
Departments
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2006
Senate Votes On Key UAW Issues
Click on the Vote Number for a Detailed Explanation
of the Issue
Or Click on Your Senators Vote For A Detailed Explanation of the
Issue
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CQ
Vote Number:
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Base
Position:**
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Nay |
Yea |
Yea |
Yea |
Nay |
Nay |
Nay |
Nay |
Nay |
Yea |
Nay |
Nay |
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Percent |
Y/N |
All |
Report |
Agreed/ |
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Agreed: |
Votes |
Positions |
Total |
Cast |
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Alabama |
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Sessions, J. (R ) |
8% |
8% |
8% |
12-Jan |
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Shelby (R ) |
18% |
18% |
17% |
11-Feb |
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Delaware |
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Biden (D ) |
91% |
92% |
92% |
11-Oct |
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Carper (D ) |
100% |
100% |
100% |
12-Dec |
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Florida |
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Martinez (R ) |
8% |
8% |
8% |
12-Jan |
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Nelson, Bill (D ) |
67% |
67% |
67% |
12-Aug |
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Georgia |
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Chambliss (R ) |
8% |
8% |
8% |
12-Jan |
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Isakson (R ) |
8% |
8% |
8% |
12-Jan |
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Maryland |
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Mikulski (D ) |
92% |
92% |
92% |
12-Nov |
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Sarbanes (D ) |
91% |
91% |
83% |
11-Oct |
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Mississippi |
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Cochran (R ) |
17% |
17% |
17% |
12-Feb |
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Lott (R ) |
17% |
17% |
17% |
12-Feb |
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North Carolina |
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Burr (R ) |
17% |
17% |
17% |
12-Feb |
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Dole (R ) |
25% |
25% |
25% |
12-Mar |
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Pennsylvania |
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Santorum (R ) |
17% |
17% |
17% |
12-Feb |
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Specter (R ) |
40% |
40% |
33% |
10-Apr |
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South
Carolina |
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DeMint (R ) |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0 / 12 |
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Graham (R ) |
8% |
8% |
8% |
12-Jan |
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Tennessee |
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Alexander, L. (R ) |
17% |
17% |
17% |
12-Feb |
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Frist (R ) |
17% |
17% |
17% |
12-Feb |
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Virginia |
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Allen, G. (R ) |
8% |
8% |
8% |
12-Jan |
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Warner (R ) |
33% |
33% |
33% |
12-Apr |
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West
Virginia |
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Byrd (D ) |
75% |
75% |
75% |
12-Sep |
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Rockefeller (D ) |
86% |
86% |
50% |
7-Jun |
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Vote Key |
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+ |
Member's yea/nay vote agrees
with base position |
- |
Member's yea/nay vote disagrees
with base position |
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(+) |
Member's announced/paired
position agrees with base position |
(-) |
Member's announced/paired
position disagrees with base position |
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X |
Member did not cast a yea/nay
vote or officially declare a position |
I |
Member was ineligible to
vote |
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Worker Rights
CQ Vote #179
1. Senate Rejects Minimum Wage Increase
During consideration of the defense authorization legislation, Senator
Kennedy (D-MA) offered an amendment to raise the minimum wage to $7.25.
The UAW and the rest of the labor movement strongly supported this amendment,
which would provide a long overdue raise to millions of low income workers.
GOP leaders countered with a terrible amendment providing a smaller, inadequate
increase in the minimum wage linked to anti-worker provisions undermining
the 40-hour work week and denying minimum wage and overtime protections
to millions of workers. In the end, both of these amendments failed to
get the 60 votes needed to pass, and thus were rejected by the Senate.
The vote on the Kennedy minimum wage increase amendment was 52-46 (R8-46;
D 43-0; I 1-0). June 21. Click Here To Return to
the Top
CQ Vote #229
2. Senate Blocks Effort to Hold Minimum Wage Increase Hostage
to Drastic Reduction in the Estate Tax
In a cynical political maneuver, GOP Congressional
leaders crafted a legislative package that combined an increase in the
minimum wage with a measure drastically reducing the estate tax. The UAW
and a broad coalition of progressive groups strongly opposed this political
ploy. The reduction in the estate tax would give huge tax windfalls to
a tiny number of the richest families in the United States. It would also
aggravate our budget deficits and undermine funding for vital domestic
programs. In addition, the minimum wage increase was phased in too slowly,
and contained a provision nullifying state protections for workers who
receive tips. As a result of this provision, the GOP bill would actually
result in a big pay cut for millions of minimum wage workers in seven
states. In the end, Senate Democrats were able to sustain a filibuster
to block the GOP estate tax-minimum wage package. An attempt to invoke
cloture to cut off debate on this package failed by a vote of 56-42 (R
52-3; D 4-38; I 0-1). August 3. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster.
Senate GOP Leader Bill Frist supported
cloture, but shifted his vote to “No” in order to preserve
his procedural ability to later move to reconsider the vote. Click
Here To Return to the Top
Trade
CQ Vote #190
3. Senate Approves Oman Free Trade Deal
The UAW and other unions and progressive
groups opposed the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement because it failed to
contain meaningful, enforceable protections for workers’ rights.
But the Senate approved this free trade deal by a vote of 60-34. (R 48-5;
D 11-29; I 1-0). June 29. Click Here To Return
to the Top
Budget/Taxes
CQ Vote #58
4. Senate Approves Amendment Increasing Funding for Health, Education
& Training
During consideration of the budget plan for FY 2007, Senators
Specter (R-PA) and Harkin (D-IA) offered an amendment to
allow for $7 billion in increased funding for health, education, and training.
