Representative Brad Ashford
| Party: | Democratic |
| State: | Nebraska (District 2)
|
| Joined the House: | 2015 |
| Left the House: | Incumbent (term ends 2017) |
| Birth Date: | November 10, 1949 |
| Phone: | 202-225-4155 |
| Contact: | Web form |
| URL: | Official site |
| Fundraising History: | Open Secrets |
| Election History: | Ballotpedia |
| Biography: | Wikipedia |
Summary of voting record: Representative Ashford opposes taxing businesses, consumer protection, financial sector regulation, gun control, domestic surveillance and supports funding education, hawkish foreign policy, public health, humane immigration policy, labor rights and wages, lgbt rights, taxing the middle class, avoiding default, racial equality, higher spending, women's rights.
Voting Record: Brad Ashford
Favors
the middle class
42.3% of the time
Favors
the wealthy
57.7% of the time
Favors
broad civil rights
100% of the time
Favors
narrow civil rights
0% of the time
Specific Policy Areas
supports
LGBT Rights
100% of the time
| Title: Amendment to prohibit federal funding to law enforcement agencies that engage in demographic profiling in violation of the DOJ guidance (2015 roll call h281) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity (2015 roll call h326) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 8 |
supports
Humane Immigration Policy
100% of the time
| Title: Amendment to strike language requesting that the DOD consider admitting immigrants covered by the DACA (2015 roll call h229) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-14 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit undocumented immigrants from obtaining housing assistance (2015 roll call h319) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 1 |
| Scoring explanation: Note that undocumented immigrants were already prohibited from obtaining housing assistance. |
| Title: Amendment to provide for recognition of academic achievement in languages other than English (2015 roll call h415) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act (2015 roll call h466) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-07-23 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h482) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-07-28 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: While immigration regulations can be either humane or inhumane with regard to immigration, in the present climate they tend to shift policy in a more humane direction. |
| Title: Amendment to file a brief with the SCOTUS opposing DACA (2016 roll call h128) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-03-17 |
Weight: 1 |
supports
Avoiding Default
100% of the time
| Title: Default Prevention Act (2015 roll call h557) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-10-21 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: Although this bill was presented as a means to avoid default, it actually only permitted the treasury to ignore the debt limit and continue to honor its payment obligations with regard to certain types of payments, such as bonds and social security, which would have made a partial default more politically feasible. |
| Title: Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h579) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-10-28 |
Weight: 10 |
supports
Funding Education
100% of the time
| Title: Amendment to provide for school dropout prevention (2015 roll call h413) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Expanding technical resources to rural schools (2015 roll call h416) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to establish grants for early-childhood education scholarships (2015 roll call h417) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to convert federal education funding to block grants (2015 roll call h419) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 4 |
| Scoring explanation: Converting federal education dollars to block grants would result in some states transferring the funds over to vouchers and subsidies to existing private schools, both of which would partially offset current private expenditures, resulting in less total educational spending. |
| Title: Every Student Succeeds Act (2015 roll call h665) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-12-02 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: STEM Education Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h88) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-02-25 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to authorize the STEM Gateways program (2015 roll call h95) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-02-26 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to prevent the Student Success Act from cutting funding to high poverty schools (2015 roll call h99) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-02-26 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: SOAR Reauthorization Act (2016 roll call h179) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-04-29 |
Weight: 4 |
supports
Women's Rights
100% of the time
| Title: Amendment to direct the CFPB to include minority and women-owned businesses on the SBAB (2015 roll call h165) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-22 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Resolution to block a DC law that protects against discrimination on the basis of reproductive decisions (2015 roll call h194) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (2015 roll call h223) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-05-13 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: Prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks except in very narrow circumstances such as a case of incest that had been reported the law enforcement, cases of rape where the woman received medical treatment for the rape and cases where the pregnancy poses particular kinds of threats to the life of the mother, but prohibits abortion in other cases of rape, incest or threat to the life of the mother. |
| Title: Women's Public Health and Safety Act (2015 roll call h524) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-09-29 |
Weight: 9 |
| Scoring explanation: A bill to allow states to refuse to make Medicaid payments to healthcare providers that perform abortions. |
| Title: Resolution to defund Planned Parenthood (2015 roll call h527) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-09-30 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to authorize the STEM Gateways program (2015 roll call h95) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-02-26 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: The STEM Gateways program provided funding to support the success of women in STEM fields |
| Title: Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 (2016 roll call h6) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-01-06 |
Weight: 4 |
| Scoring explanation: This bill includes provisions prohibiting states from using federal funds to fund Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform abortions except in cases of rape, incest or threat to the life of the pregnant woman. |
supports
Racial Equality
100% of the time
