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August 5, 2008

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Energy Discharge Petition

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
Signing the Discharge Petition for No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007 (H.R. 3089)

The Club for Growth urges all House members to sign the discharge petition for the No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007 (H.R. 3089), sponsored by Rep. Mac Thornberry. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill would vastly increase production of domestic energy supplies, providing much needed downward pressure on energy prices.

While this bill isn't perfect, it does allow for drilling in ANWR, the Outer Continental Shelf, for onshore natural gas, and provides for more nuclear plant licenses. Inaction on the part of the House to address this issue has forced members to circulate this discharge petition. If it is signed by a sufficient number, the resulting legislation would significantly relieve the supply constraints imposed by our own federal government.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

You can view a list of current signers to the petition here.

Posted at 10:35 AM, August 5, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 30, 2008

The 2009 RePORK Card

Press Release

Flake & Campbell Introduce Anti-Earmark Amendment
First Vote of the 2009 RePORK Card

Washington – Today, perennial anti-porkers Reps. Jeff Flake (AZ-06) and John Campbell (CA-48) will be unveiling an amendment to strip all pork projects out of the FY 2009 Military Construction-VA Appropriations Bill (HR 6599). The Club for Growth urges all members of Congress to support the amendment. We will be key-voting this amendment to be included in our congressional scorecard.

The $72.7 billion MilCon bill contains 103 member-requested earmarks worth $622 million. While many of these earmarks may be worthwhile, they are not subject to competitive bidding and oversight. In addition, the bill’s price tag is 14 percent larger than last year’s appropriations bill and 5 percent larger than the President’s request. “Supporting the Flake-Campbell amendment will constitute less than a 1 percent reduction in the bill’s total price,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Surely Congress can muster up the courage to cut spending by less than 1 percent.”

The Flake-Campbell amendment marks the first anti-pork amendment of the FY 2009 appropriations season and will be included in the Club for Growth’s 2009 RePORK Card. Last year, the Club for Growth issued a RePORK Card, grading each congressman on his commitment to eliminating pork. Last year, only sixteen members received a perfect score of one-hundred percent. Hopefully, that number will increase this year. At the very least, we expect the 41 House members who have sworn off earmarks to support the Flake-Campbell amendment.

“With federal spending ballooning by the minute, Congress should be cutting back not spending more,” Mr. Toomey added. “If Democrats and Republicans want to live up to their promises of fiscal responsibility, they can start by voting for the Flake-Campbell amendment. We commend Reps. Flake and Campbell for introducing this important amendment, and urge all of congressional members to follow in the footsteps of these two taxpayer heroes.”

Posted at 1:51 PM, July 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 28, 2008

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - FDA Tobacco Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1108)

The Club for Growth urges all House members to vote "NO" on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1108). A vote in the House is expected sometime this week. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill would give the FDA broad legal authority to regulate tobacco products. This new authority raises several objectionable concerns. It also would be financed with a tax charged against tobacco companies.

This bill gives sweeping control of the tobacco market to the FDA. Our concerns include, but are not limited to, the unspecified manner in which this new authority would be funded. Currently, it is believed that a new tax, worth over $5 billion over ten years, would be charged against the tobacco companies. Also, the bill provides various exemptions (menthol cigarettes, the growing of tobacco) that were created not out of fairness, but in order to secure passage. This is not a good way to legislate. It also places additional restrictions on the sale of modified-risk cigarettes that would open up the door to lobbying abuses. And it dangerously meddles with the freedom of speech rights associated with advertising.

The preferred method is for the free market, through price discovery and the open flow of information, to address the tobacco industry rather than all the distortions and abuses associated with government regulations.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

The House approved the bill, 326-102, on July 30, 2008.

Posted at 11:55 AM, July 28, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Coburn Omnibus

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Advancing America's Priorities Act (S. 3297)

The Club for Growth urges all Senators to vote "NO" on the Advancing America's Priorities Act (S. 3297). A vote in the Senate is expected later today. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill is a hodgepodge of 35 different bills totaling more than $11 billion in new spending. At the very least, this bill deserves a deliberate debate and should be amendable. According to the latest news reports, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will allow neither.

This bill contains such questionable programs like $17 million for the prevention of the interstate sale of monkeys, $1.5 billion for the largest earmark in the country that could force tax hikes in the DC metro area, and a greenhouse in Maryland. And yet, there will be no time to debate this bill or offer amendments to strike certain provisions of the bill or to offset its overall cost with cuts in spending elsewhere in the budget. Contrary to its name, this bill does not advance our country's priorities. Instead, it forces special interest goodies through the Senate without any meaningful consideration about its merits. We strenuously urge all Senators to oppose this bill.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 11:39 AM, July 28, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 22, 2008

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Housing Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on the Housing Bill (H.R. 3221)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "NO" on the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 (H.R. 3221). Floor consideration is scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday. This vote will be included in our annual Congressional Scorecard.

