pre-existing condition. While Republicans point to the fact that those patients could get help through high-risk pools, experts question their effectiveness. Current law does not allow states to charge people with pre-existing conditions significantly more. We rate this claim Mostly False.” [Politifact, 5/24/17]

American Health Care Act Would Lead To 23 Million More Uninsured – Disproportionally Older People With Lower Incomes

CBO Estimated 14 Million More People Would Be Uninsured In 2018; 23 Million More Uninsured By 2026. “CBO and JCT estimate that, in 2018, 14 million more people would be uninsured under H.R. 1628 than under current law. The increase in the number of uninsured people relative to the number under current law would reach 19 million in 2020 and 23 million in 2026 (see Table 4, at the end of this document).” [CBO, 5/24/17]

CBO Found Increase In Uninsured Would Disproportionately Impact Older People With Lower Income. “Although the agencies expect that the legislation would increase the number of uninsured broadly, the increase would be disproportionately larger among older people with lower income—particularly people between 50 and 64 years old with income of less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level (see Figure 2).” [CBO, 5/24/17]

CBO: Even In States Without Waivers, More People Would Be Uninsured Than Under Current Law. “CBO and JCT expect that under the current version of the legislation, the effects on health insurance coverage would be similar to those previously estimated for the half of the population that resides in states that would not obtain a waiver from the EHB or community-rating requirements. In general, under H.R. 1628, as passed by the House, fewer people would have coverage through the nongroup market, Medicaid, and employment- based coverage, and more people would be uninsured in those areas than under current law.” [CBO, 5/24/17]

American Health Care Act Would Create An Age Tax On Older Americans

American Health Care Act Allows Insurers To Charge Older Customers Five Times More Than Younger Adults. “Raises premiums for older people. The Affordable Care Act limited insurers from charging older customers more than three times what they charge younger adults. The House bill would raise that to five times. This may enable younger consumers to find cheaper coverage, but older policyholders would face higher rates.” [Huffington Post, 3/6/17]

New York Times: ACHA Achieved Lower Premiums Not Through Increased Choice And Competition, But By Making Health Insurance So Unaffordable For Many Older Americans They Would Leave The Market. “There are a lot of unpleasant numbers for Republicans in the Congressional Budget Office’s assessment of their health care bill. But congressional leadership found one to cheer: The report says that the bill will eventually cut the average insurance premiums for people who buy their own insurance by 10 percent. […] But the way the bill achieves those lower average premiums has little to do with increased choice and competition. It depends, rather, on penalizing older patients and rewarding younger ones. According to the C.B.O. report, the bill would make health insurance so unaffordable for many older Americans that they would simply leave the market and join the ranks of the uninsured.” [New York Times, 3/14/17]

Bishop Voted For Eliminating Limits On Consumer Internet Privacy

Bishop Voted For A Resolution To Eliminate Limits On What ISPs Could Do With Customer Information, Including Browsing Habits, Usage History, Location Data, And Social Security Numbers. In March 2017, Bishop voted for a resolution “that wipes away landmark online privacy protections, the first salvo in what is likely to become a significant reworking of the rules governing Internet access in an era of Republican dominance. In a party-line vote, House Republicans freed Internet service providers such as Verizon, AT&T and Comcast of protections approved just last year that had sought to limit what companies could do with information such as customer browsing habits, app usage history, location data and Social Security numbers. The rules also had required providers to strengthen safeguards for customer data against hackers and thieves.” The resolution passed 215-205. [S J Res 34, Vote #202, 3/28/17; Washington Post, 3/28/17]

Washington Post: ISPs “Will Be Able To Monitor Their Customers’ Behavior Online And, Without Their Permission, Use Their Personal And Financial Information To Sell Highly Targeted Ads.” “If Trump signs the legislation as expected, providers will be able to monitor their customers’ behavior online and, without their permission, use their personal and financial information to sell highly targeted ads — making them rivals to Google and Facebook in the $83 billion online advertising market. The providers could also sell their users’ information directly to marketers, financial firms and other companies that mine personal data — all of whom could use the data without consumers’ consent. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission, which initially drafted the protections, would be forbidden from issuing similar rules in the future.” [Washington Post, 3/28/17]

Washington Post: The House just voted to wipe away the FCC’s landmark Internet privacy protections [Washington Post, 3/28/17]

Bishop Voted For Repealing Wall Street Reforms

Bishop Voted For The CHOICE Act To “Overhaul Financial Industry Regulations And Repeal Many Provisions Of The 2010 Dodd-Frank Law.” In June 2017, Bishop voted for “passage of the bill that would overhaul financial industry regulations and repeal many provisions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law. It would convert the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau into an executive agency funded by annual appropriations and would modify operations at the Federal Reserve and at the Securities and Exchange Commission. It would repeal the prohibition on banking entities engaging in proprietary trading and would modify regulations governing the amount of capital that banks are required to maintain. It would also nullify the Labor Department's April 2016 "fiduciary" rule regarding standards for individuals who provide retirement investment advice to act in the best interests of their clients.” The bill passed 233-186. [HR 10, Vote #299, 6/8/17; CQ Floor Votes, 6/8/17]

HEADLINE: House passes Choice Act that would gut Dodd-Frank banking reforms [CNBC, 6/8/17]

New York Times: CHOICE Act “To Erase A Number Of Core Financial Regulations,” Including Limits On Risk Taking Enacted After The Financial Crash, And “Would Weaken The Powers Of The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.” “The House approved legislation on Thursday to erase a number of core financial regulations put in place by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, as Republicans moved a step closer to delivering on their promises to eliminate rules that they claim have strangled small businesses and stagnated the economy. […] The Choice Act would exempt some financial institutions that meet capital and liquidity requirements from many of Dodd-Frank’s restrictions that limit risk taking. It would also replace Dodd-Frank’s method of dealing with large and failing financial institutions, known as the orderly liquidation authority — which critics say reinforces the idea that some banks are too big to fail — with a new bankruptcy code provision. In addition, the legislation would weaken the powers of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.” [New York Times, 6/8/17]