AFL-CIO releases interim COPE voting records for ‘06

The scorecard is not the official document for 2006, but rather a running record of votes that were of interest to the AFL-CIO as they pertain to working people. Various affiliates of the labor federation — such as the Building Trades and Maritime Trades departments — maintain their own voting records, which may not mirror those of the AFL-CIO.

The AFL-CIO’s interim scorecard tracked 24 bills and/or amendments to bills that were voted on before Congress recessed for the summer on Aug. 4.

Oregon Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer, David Wu, Peter DeFazio and Darlene Hooley each cast one “wrong” vote. Democratic Rep. Brian Baird of Washington was also “wrong” on one vote.

Wu voted in favor of labor-opposed H.R. 5970, the Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act, a catch-all bill that cut estate taxes for the super rich. The Republican leadership tried to sweeten it with a minimum wage increase, but that increase included cutting wages of tipped workers in Oregon. The bill passed the House 230-180. Wu was the only Democrat from Oregon to vote for it.

DeFazio’s and Hooley’s “wrong” vote was a bill they supported giving the president line-item veto power. H.R. 4890, which the AFL-CIO opposed, passed on June 22 on a vote of 247-172.

Blumenauer was dinged for a vote against a mine safety bill passed by the Senate. S. 2803 came to the House under a procedural rule that would not allow for any amendments. The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act improves accident response plans in coal mine. House Democrats wanted to add even more safety provisions to the bill, but couldn’t under the procedural rule. The AFL-CIO still supported the bill, which passed the House on June 7 by a 381-37 count.

Baird’s blemish on the interim scorecard came on a bill to repeal federal taxes on estates of less than $5 million for an individual ($10 million for a couple), and to reduce taxes on larger estates. The AFL-CIO lobbied against the bill, saying it would trim $774 billion from the tax rolls and threaten critical domestic programs. The bill passed June 22 on a 269-156 vote.

Oregon Republican Greg Walden voted in accordance with the AFL-CIO on seven of the 24 bills or amendments. He supported the mine safety act; an amendment to an appropriations bill prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency from rolling back requirements for reporting toxic pollution; for an amendment to the transportation appropriations bill delaying until late 2007 the ability for foreign entities to buy U.S. airlines; and for the Voting Rights Act. He also sided with labor by voting against three amendments that would have weakened the Voting Rights Act.

In the U.S. Senate, Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon recorded an 18-1 interim voting record. Democrats Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington voted 16-2-1 and 16-3, respectively, while Oregon Republican Gordon Smith came in at just 3-16.

All four senators voted against the wishes of the AFL-CIO on an amendment to S. 2611, a sweeping immigration reform bill that included the creation of a new program to admit 500,000 immigrant guest workers per year on H-2C visas in a variety of occupations. The AFL-CIO supported an amendment that sought to end the H2-C program after five years so that Congress could review the impact it had on the U.S. labor market. The amendment failed on a 48-49 vote.

Another amendment to the immigration bill would have eliminated the new H2-C program altogether. All but Wyden voted to table (kill) that labor-backed amendment.

Cantwell and Smith also voted for the labor-opposed Oman Free Trade Agreement. The bill passed 60-34.

Smith’s “right” votes included support of an amendment in a budget resolution bill calling for an increase in funding for labor, health and education programs; on a lobbying reform bill banning gifts and trips from lobbyists and requiring more disclosure of corporate-funded “grass-roots” lobbying campaigns that are actually front groups for business interests; and the Voting Rights Act, which passed with unanimous support.

DeFazio, of Springfield, leads the congressional delegation with a lifetime COPE voting record of 94 percent. Rep. Walden, of Hood River, scored the lowest at just 19 percent.

Sen. Wyden has an 85 percent lifetime COPE voting record. Cantwell and Murray have 88 percent voting records and Smith has a 21 percent lifetime record.