While the details of the bill are not yet finalized, it's clear that it will bail out irresponsible borrowers, lenders, and investors. It will also turn state and local governments into landlords, provide an unprecedented FHA loan guarantee, and put taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars by rescuing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

This bill creates a moral hazard that could wreak havoc on the economy in the future. It doesn't punish bad behavior, and it expands the government's role in the private sector when the very opposite should occur. The real debate should be about how to truly privatize Freddie and Fannie and make them subject to the laws and regulations that other mortgage lenders follow.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 12:45 PM, July 22, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 24, 2008

SENATE Key Vote - Dodd-Shelby Housing Amdt.

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Dodd/Shelby Housing Bill (Amdt. 4983)

The Club for Growth urges all Senators to vote "NO" on the Dodd/Shelby substitute amendment (#4983) to the Housing Bill (H.R. 3221). This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill amounts to a massive bailout that would create adverse consequences and provide no pro-growth solutions.

The bailout creates the moral hazard of rescuing an industry that made poor lending decisions. It also creates another moral hazard, allowing people to purposely default their loans so that they can become eligible for a FHA-backed mortgage. And since a person can't be denied coverage because of a low credit score, taxpayers could be on the hook for billions of dollars in defaulted mortgages. This could ultimately lead to higher taxes that would only worsen the housing situation even more. The bill would also create a huge special-interest slush fund making it easier for lobbyists and lawmakers to fund organizations who support anti-growth policies.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 12:52 PM, June 24, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Price Gouging

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 6346)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "NO" on the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 6346), sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak. This vote will be included in our annual Congressional Scorecard.

This bill seeks to prohibit the sale of gasoline at prices that are "unconscionably excessive" or that take "unfair advantage" of consumers. But it is a dangerous and arbitrary proposal. Nowhere in the bill are "unconscionably excessive" and "unfair advantage" even defined, thus guaranteeing untold litigation resulting from this ambiguity.

More importantly, it simply fails to consider the textbook effects of supply and demand. In a free economy, high prices are the reflection of higher demand relative to supply. Any effort to artificially depress prices will inevitably lead to decreasing supplies and can eventually lead to rationing, both of which severely inhibit economic growth.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

UPDATE: The House passed this bill, 276-146.

Posted at 12:49 PM, June 24, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - AMT Patch

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Fully Offset AMT Patch (H.R. 6275)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "NO" on the AMT Patch (H.R. 6275). A floor vote is expected later this week, at the earliest. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

Although this bill provides a necessary one-year AMT patch that prevents a looming $61.5 billion tax hike, it also contains an equal amount in anti-growth tax hikes on a number of things, including carried interest, oil and gas companies, and foreign companies operating in the United States.

One of these tax hikes is on "carried interest" charged by various investment firms. In effect, this tax increase would reduce the incentive to provide much needed capital necessary for expanding growth, jobs, and innovation. The tax hikes on oil and gas companies will suppress supply, making high energy costs even higher. The tax on foreign companies will have a similar effect. It will result in higher prices for the consumer, which could stifle production, reducing job growth and innovation.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

UPDATE: The House passed it 233-189.

Posted at 12:46 PM, June 24, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 2, 2008

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Climate Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on the Lieberman-Warner-Boxer Climate Security bill (S. 3036)

The Club for Growth urges all Senators to vote "NO" on the Lieberman-Warner-Boxer Climate Security bill (S. 3036). This includes, but is not limited to, voting "NO" on the final cloture vote. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This proposal would result in a massive new tax on American consumers caused by the most pervasive new regulations on the U.S. economy since the New Deal.

The Heritage Foundation recently reported that this bill will cause economic losses to reach anywhere between $1.7 trillion and $4.8 trillion by the year 2030. This bill would also allow the government to redistribute billions of dollars by granting valuable emission credits to politically-motivated groups.

This bill is an unambiguous example of a high-tax, crippling regulatory anti-growth bill. It should be vigorously opposed.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 11:34 AM, June 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

May 21, 2008

Key Vote Alert - Sustain Farm Bill Veto

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Veto Override of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419)

The Club for Growth urges all members of Congress to vote "NO" on the veto override vote for the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419). A vote in both chambers is expected as early as today. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill is a massive spending proposal that would create increased dependency on the government and distort the market for agricultural products.

