Senate Votes
Worker Rights
1. GOP Filibuster Blocks Clean Minimum Wage Increase
The UAW, the rest of the labor movement, and progressive allies supported legislation to increase the minimum wage to $7.25, without any “poison pills” or extraneous tax breaks for special interests. However, Republicans used a filibuster to block consideration of this clean minimum wage bill. An effort to invoke cloture to cut off this filibuster failed by a vote of 54-43 (R 5-43; D 47-0; I 2-0). Jan. 24. It takes 60 votes to cut off a filibuster. Democrats subsequently were forced to add some tax breaks for small business in order to get sufficient votes to pass the minimum wage legislation.
2. Republican Filibuster Kills Employee Free Choice Act
The UAW and other unions strongly supported the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). This legislation would require employers to recognize a union whenever a majority of workers sign authorization cards indicating that they want to be represented by the union. It would also provide for mediation and arbitration in first contract situations, and increase penalties on companies that violate workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. Enactment of this legislation would help to restore the right of workers to organize, free from employer intimidation and interference. Not surprisingly, business groups and their GOP allies mounted an all-out campaign to block this measure through a filibuster. An attempt to invoke cloture to cut off debate on EFCA failed by a vote of 51-48 (R 1-48; D 48-0; I 2-0). June 26.
3. Senate Rejects Amendment to Prohibit Majority Sign Up
During consideration of legislation dealing with student loan programs, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) offered an amendment to make it unlawful for a company to voluntarily recognize a union through a majority sign-up process. In recent years the UAW and other unions increasingly have used this tactic so that workers can exercise their right to organize, free from employer coercion and intimidation. Senator DeMint moved to waive a point of order that was raised against his anti-worker amendment. But the Senate rejected his motion by a vote of 42-54 (R 42-6; D 0-46; I 0-2). July 19. As a result, the point of order was sustained and the amendment fell.
Health Care
4. GOP Filibuster Blocks Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Legislation
The UAW and a broad coalition of labor, senior and other groups supported legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate drug price discounts from the pharmaceutical companies. The Department of Veterans Affairs already does this. If Medicare negotiated such discounts, it would result in considerable savings for beneficiaries. However, the pharmaceutical companies and their GOP allies used a filibuster to block this legislation. An effort to invoke cloture to cut off debate on the bill failed by a vote of 55-42 (R 6-41; D 47-1; I 2-0). April 17.
5. Senate Passes Legislation to Expand Health Care Coverage for Poor
Children
The UAW and a broad coalition of groups strongly supported legislation to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). After the House and Senate initially passed different versions of this legislation, in September Democratic congressional leaders reached agreement on a compromise bill to provide an additional $35 billion to expand coverage to 4 million more children in low-income families who currently lack health insurance. Despite the opposition of the Bush administration, the Senate passed this bill by a vote of 67-29 (R 18-29; D 47-0; I 2-0). Sept. 27. However, President Bush subsequently vetoed this measure, and the House was not able to override his veto.
Budget and Taxes
6. Senate Approves Democratic Budget Plan
Democratic congressional leaders crafted a budget plan for FY 2008 that was fiscally responsible, but also provided increased funding for vital domestic programs. The UAW was especially pleased that this budget plan contained $50 billion to expand the SCHIP, as well as additional funding for veterans’ health care and education programs. This budget plan also continued tax provisions benefiting working families, and included a temporary fix to stop the alternative minimum tax from hitting millions of additional middle-class families. The Senate approved the conference report on this Democratic budget plan by a vote of 52-40 (R 2-40; D 48-0; I 2-0). May 17.
7. Senate Passes Increased Funding for Key Domestic Programs
The UAW and our progressive allies supported the conference report on the Labor-Health-Education appropriations bill, which provided increased funding for health care, education and other vital domestic programs. This included greater funding for Pell Grants, job training, state unemployment insurance, workplace health and safety and other programs that benefit working families. The Senate approved this legislation by a vote of 56-37 (R 10-36; D 44-1; I 2-0). Nov. 7. But President Bush later vetoed this legislation, and the House was not able to override his veto.