The UAW and other unions strongly supported this amendment, and it was
approved by a vote of 73-27 (R 28-27; D 44-0; I 1-0). March 16. Click
Here To Return to the Top
CQ Vote #74
5. Senate Passes Misguided GOP Budget Plan
The budget plan crafted by GOP leaders
for FY 2007 did not provide sufficient funding for many important domestic
programs. At the same time, it assumed that the 2001-2003 Bush tax cuts
for the rich would be made permanent. It also called for cuts in spending
on Medicare and Medicaid and would establish a new point of order against
spending on Medicare. The UAW and our progressive allies opposed this
GOP budget plan, but it passed the Senate by a vote of 51-49 (R 50-5;
D 1-43; I 0-1). March 16. Click Here To Return
to the Top
CQ Vote #118
6. Senate Passes Budget Reconciliation Tax Bill
The UAW and our progressive allies opposed
the conference report on the budget reconciliation tax legislation. The
centerpiece of this measure was a provision extending the reduction in
taxes on capital gains and dividends. This provision largely benefits
wealthy individuals. It would also aggravate our federal deficits and
deprive the federal government of resources that are needed for education,
health care and other domestic programs. Despite our opposition, the Senate
passed this legislation by a vote of 54-44 (R 51-3; D 3-40; I 0-1). May
11. Click Here To Return to the Top
Health Care
CQ Vote #5
7. Senate Kills Effort to Extend Enrollment Period for Medicare
Prescription Drug Program
Because of the complex and confusing nature of the
Medicare prescription drug program, many seniors encountered considerable
difficulty in deciding whether to enroll in the program. At the same time,
seniors faced penalties if they missed the June 30th deadline for enrolling
in the program. To alleviate this situation, during consideration of the
budget reconciliation tax cut legislation, Senator
Bill Nelson (D-FL) offered an amendment to extend the initial
enrollment period by six months through the end of 2006. GOP leaders raised
a point of order to block this amendment. When Senator
Nelson moved to waive this point of order, his motion was
rejected by a vote of 52-45 (R 8-45; D 43-0; I 1-0). February 2. Under
Senate rules, it takes 60 votes to overcome a point of order. Click
Here To Return to the Top
CQ Vote #21
8. Senate Blocks Asbestos Compensation Bill
The UAW supported legislation sponsored by Senators
Specter (R-PA) and Leahy (D-VT) that would have established
a $140 billion federal trust fund to compensate the victims of asbestos
related diseases. In our judgment, this proposal would have been far superior
to the current tort system in providing prompt, equitable compensation
to millions of workers who have been made sick by exposure to asbestos.
But trial lawyers waged a fierce battle to stop this legislation, and
used a budget technicality to raise a point of order against the bill.
Senator Specter moved to waive
this point of order, but this motion was rejected by a vote of 58-41 (R
44-11; D 13-30; I 1-0). February 14. It takes 60 votes to overcome a point
of order. As a result of this vote, the asbestos compensation legislation
was effectively killed. Senator Frist
supported Specter's motion, but later switched to opposition so under
the Senate rules he could later be in a position to move to reconsider
the vote. Click Here To Return to the Top
CQ Vote #115
9. Senate Blocks Misguided Medical Malpractice Bills
In May, Senate GOP leaders tried to bring
up two medical malpractice bills that would have limited the ability of
patients to recover damages when they are the victims of negligent medical
care. The UAW opposed these misguided measures and they were both blocked
by filibusters. The GOP attempt to invoke cloture to cut off debate on
the first medical malpractice bill was rejected by a vote of 48-42 (R
48-3; D 0-39). May 8. It takes 60 votes to end a filibuster. Click
Here To Return to the Top
CQ Vote #119
10. Senate Blocks Dangerous Small Business Health Plan Legislation
Under the guise of helping small businesses
cope with rising health care costs, Senate GOP leaders pushed much broader
legislation that would have allowed insurers to bypass many state health
care requirements. In effect, this would have given insurers broad flexibility
to adopt discriminatory practices in designing, pricing and marketing
their health care policies. This would inevitably lead to higher premiums
for older, sicker workers, persons with chronic conditions and disabilities,
and individuals who enroll in plans with more comprehensive coverage.
The UAW and other progressive groups opposed this dangerous legislation.
In the end, it was blocked by a Democratic filibuster after an effort
to invoke cloture to cut off debate failed by a vote of 55-43 (R 53-1;
D 2-41; I 0-1). May 11. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster. Click
Here To Return to the Top
Civil and Human Rights
CQ Vote #2
11. Senate Confirms Alito
The UAW and our allies in the Leadership Conference
on Civil Rights opposed the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme
Court. While serving on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Alito's
onions consistently reflected a narrow, constricted interpretation of
statutes protecting worker rights. In addition, his opinions in race and
gender employment discrimination cases reflected a restrictive interpretation
of civil rights laws. In light of these opinions, we did not believe Judge
Alito would be committed to supporting the rights of workers, minorities
and women. But despite our opposition, the Senate confirmed Alito to be
an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by a vote of 58-42 (R 54-1;
D 4-40; I 0-1). January 31. Click Here To Return
to the Top
CQ Vote #141
12. Senate Rejects Tougher Workplace Rights Enforcement
During consideration of the immigration
legislation, Senator Kennedy offered an amendment to expand enforcement
of employment laws to help prevent exploitation of immigrant workers and
to prevent workplace rights from being undermined for all American workers.
This amendment made willful violations of OHSA standards a criminal felony,
increased fines for FLSA and OSHA violations, and required employers to
provide back pay to undocumented workers who are discharged for organizing
activities. The UAW and other unions strongly supported this amendment.
But the Senate tabled (killed) it by a vote of 57-40 (R 54-0; D 3-39;
I 0-1). May 23. Click Here To Return to the Top
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