The Farm Bill is an amalgamation of special interest treats, financed with billions in hard-earned tax dollars and budget gimmicks. It would create higher and expanded subsidies and it would stifle global trade negotiations. For all of these reasons, plus the lack of true reform of the farm program, President Bush has rightly vetoed this bill. And we believe it should be vigorously sustained.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Addendum:

House Vote 315 on the Conference Report.

House Vote 346 to Pass the Bill Over the President's Veto.

Senate Vote 130 on the Conference Report.

Senate Vote 140 to Pass the Bill Over the President's Veto.

Posted at 1:10 PM, May 21, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Tax Extenders

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Tax Extenders/Tax Hike Bill (H.R. 6049)

The Club for Growth urges all House members to vote "NO" on the Tax Extenders/Tax Hike proposal (H.R. 6049). This bill is being considered today with a vote expected later this afternoon. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill extends various tax cuts, but is financed with approximately $55.5 billion worth of tax hikes.

The tax hikes included in this bill do nothing but harm the economy and stifle growth. It specifically hurts multinational corporations based in the U.S., which would be double taxed under this proposal. That will lead to higher costs, fewer jobs, less innovation, and more companies moving their headquarters overseas. The bill also does not do anything to simplify the tax code. Instead, it creates more confusion and more tax provisions (including one tax cut designed specifically for trial lawyers). The House should scrap this bill, and instead focus on reducing broad-based taxes and simplifying the tax code.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Update:

House Vote 344 on passage of the bill.

Posted at 1:00 PM, May 21, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

May 14, 2008

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - 'Patriot Tax'

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Domestic Spending Amendment to the Fiscal 2008 War Supplemental (Amdt. 3)

The Club for Growth urges all House members to vote "NO" on the domestic spending amendment (Amdt. 3) to the war supplemental. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

The amendment has several provisions that are anti-growth. It extends unemployment benefits and prevents cost-cutting Medicare rules from being implemented. However, the most troublesome provision is the absurdly named "Patriot Tax", which is a 0.5% surcharge on gross income on earnings over $500,000 a year or $1 million for a couple. The rate increase is higher than it appears, as deductions are taxed too.

This tax is anti-growth and will destroy jobs, pure and simple. It will lead to higher and higher income tax rates as Congress would likely keep adding such increases for other new spending. The tax will be especially harmful on small businesses whose owners sometimes file their business income on their individual tax return. In fact, the Tax Foundation reports (PDF) that almost 83% of all income tax returns with over $1 million in income are business owners. This tax will stifle innovation and job growth and should be vigorously opposed.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 3:27 PM, May 14, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

May 13, 2008

An Ugly Regulatory Bill

Andrew Roth

We sent the following letter to all members of the U.S. House today. If you are a House staffer, please note the BOLD text at the bottom of the letter.

Dear Representative,

Club for Growth strongly opposes HR 5546, the misnamed "Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008." The legislation proposes price controls that would harm consumers, hurt economic growth, and stifle innovation.

The bill's innocuous sounding title hides an ugly reality -- establishment of a new all-powerful bureaucracy inside the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. These bureaucrats would set prices for the credit card business, and they would publish their rate determinations in the Federal Register.

This is a horrible idea and if it becomes law it will hurt consumers and stifle innovation in a market that has produced incredible efficiency gains. It also threatens economic growth as it would raise the specter that Congress would impose additional government price controls on other industries.

We can understand the frustration of retailers who feel that credit card fees are too high. Yet the answer is not to run to Congress and ask that it set up a new government apparatus to set prices. The answer should instead be more competition and to identify and eliminate laws that might inhibit such competition. This bill takes one step in that direction -- allowing retailers to band together without fear of violating antitrust laws. If the bill had stopped there, then we would not oppose it.

Instead the bill moves in a more sinister direction, giving defacto control on innovation and prices to "Electronic Payment System Judges" in the Justice Department. The standard for their price setting would be cost plus a "normal rate of return in such a hypothetical perfectly competitive marketplace." This, of course, is absurd. Businesses do not run on a hypothetical, they are run in the real world.

One fact that proponents don't mention is that this bill would likely raise prices for many consumers. The fact is many credit card holders get discounts for using their credit cards in the form of rebates, coupons, airline tickets or hotel stays. By accepting such credit cards, retailers are often offering an on the spot discount. For others who can't afford to pay in cash on the spot, a card allows retailers to get paid promptly while leaving the debt collection duties and headaches to the credit card companies.

If retailers don't like the prices they have to pay for processing credit cards, they have other choices. To name just two: they can offer cash discounts, which are 100% legal; or they can offer their own credit cards. Finally, a new competitor is on the scene, the RevolutionCard, which according to its website's pitch to retailers "works just like the traditional credit cards you're used to. With one big difference: No interchange fees. Which means you keep more of your profits with every sale."