| Title: Amendment to direct the CFPB to include minority and women-owned businesses on the SBAB (2015 roll call h165) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-22 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit federal funding to law enforcement agencies that engage in demographic profiling in violation of the DOJ guidance (2015 roll call h281) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 8 |
| Title: Amendment to block an executive order requiring localities to analyze racial segregation in housing (2015 roll call h311) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Amendment to block HUD's implementation of disparate impact analysis to apply the Fair Housing Act (2015 roll call h323) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h448) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-07-21 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to require that environmental impact statements assess the impact on low-income and minority communities (2015 roll call h509) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-09-25 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to the Red River Private Property Protection Act to preserve surface and mineral rights of Native American tribes (2015 roll call h684) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-12-09 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to authorize the STEM Gateways program (2015 roll call h95) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-02-26 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: The STEM Gateways program provided funding to support the success of minorities in STEM fields |
| Title: Amendment to exclude violations of the Civil Rights Act Title VII from a bill curtailing class actions (2016 roll call h24) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-01-08 |
Weight: 3 |
| Scoring explanation: The bill (HR 1927) that this amendment would revise would create substantial burdens to filing class actions, especially class actions based on a pattern of racial discrimination in employment. This amendment sought to protect the viability of civil rights class actions. |
| Title: Amendment to exclude violations of the Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act from a bill curtailing class actions (2016 roll call h26) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-01-08 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: This amendment would have protected housing discrimination suits from a bill that would make it significantly more difficult to file a class action. |
supports
Public Health
91.7% of the time
| Title: Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act (2015 roll call h114) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-03-16 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h144) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-03-26 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: 2015 budget (2015 roll call h183) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: The 2015 Republican budget would have significantly reduced public health budgets. |
| Title: Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h384) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-24 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: The bill would allow governors to delay or avoid compliance with the Clean Air Act. |
| Title: Amendment to make the NIH Cures Innovation Fund discretionary (2015 roll call h431) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-10 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: 21st Century Cures Act (2015 roll call h433) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-07-10 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to expand water testing requirements for coal residual surface impoundments (2015 roll call h455) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-22 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to allow the EPA to prevent coal residuals legislation from taking effect based on public health (2015 roll call h456) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-22 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to exclude public health and safety rules from REINS Act (2015 roll call h477) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-28 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h695) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-12-16 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 (2016 roll call h6) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-01-06 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: Although the effect of repealing many provisions of the ACA that this bill would repeal is a matter of policy judgment, and hence have not entered into the rating, this bill would dramatically reduce funding for healthcare, including ending the Medicare expansion, which would unambiguously undermine public health. |
supports
Labor Rights and Wages
89.5% of the time
| Title: Resolution to disapprove of the NLRB's shortened election window rulemaking (2015 roll call h128) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-03-19 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit funding companies with recent wage theft convictions (2015 roll call h189) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 5 |
| Title: Amendment to restrict paying Veteran's Administration employees while engaged in labor organizing activity (2015 roll call h190) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Amendment to block application of the Davis-Bacon Act (2015 roll call h191) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit entering into contracts with businesses that repeatedly violate the Fair Labor Standards Act (2015 roll call h354) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-11 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h633) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-11-17 |
Weight: 1 |
| Scoring explanation: The Act would exclude workers at businesses owned by Native American tribes from the jurisdiction of the NLRB. |
| Title: Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h64) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-02-04 |
Weight: 1 |
supports
Taxing the Middle Class
84.6% of the time
| Title: Democratic FY2016 budget (2015 roll call h139) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-03-25 |
Weight: 10 |
| Title: Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h157) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-04-15 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Fairness Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h159) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-16 |
Weight: 2 |
supports
Higher Spending
83% of the time
| Title: 2015 budget (2015 roll call h142) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-03-25 |
Weight: 9 |
| Scoring explanation: The Republican 2015 budget would have cut spending dramatically. |
| Title: Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h144) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-03-26 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to strike funding for the OCO from the defense authorization (2015 roll call h184) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 3 |