Civil and Human Rights
8. Senate Rejects Dangerous Voter ID Proposal
During consideration of immigration legislation, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) offered a dangerous amendment that would have required voters to present a government-issued photo ID before they could cast a ballot for any federal election. The UAW and our allies in the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) strongly opposed this proposal. It would disenfranchise many minorities, elderly, disabled, rural and low income voters. The burden and expense involved in acquiring the required identification could discourage millions of people from voting. Fortunately, the Senate rejected this amendment by a vote of 41-52 (R 41-5; D 0-45; I 0-2). June 5.
9. Senate Approves Amendment to Sunset Expansion of Guest Worker Programs
When the Senate took up comprehensive immigration legislation, the UAW and other unions strongly opposed provisions that would have vastly expanded abusive guest worker programs. This dangerous proposal would have allowed almost a million temporary workers to be brought into the United States, with no ability to ever become permanent residents. These guest workers would not have been accorded full, equal workplace rights. As a result, unscrupulous employers would be able to use these abusive guest worker programs to drive down wages, benefits and working conditions for all employees. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) offered a labor-backed amendment to sunset this dangerous guest worker proposal. Although this amendment originally failed by a single vote, when Senator Dorgan offered it a second time it was approved by the Senate by a vote of 49-48 (R 11-37; D 37-10; I 1-1). June 7.
10. GOP Filibuster Blocks D.C. Voting Rights
The UAW and our civil rights allies supported the District of Columbia Voting Rights Act of 2007 (DC VRA), which would give the citizens of the District of Colombia a vote in the House of Representatives. Currently, D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress, despite the fact that they pay federal taxes, sit on federal juries, and serve in the armed forces. Despite the obvious injustice of this situation, Senate Republicans mounted a filibuster to block this legislation. An attempt to invoke cloture to cut off debate failed by a vote of 57-42 (R 8-41; D 47-1; I 2-0). September 18. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster.
11. Senate Rejects Effort to Block Hates Crimes Prevention Legislation
During consideration of the defense authorization legislation, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) offered as amendment the provisions of the hate crimes prevention legislation supported by the UAW and our allies in the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR). This measure would strengthen federal hate crimes law by removing unnecessary obstacles to federal prosecutions and by providing authority for federal involvement in the prosecution of violent crimes based on race, color, religion and national origin, as well as gender, sexual orientation and disability. Opponents of this measure tried to block it with a filibuster. But the Senate voted 60-39 (R 9-39; D 49-0; I 2-0) to invoke cloture to cut off debate, thereby clearing the way for the Senate to approve the hate crimes prevention amendment by voice vote. Sept. 27.
12. Senate Defeats Attempt to Cut Funding for Legal Services Corp.
During debate on the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill for FY 2008, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) offered an amendment that would have slashed funding for the Legal Services Corp. (LSC) by $20 million. The UAW and our progressive allies strongly opposed this amendment because it would have undermined the ability of the LSC to provide legal services to low-income individuals. The UAW has been a longstanding supporter of legal services programs, and also represents many of the individuals employed in these programs. Thanks to our efforts, the Thune amendment was tabled (killed) by a vote of 62-31 (R 18-29; D 42-2; I 2-0). Oct. 16.
Iraq War
13. GOP Filibuster Blocks Bill Opposing Iraq Troop Surge
The UAW and a broad range of organizations strongly opposed President Bush’s plan to expand the number of U.S. combat troops in Iraq. In our judgment, it was wrong to send more U.S. troops into the midst of the Iraq civil war. This simply exposed more American troops to danger, while postponing the day when Iraq’s leaders would have to assume responsibility for negotiating a political settlement of their sectarian disputes. In February, Senate Democratic leaders tried to bring up legislation that would have expressed support for U.S. military personnel serving in Iraq, while disapproving of President Bush’s decision to deploy additional troops there. But Republicans used a filibuster to block consideration of this measure. An effort to invoke cloture to cut off this filibuster failed by a vote of 56-34 (R 7-33; D 48-0; I 1-1). Feb. 17.