We strongly urge you to oppose this legislation and let the marketplace continue to foster innovation and more consumer choices.

If this bill goes to the House floor for consideration, the Club for Growth will key-vote a "NO" on its 2008 congressional scorecard.

Sincerely,

Pat Toomey
President

Posted at 11:46 AM, May 13, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

May 9, 2008

Club for Growth Opposes Farm Bill

Press Release

Club for Growth Commends Bush for Veto Signal on Farm Bill

Washington – After intense negotiations and conference meetings, the new Farm Bill revealed yesterday offers taxpayers little in the way of true reform. The Club for Growth commends President Bush for threatening to veto the legislation and urges all members of Congress to uphold the president’s veto when the time comes.

Supporters of the Farm Bill are touting its many reforms, but most of them are nothing more than window dressing. These same supporters also neglect to mention the large increases in subsidies and the further distortion of the agricultural market that will occur as a result. Some of the bill’s most egregious elements include:

• Increased farm subsidies at a time of record-high farm income
• New subsidies for sugar, fruit, and nut producers
• The new caps on income in order to qualify for subsidies do not go far enough and leave wiggle room for wealthier farmers to continue to collect subsidies.
• Budget gimmicks that hide as much as $10 billion in extra spending so that the real cost of the Farm Bill will be even higher than supporters claim
• A new program that pays farmers for weather-related farm losses, creating incentives to grow the wrong crops on bad land in bad weather and leading to economic distortions and greater conservation pressures
• Severely hampers progress on the DOHA Round for world free trade negotiations
• Tax breaks for race horse owners and timber companies

“Today, Agriculture Secretary Ed Shafer said the president will veto the Farm Bill, and we commend that action,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Congress should not be allowed to throw more and more taxpayer dollars at every special interest under the sun and call it ‘reform.’ There is nothing reform-minded about a bill that increases subsidies and tax breaks for special interests, further distorts the agricultural market, and hampers the country’s free trade agenda.”

The Club for Growth will be key-voting the vote on the Farm Bill conference report, urging all members to vote “No.” Key votes are included in our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress. The scorecard provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies.

Posted at 2:32 PM, May 9, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

May 8, 2008

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Flood Insurance

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Nelson Amendment to Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 (S. 4709)

The Club for Growth urges all Senators to vote "NO" on the Nelson Amendment (S. Amendment 4709) to the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 (S. 2284). This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This proposal would direct the Treasury Secretary to offer subsidized funding for state-run insurance programs, whether responsibly designed or not, potentially putting taxpayers on the hook for more billions of dollars in losses.

This amendment is fiscally irresponsible, and would further distort insurance markets and encourage unwise risk taking that would endanger lives and property. Perhaps the worst feature of this amendment is that it would encourage an irresponsible design of state catastrophe funds.

This reckless add-on to an already bankrupt national flood insurance program could dramatically increase spending and lead to higher taxes. It would clearly crowd out private reinsurance coverage, allowing government to increase its bureaucracy at the expense of the private sector. This amendment should be vigorously opposed.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Update: The Senate did not vote on this amendment, but voted on a similar proposal to put the Federal Government in the Hurricane Insurance business.

Posted at 12:19 PM, May 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Housing Amendment

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Frank Amendment to the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 3221)

The Club for Growth urges all House members to vote "NO" on the Frank amendment to the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 3221). This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

Part of this proposal would give the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) the power to guarantee refinanced mortgages up to $300 billion.

This amendment would be disastrous to taxpayers if it became law. It would create the moral hazard environment of people purposely defaulting so that they can become eligible for a FHA-backed mortgage. And since a person can't be denied coverage because of a low credit score, taxpayers could be on the hook for billions of dollars in defaulted mortgages. This could ultimately lead to higher taxes that would only worsen the housing situation even more. In its explicit veto threat, the White House correctly identified this amendment as a bailout, calling it irresponsible. This amendment should be vigorously opposed.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 12:12 PM, May 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

April 22, 2008

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Medicaid Rules

Key Vote Alert

"NO" on Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act (H.R. 5613)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the House to vote "NO" on the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act (H.R. 5613), which is expected to be voted on today under suspension. This key vote will be scored on the Club for Growth's 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

The bill would prevent the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from implementing rules that would cut down on fraud and abuse, and would also close loopholes used by the states to inappropriately extract more matching dollars from the federal government.