| Scoring explanation: The version of the defense authorization that this amendment would amend attempted to evade the sequester caps by using an excluded fund. The amendment would have enforced the caps. |
| Title: Amendment to eliminate $1.66 billion in renewable energy funding (2015 roll call h199) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to eliminate all kinds of energy funding (2015 roll call h200) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce military spending by $167 million (2015 roll call h203) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce funding for the energy appropriates bill by 11% (2015 roll call h205) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Amendment to cut spending on energy programs by 1% (2015 roll call h210) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-01 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce the minimum required number of aircraft carriers (2015 roll call h228) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-14 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to apply a 1% cut to most spending in an appropriations bill (2015 roll call h246) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-19 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce funding of law enforcement by 1% (2015 roll call h278) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce funding of various agencies by 2.5% (2015 roll call h292) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Science Appropriations Act, 2016 (2015 roll call h297) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Amendment to eliminate federal subsidies of Amtrak (2015 roll call h303) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-04 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce funding of DOT and HUD by 1% (2015 roll call h310) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2016 (2015 roll call h329) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 (2015 roll call h358) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-11 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: This version of the appropriations for the DoD would have increased military spending beyond the sequester cap by shifting base operating costs to the budget of the Overseas Contingency Operations. |
| Title: Amendment to reduce funding of the Department of Interior (2015 roll call h407) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 3 |
supports
Hawkish Foreign Policy
81.6% of the time
| Title: Amendment to reduce the minimum required number of aircraft carriers (2015 roll call h228) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-14 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to make it more difficult to release detainees from Guantanamo Bay (2015 roll call h230) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-14 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to provide for the closing of Guantanamo Bay (2015 roll call h231) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-14 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Amendment to limit funding for the START treaty (2015 roll call h234) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-15 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to protect the funding of disarming nuclear weapons (2015 roll call h237) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-15 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to strike a prohibition on releasing or transferring detainees at Guantanamo Bay (2015 roll call h336) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-10 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit the provision of counsel to detainees are Guantanamo Bay (2015 roll call h355) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-11 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to remove restrictions on closing Guantanamo Bay (2015 roll call h367) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-16 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Directing the removal of troops from Iraq and Syria (2015 roll call h370) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-17 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit the President from entering into the Iranian nuclear disarmament treaty (2015 roll call h494) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-09-11 |
Weight: 8 |
| Title: Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act (2015 roll call h533) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-10-01 |
Weight: 7 |
| Scoring explanation: Prohibiting the president from ending sanctions against Iran or entering into a nuclear disarmament treaty until all judgments against Iran have been paid. |
| Title: Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act (2016 roll call h554) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-09-22 |
Weight: 2 |
supports
Big Business
68.5% of the time
| Title: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act (2015 roll call h167) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-22 |
Weight: 8 |
| Scoring explanation: Seeks to give business more control over CFPB |
| Title: Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h333) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-10 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h374) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-18 |
Weight: 8 |
| Title: Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h384) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-24 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Amendment to make it more difficult to raise the amount oil companies pay to drill on public land (2015 roll call h408) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h482) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-07-28 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: While regulatory actions can be either pro-big business or anti-big business, on balance, having administrative agencies that are capable of regulating does more to constrain big business than to benefit it. In 2015, the administration was clearly more prone to regulating big business than the legislature, but even during Republican administrations, on balance, the administrative agencies largely tend to serve as a check on big business. |
| Title: LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act (2015 roll call h50) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-01-28 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Responsibly And Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h518) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-09-25 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h64) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-02-04 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Amendment designed to protect the independence of regulatory agencies (2016 roll call h14) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-01-07 |
Weight: 1 |
| Scoring explanation: Certain regulatory agencies, such as the SEC and CFPB, are structured to be somewhat independent to minimize the ability of business lobbyists to pressure them. This amendment to the SCRUB Act was intended to protect the independence of those agencies. |