Over the long run, this bill would cost billions of dollars and would unwind a lot of the cost savings made in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2006. We also object to this bill being considered under suspension of the rules. Instead, this bill deserves extensive debate and should be amendable. The White House has threatened a veto on this bill, stating that preventing the regulations from being implemented would cost too much and would threaten the fiscal integrity of Medicaid.

Update: House Vote 209 on the bill.

Posted at 5:10 PM, April 22, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

April 15, 2008

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Tax Prevention Act

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
Pass the Tax Increase Prevention Act (H.R. 2734)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the House to support the Tax Increase Prevention Act (H.R. 2734) by voting "NO" on the previous question for the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008, which is expected to be offered today, and a "YES" on H.R. 2734 itself. This key vote will be scored on the Club for Growth's 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

This proposal does one thing - it would make the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent.

We need to reinvigorate our struggling economy by freeing up more capital, allowing people and businesses to invest and produce more. We also need to give financial markets the certainty of permanent, low tax rates, giving people the confidence to make long-term, pro-growth business decisions.

If the Bush tax cuts expire, it will result in the largest tax increase in the history of our country, resulting in an average household tax hike of $3000. That would devastate our economy and cripple our ability to compete in an increasingly competitive global economy.

Update: The House did not vote on this motion.

Posted at 2:53 PM, April 15, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

April 9, 2008

Pelosi Plays Politics Over Colombia FTA

Press Release

Pelosi & Co. Fire Cheap Shot at Colombia Trade Agreement

Washington – In a sign that the Democratic Party Leadership is willing to do anything to avoid angering the labor unions that line their pockets, Nancy Pelosi announced that she will seek to change House rules in order to delay a vote on the Colombia free trade agreement President Bush sent to Congress this week.

Under Fast Track Authority rules, Congress is required to hold an up-or-down vote on a trade agreement once the President submits it to Congress. But the Democrats are loath to vote on the trade agreement before the November elections, lest a vote in support of the agreement infuriate the labor unions. Instead, Pelosi will request that the House Rules Committee remove the timeline rule for the Colombia agreement and push off the vote until after November 2008.

The ironic result of this electoral cheap shot is that the Democrats are on record supporting lower tariffs for Colombian products imported into America but higher tariffs for American products exported to Colombia. Currently, most Colombian exports to the United States are tariff-free, the result of the Andean Trade Preference Act. A vast majority of Congress—359 members, including Democratic Leadership—wisely voted in support of the act in June 2007. The pending Colombia agreement would accomplish the reciprocal; it would eliminate tariffs on U.S. exports to Colombia, clearly a boon to American businesses. But now, many of the Democrats who supported removing tariffs from Colombian products are standing in the way of accomplishing the same goal with American goods.

“Led by Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Party is playing electoral politics with America’s economic growth,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Just because the Democrats are afraid of the labor bosses doesn’t mean American workers business people should be forced to suffer. The Democrats should have the backbone to vote on a bill even when the bright spotlight of public opinion is shining down on Congress.”

The Club for Growth will be key-voting the House vote on changing Fast Track rules. Key votes are included in our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress. The scorecard provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies.

Posted at 2:34 PM, April 9, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

March 12, 2008

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - GOP Alternative Budget

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on the House GOP Alternative Budget

The Club for Growth urges Members of the House to vote "YES" on the House GOP alternative budget, which will be offered as a substitute amendment to the Democrats' official budget resolution (H. Con. Res 312). This key vote will be scored on the Club for Growth's 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

Unlike the Democratic budget, this proposal does NOT raise taxes. It also makes all of the Bush tax cuts permanent and it phases in full repeal of the AMT by 2013. On the spending side, this budget includes a one-year moratorium on earmarks, a modest increase in discretionary spending, and strong reforms that will rescue out of control entitlement programs.

This is a pro-growth bill. With a struggling economy, the last thing we need to do is raise taxes and increase the size of government, which is what the Democrats' proposal would do. Instead, the GOP budget cuts taxes and holds the line on spending. Congress should adopt this initiative immediately.

Posted at 3:18 PM, March 12, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

March 3, 2008

SENATE Key Vote Alert - One Year Earmark Ban

Key Vote Alert

"YES" on DeMint Earmark Moratorium Amendment to the FY09 Budget Resolution

The Club for Growth urges Members of the Senate to vote "YES" on the DeMint amendment to the FY09 budget resolution that would impose a one-year moratorium on earmarks. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

The amendment, if passed, would make any legislation that has earmarks in it immediately out of order. A vote to allow the earmark(s) would require a supermajority of Senators to pass.

The earmarking process is inherently flawed. Tax dollars spent on earmarks circumvent regular budget controls, which include committee hearings, oversight, and competitive bidding. This leads to corrupt behavior and abuse. This amendment would force the Senate to have a time-out on earmarks, with the hopeful consequence of reforming the process, making it more accountable to taxpayers.

This key vote will be included in our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress. The scorecard provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies, and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 7:41 AM, March 3, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

February 20, 2008

Key Vote Alert - Earmark Moratorium

Key Vote Alert

"YES" on Full Year Personal Moratorium on Earmarks

The Club for Growth urges Members of Congress to impose a personal moratorium on accepting ALL earmarks for the full year FY09 budget cycle. This key vote will be part of our 2008 Congressional Scorecard.

The earmark process is inherently flawed. Tax dollars spent on earmarks circumvent regular budget controls, which include committee hearings, oversight, and competitive bidding. This leads to corruptive behavior and abuse.

To receive a positive score on this key vote, please send an email to Andrew Roth with public documentation showing that a member has imposed a personal moratorium on earmarks. That documentation, along with all public information about the budget and other bills available after the fiscal year ends will be used to determine if the member upheld his or her pledge. If information is limited, incomplete, or conflicting, the Club for Growth reserves the right to make the final decision.

Posted at 12:08 PM, February 20, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

December 17, 2007

Club Statement on Omnibus Proposal

Press Release

Omnibus Bill Represents Defining Moment for Republican Party

Washington - The upcoming vote on the 3,565 page Omnibus bill promises to be a defining moment for the Republican Party.

While the Democrats have reduced the price tag on the massive Omnibus bill, they have since added an additional $11.2 billion in emergency and contingent spending above the President’s request. The bill also contains over 8,000 earmarks, bringing the total number of earmarks for FY 2008 to over 10,000, compared with just 2,658 in 2007, and uses spending gimmicks to hide at least $14 billion in extra spending.

“This is no time for vacillation,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “If the Republican Party has any intention of reclaiming the mantle of fiscal responsibility, its leaders in the House and Senate will have to rally the troops to vote against the bill when it comes to the floor.”

After the spanking they received in the 2006 election, many Republicans vowed to return to the principles of fiscal responsibility and limited government that have long defined the party. “At this critical moment, the Club for Growth urges GOP House Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to remind Republican members what is at stake here,” Mr. Toomey added. “The Club for Growth will be watching how they vote. Failure is not an option.”

The Club for Growth will be key-voting a "NO" vote on the Omnibus bill to be included in our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress. The scorecard provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies, and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 2:19 PM, December 17, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

December 11, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Farm Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on the 2007 Farm Bill

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. Senate to vote "NO" on the 2007 Farm Bill. This key vote will be included in our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

The Farm Bill is short on genuine reform and long on wasteful programs, market distortions, and budget gimmicks.

The Farm Bill continues to throw taxpayer-funded subsidies at wealthy farmers, without any meaningful reform on income or subsidy caps. Through these subsidies and other program mechanisms, the Farm Bill distorts production, increases prices on consumers, and hinders opportunities for expanding free trade.

The Senate version also contains a $5 billion boondoggle disaster slush fund that will create an incentive for farm states to claim emergency funding regardless of need in order to grab their share of the pot.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 11:16 AM, December 11, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

November 16, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Farm Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Farm Bill Cloture Vote (H.R. 2419)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. Senate to vote "NO" on the cloture vote for the proposed Farm Bill (HR 2419). The vote is expected to take place today, Friday, November 16, 2007. This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

The proposed Farm Bill is filled to the brim with anti-growth, big government policies, such as new and expanded crop subsidies that are massive in scale, expanded social programs, and burdensome tax hikes.

Even at a time when commodity prices are high, taxpayers are forced to pay subsidies that distort the market and prevent real progress for securing global free trade agreements. Additionally, accounting gimmicks and tax hikes are used to increase the size of this proposal while hiding the true cost from the public. Instead, what is truly needed is real reform that would reduce, and ultimately eliminate, these subsidies, allowing the free market to work its magic at lowering costs and creating a higher standard of living for everyone.

This proposal should be vigorously opposed.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 9:30 AM, November 16, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

November 6, 2007

Key Vote Alert - Peru Free Trade Deal

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on Peru Free Trade Deal

The Club for Growth urges Members of Congress to vote "YES" on the Peru Free Trade Agreement. This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

Passing this free trade agreement is an essential step toward economic freedom and away from protectionism.

Globalization is a fact of life. Our country has the opportunity to either engage the international community, or isolate ourselves from it. While trade agreements like this aren't perfect, they reduce trade barriers, open up markets, foster peaceful international ties, and increase prosperity. They also enable economic liberty to rise, allowing more and more people to voluntarily trade with each other.