| Title: Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2015 (2016 roll call h20) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-01-07 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: This bill is intended to structure the regulatory process in a way that would result in dramatic deregulation of big business. |
| Title: Amendment to reduce the burden placed on plaintiffs by a bill to curtail class actions (2016 roll call h29) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-01-08 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: Class actions are generally a means by which individuals can seek compensation from businesses that have harmed them. Suing a large business as an individual is often not feasible, while it is more often feasible for a large group that can pool their resources. The bill which this amendment would revise (HR 1927) to lessen the burden the bill would place on litigants who wish to proceed as a class. |
| Title: Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2015 (2016 roll call h33) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-01-08 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: This bill would raise the bar for forming a class dramatically. Class actions are typically used by individuals when a large business does a small amount of harm to a large number of people. For example, if a company were to do $50 worth of harm to each of one million of its customers, it would not be feasible for each individual to sue, so the company would only be forced to compensate the customers it harmed if they are able to form a class. By setting a very high burden of proof for forming a class, this bill would block many class actions. |
| Title: Amendment to exempt plaintiffs seeking compensation from the bad faith of an insurer from an act restricting the filing of suits. (2016 roll call h87) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-02-25 |
Weight: 2 |
supports
a Robust Safety Net
66.7% of the time
| Title: Democratic FY2016 budget (2015 roll call h139) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-03-25 |
Weight: 10 |
| Title: 2015 budget (2015 roll call h142) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-03-25 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: The Republican 2015 budget would have dramatically reduced spending on a wide range of safety net programs, including Medicaid and food stamps |
| Title: Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 (2016 roll call h6) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-01-06 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: Although the effect of repealing many provisions of the ACA that this bill would repeal is a matter of policy judgment, and hence have not entered into the rating, this bill would end the Medicare expansion, which would unambiguously and dramatically weaken the safety net. |
supports
Poverty Amelioration
65.2% of the time
| Title: 2015 budget (2015 roll call h183) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: The 2015 Republican budget would have greatly reduced or eliminated a wide variety of poverty amelioration programs. |
| Title: Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2016 (2015 roll call h329) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 8 |
| Title: Amendment to provide for school dropout prevention (2015 roll call h413) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to prevent the Student Success Act from cutting funding to high poverty schools (2015 roll call h99) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-02-26 |
Weight: 4 |
supports
Military Spending
56.5% of the time
| Title: Amendment to increase spending on the war on terror without offset (2015 roll call h141) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-03-25 |
Weight: 10 |
| Title: 2015 budget (2015 roll call h183) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: The 2015 Republican budget would have greatly increased military spending. |
| Title: Amendment to strike funding for the OCO from the defense authorization (2015 roll call h184) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 5 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce military spending by $167 million (2015 roll call h203) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to reduce the minimum required number of aircraft carriers (2015 roll call h228) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-14 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 (2015 roll call h358) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-11 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Amendment to block an increase in funding for the Maritime Security Fleet (2015 roll call h545) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-10-09 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (2015 roll call h618) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-11-05 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (2015 roll call h649) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-12-01 |
Weight: 4 |
supports
Increasing Revenues
41.2% of the time
| Title: Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h156) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-04-15 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Fairness Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h159) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-16 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: The lost revenue under this bill was not offset with spending cuts |
| Title: American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h260) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-05-20 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h375) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-18 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to make it more difficult to raise the amount oil companies pay to drill on public land (2015 roll call h408) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h82) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-02-13 |
Weight: 4 |
supports
Environmental Protection
39.7% of the time
| Title: Amendment to strike funding of Amtrak (2015 roll call h110) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-03-04 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h121) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-03-17 |
Weight: 8 |
| Scoring explanation: This bill would have dramatically increased industry and political control over the EPA's science board |
| Title: Amendment to shift money from renewable energy research to fossil fuel research (2015 roll call h197) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to eliminate $1.66 billion in renewable energy funding (2015 roll call h199) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-04-30 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 (2015 roll call h215) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-05-01 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to protect the 'waters of the united states' regulation (2015 roll call h217) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-12 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h219) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-05-12 |