Additionally, 98 percent of Peru's imports already enter the United States duty free through the Andean Trade Preferences Act. This agreement merely seeks to resolve the other side of the equation -- reducing tariffs on American exports to Peru.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 11:13 AM, November 6, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

November 5, 2007

Key Vote Alert - The Water Resources Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Veto Override of WRDA (HR 1495)

The Club for Growth urges Members of Congress to vote "NO" on the veto override vote for the Water Resources Development Act (HR 1495). This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This proposal's conference report has increased by more than 60% compared to its respective House and Senate versions. This massive increase is largely due to superfluous pork projects.

With an unfunded entitlement crisis looming and a federal budget that has dramatically increased over the last seven years, it's clearly time for Congress to go on a diet. As a recent Heritage Foundation report noted, "WRDA is a prime example of legislation run amok; it is filled with excessive spending that is outside the [appropriate] scope of the legislation. Federal taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for the demands of special and parochial interests."

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 10:14 AM, November 5, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

October 10, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Death Tax Repeal

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on Permanent Death Tax Repeal

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "YES" on the motion to recommit for the Tax Collection Responsibility Act of 2007 (H.R. 3056). This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This motion to recommit would permanently repeal the Death Tax.

The Death Tax inhibits economic growth, job creation and higher wages by discouraging saving and investment, placing family-run businesses at a competitive disadvantage, and creating huge and wasteful death tax planning burdens. After a lifetime of paying income taxes it is simply unconscionable to tax a hardworking American one more time at death.

Current law repeals the Death Tax, but only for one year, 2010. This uncertainty is causing unnecessary tax planning complexity, which should be resolved now through permanent repeal. Heritage Foundation "economists estimate that the federal estate tax alone is responsible for the loss of between 170,000 and 250,000 potential jobs each year." An excellent overview of the case for permanent repeal may be found here.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 2:19 PM, October 10, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

September 27, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Flood Insurance

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 (H.R. 3121)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the House to vote "NO" on the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 (H.R. 3121). This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

The worst provision in this very troublesome bill is that which would require the National Flood Insurance Program to offer coverage for wind risks from hurricanes, potentially putting taxpayers on the hook for more than $100 billion.

Adding hurricane risks to the NFIP is a major mistake because that program has been mismanaged for years, and there is no evidence it has the expertise to manage such a complex new insurance program or charge rates that reflect the risks. This add-on would dramatically increase spending, crowd out private coverage, stifle risk management innovations and put more lives and property at risk through subsidization of development in high-hazard areas. This expansion should be vigorously opposed.

Congress should instead end the tax on reserving for hurricanes, which would make catastrophe insurance more available and affordable.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 12:11 PM, September 27, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

September 24, 2007

HOUSE and SENATE Key Vote Alert - SCHIP

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on "SCHIP Reauthorization"

The Club for Growth urges Members of Congress to vote "NO" on the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program AND to vote to sustain a veto if President Bush issues one. This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This proposal, which uses tax hikes to expand the welfare state, is the embodiment of bloated, big government spending. It's also a backdoor maneuver into nationalizing health care for all citizens.

Cato Institute's Michael Cannon writes, "Like its much larger sibling Medicaid, the [SCHIP] program forces taxpayers to send their money to Washington so that Congress can send it back to state governments with strings attached. Both programs force taxpayers to subsidize people who don't need help, discourage low-income families from climbing the economic ladder - and make private insurance more expensive for everyone else."

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 10:43 AM, September 24, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

September 18, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - TRIA Extension

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on extending the TERRORISM RISK INSURANCE REVISION and EXTENSION ACT (H.R. 2761)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "NO" on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act (H.R. 2761) - otherwise known as TRIA. This vote will be included in the Club for Growth's 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This temporary law is set to expire at the end of the year, but Congress wants to extend it for another 15 years. It is a perfect example of what President Reagan once said. "Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this Earth."

Not only does this bill extend the life of the TRIA program, but it also broadens coverage into group life insurance and domestic terrorism. Clearly, expanding the program will distort insurance markets, reduce financial incentives to maximize safety and increase the risk of tax-funded losses.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 3:34 PM, September 18, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

September 12, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Davis-Bacon Waiver

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" ON DEMINT AMENDMENT (#2844) TO THE T-HUD APPROPS BILL (H.R. 3074)

The Club for Growth urges members of the Senate to vote "YES" on the DeMint amendment (#2844) to the Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill (H.R. 3074). This vote will be included in the Club for Growth's 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

The amendment would waive the Davis-Bacon mandate for repairing bridges that are classified as "structurally deficient" or "functionally obsolete".