Weight: 7 |
| Title: Amendment to remove species from the endangered species list (2015 roll call h236) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-15 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to place congressionally-appointed members of committees in science agencies (2015 roll call h253) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-20 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to restore the ARPA-E goal of developing green energy technologies (2015 roll call h256) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-05-20 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h258) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-05-20 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: The principle changes in the Act are focused on shifting research funding away from climate research. |
| Title: Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act (2015 roll call h267) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-01 |
Weight: 4 |
| Scoring explanation: The bill would restrict environmental regulation of fishing. |
| Title: Amendment to block implementation of an executive order protecting the oceans and great lakes (2015 roll call h291) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to eliminate federal subsidies of Amtrak (2015 roll call h303) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-04 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h384) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-24 |
Weight: 5 |
| Scoring explanation: The bill would allow governors to delay or avoid compliance with the Clean Air Act. |
| Title: Amendment to remove deregulation of surface mining (2015 roll call h397) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to remove prohibition on components of the National Ocean Policy (2015 roll call h398) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to remove a provision that would have impeding regulation of fracking on tribal lands (2015 roll call h402) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to preserve executive orders on climate change (2015 roll call h406) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to make it more difficult to raise the amount oil companies pay to drill on public land (2015 roll call h408) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-08 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h428) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-07-09 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: Increasing logging of federal land and reducing regulatory oversight. |
| Title: Private Investment in Housing Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h436) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-07-14 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to apply groundwater safety monitoring requirements to inactive surface impoundments (2015 roll call h454) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-22 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to expand water testing requirements for coal residual surface impoundments (2015 roll call h455) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-22 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to allow the EPA to prevent coal residuals legislation from taking effect based on public health (2015 roll call h456) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-22 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h458) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-07-22 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Amendment to exclude oil and natural gas safety and cleanups from REINS Act (2015 roll call h476) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-07-28 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h482) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-07-28 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: While environmental agencies can either increase or reduce environmental protection and enforcement, in the present climate they are clearly pushing in the direction of more protective policy. |
| Title: LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act (2015 roll call h50) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-01-28 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to require that environmental impact statements assess the impact on low-income and minority communities (2015 roll call h509) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-09-25 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to remove a provision that would limit the allowable time for the evaluation of environmental impacts (2015 roll call h511) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-09-25 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Responsibly And Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h518) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-09-25 |
Weight: 4 |
| Scoring explanation: The bill would have significantly curtailed the process of developing environmental impact statements. |
| Title: National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h565) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-10-22 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: The bill would have reduced environmental regulations pertaining to mining on federal lands. |
| Title: Amendment to extend incentives for electric cars to natural gas cars (2015 roll call h620) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-11-05 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Resolution to nullify the Clean Power Plan (2015 roll call h650) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-12-01 |
Weight: 9 |
| Scoring explanation: This resolution would have nullified the EPA's standards for greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. |
| Title: Resolution to nullify the EPA rule establishing Clean Air Act standards for carbon dioxide emissions (2015 roll call h651) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-12-01 |
Weight: 8 |
| Title: Amendment curtailing review of the environmental impact of international oil pipelines (2015 roll call h658) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-12-02 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to protect funding for energy efficiency programs (2015 roll call h661) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-12-02 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Amendment to provide funding and technical assistance to renewable energy projects (2015 roll call h662) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-12-02 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to repeal EPA regulations of residential wood heaters (2015 roll call h669) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-12-03 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h672) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-12-03 |
Weight: 8 |
| Scoring explanation: This bill was an attempt to counter the Obama administration's shifting of our energy policy to be more favorable for more environmentally sound sources of energy. It included many provisions favorable to the fossil fuel industry and unfavorable to the renewable energy sector and was uniformly opposed by environmental groups. |
| Title: Amendment to strike a provision that would have undermined the EPA's cross-state air pollution rule (2016 roll call h118) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-03-15 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: SENSE Act (2016 roll call h123) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-03-15 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: Bill to undermine the EPA's powerplant regulations. |
| Title: Amendment to designate ANWR as a national wilderness. (2016 roll call h99) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-02-26 |
Weight: 4 |
supports
Foreign and Humanitarian Aid
33.3% of the time
| Title: Amendment to reduce foreign aid to Pakistan (2015 roll call h340) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-10 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h643) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-11-19 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: Establishing substantial barriers to the admittance of refugees from Iraq and Syria. |
supports
Taxing the Wealthy
33.3% of the time
| Title: Democratic FY2016 budget (2015 roll call h139) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-03-25 |
Weight: 10 |
| Title: 2015 budget (2015 roll call h142) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-03-25 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: The Republican 2015 budget would have dramatically reduced taxes on the wealthy. |
| Title: Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h161) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-16 |
Weight: 10 |
supports
Financial Sector Regulation
16.7% of the time
| Title: Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h151) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-14 |
Weight: 4 |
| Title: Mortgage Choice Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h152) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-14 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Commodity End-User Relief Act (2015 roll call h309) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-09 |
Weight: 5 |
| Scoring explanation: Reducing regulatory oversight of the commodities and derivatives markets. |
| Title: Small Bank Exam Cycle Reform Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h534) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage-suspension |
Date: 2015-10-06 |
Weight: 1 |
| Scoring explanation: Easing regulatory examination procedures for small banks. |
| Title: Homebuyers Assistance Act (2015 roll call h540) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-10-07 |
Weight: 1 |
| Scoring explanation: Delaying the start of the regulation of various mortgage regulations. |
| Title: Retail Investor Protection Act (2015 roll call h575) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-10-27 |
Weight: 1 |
| Scoring explanation: The bill would have applied limits to the powers of the Secretary of Labor and the SEC's abilities to regulate the financial sector. |
| Title: Portfolio Lending and Mortgage Access Act (2015 roll call h636) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-11-18 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: The Act would substantially reduce the regulation of banks' issuance of mortgages by rolling back CFPB regulations designed to prevent some of the lending practices that led to the 2008 recession. |
| Title: Resolution to prevent fiduciary duties from being imposed on retirement advisors (2016 roll call h176) |
| Vote: Nay (increases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2016-04-28 |
Weight: 4 |
supports
Gun Control
8.3% of the time
| Title: Amendment to restrict the DOJ from regulating armor piercing ammunition (2015 roll call h289) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: Amendment to exclude suits against gun makers for manufacturing defects from a bill curtailing class actions (2016 roll call h25) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-01-08 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm from using target ranges. (2016 roll call h92) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-02-26 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit firearm bans in airports and similar locations (2016 roll call h96) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2016-02-26 |
Weight: 6 |
supports
Consumer Protection
4.5% of the time
| Title: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act (2015 roll call h167) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-22 |
Weight: 10 |
| Scoring explanation: Seeks to give business more control over CFPB |
| Title: Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h333) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-06-10 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Amendment to increase the safety information auto makers must disclose (2015 roll call h619) |
| Vote: Aye (increases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-11-05 |
Weight: 1 |
| Title: Portfolio Lending and Mortgage Access Act (2015 roll call h636) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-11-18 |
Weight: 6 |
| Scoring explanation: The Act would substantially reduce the regulation of banks' issuance of mortgages by rolling back CFPB regulations designed to prevent some of the lending practices that led to the 2008 recession. |
| Title: Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h64) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-02-04 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to protect FDA consumer safety regulations (2015 roll call h66) |
| Vote: Nay (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-02-05 |
Weight: 2 |
supports
Taxing Businesses
0% of the time
| Title: American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h260) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-05-20 |
Weight: 3 |
| Title: America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h82) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-02-13 |
Weight: 10 |
supports
Domestic Surveillance
0% of the time
| Title: National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015 (2015 roll call h173) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: passage |
Date: 2015-04-23 |
Weight: 2 |
| Scoring explanation: Improvement in a the privacy protections in cybersecurity information sharing |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit compelling a journalist to reveal his or her source (2015 roll call h284) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 6 |
| Title: Amendment to prohibit NIST from consulting with the NSA to crack encryption technologies (2015 roll call h290) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-03 |
Weight: 2 |
| Title: Amendment to limit warrantless searches of government databases (2015 roll call h356) |
| Vote: Aye (decreases score) |
Type: amendment |
Date: 2015-06-11 |
Weight: 4 |
show votes