Davis-Bacon sets artificially higher wages, usually corresponding to union wage rates, and would result in a higher cost to taxpayers, fewer safer bridges per dollar spent, and fewer jobs. It would also shield unions from much-needed competition.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 8:17 AM, September 12, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

August 4, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Energy and Tax Bills

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" ON THE ENERGY BILL AND TAX BILL
(H.R. 3221 AND H.R. 2776)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "NO" on the Energy Bill (H.R. 3221) and the related tax bill (H.R. 2776). These votes will be included in the Club for Growth's 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

Instead of deregulating this sector and opening up promising areas in North America for exploration and development of oil and gas that would increase our energy supplies and reduce our dependence on vulnerable overseas sources, these bills are a hodge podge of new regulations, market-distorting subsidies and tax hikes that will do more harm than good.

These bills should be defeated.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 2:06 PM, August 4, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

July 27, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Farm Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on the 2007 Farm Bill (HR 2419)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "NO" on the 2007 Farm Bill (HR 2419). This key vote will be included in our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

The Farm Bill is a tax-hiking, bloated spending bill that neither reforms our country's farm policy, nor reduces dependency on the government. It distorts the commodities market and prevents us from gaining a stronger position in the global community to advance freer trader.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 1:54 PM, July 27, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

July 25, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Farm Bill Rule

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on the Rule for the 2007 Farm Bill (HR 2419)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "NO" on the rule for the 2007 Farm Bill (HR 2419). This key vote will be included in our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

The rule would result in a $7.5 billion tax increase on foreign companies with operations in the United States.

The Farm bill is already a bloated, big-government spending bill. Adding a protectionist tax hike to the mix makes this government at its worst. The tax hike will discourage foreign investment and threaten the jobs of millions of American workers.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 6:41 PM, July 25, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

July 24, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Fairness in Farming

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on the "Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment" to the 2007 Farm Bill (HR 2419)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "YES" on the "Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment" offered by Reps. Jeff Flake and Ron Kind to the 2007 Farm Bill (HR 2419). This key vote will be included in our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

While not perfect, this substitute amendment moves in the right direction, compared to the disastrous Farm Bill proposal coming out of the Agriculture Committee, which spends more tax dollars, creates more dependency on the government, and includes protectionist policies that stall the expansion of freer trade with the rest of the world.

Instead, the "Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment" reduces direct payments, lowers AGI limits, enacts payment caps, and establishes Risk Management Accounts (RMAs) allowing farmers the ability to manage risk more effectively. It also signals to the rest of the world that we're serious about promoting freer trade by reducing the market distortions in our farm programs.

We have a long way to go toward implementing solid, free market reforms, but this amendment is an important step in that direction.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 1:44 PM, July 24, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

July 23, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Earmark Reform

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
Sponsorship of the Earmark Reform Resolution (S. Res. 123)

The Club for Growth plans to positively score the sponsorship and co-sponsorship of Sen. Jim DeMint's Earmark Reform resolution (S. Res. 123). This key sponsorship will be included in our 2007 Congressional scorecard.

The resolution, if adopted, would strengthen earmark reform, bringing more transparency and accountability to the process, which would help reduce wasteful spending.

Even though these reforms were unanimously accepted as an amendment in the Senate earlier this year, leadership continues to block its final passage. Just recently, The Hill newspaper reported that over $7.5 billion worth of earmarks approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee were unaccounted for. American taxpayers, the ones who are paying for these projects, have every right to know who sponsored the earmarks, who will receive them, and if there are any conflicts of interest involved. This is common sense legislation that is long overdue.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 9:09 AM, July 23, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

June 28, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Fairness Doctrine

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on Pence-Flake-Hensarling Fairness Doctrine Amendment to the Financial Services Approps Bill (H.R. 2829)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "YES" on Reps. Pence, Flake and Hensarling's amendment to prohibit funds in the Financial Services Appropriations bill (H.R. 2829) from being used by the Federal Communications Commission to impose the "Fairness Doctrine" on radio broadcasters. This vote will be included in our annual Congressional Scorecard.

The ironically-named Fairness Doctrine is a direct violation of the First Amendment's right to free speech that would require broadcasters to provide equal time for "contrasting points of view" on "matters of public importance," whatever that means.

The government simply has no business intervening in the distribution, balance, or content of political speech. The Fairness Doctrine would require the FCC to somehow monitor, decide, and approve all relevant opinions. This would dramatically stifle public commentary by the simple fact that people wouldn't know how or if their words would be impacted by the law. In reality, this is just a liberal attempt to silence conservative talk radio and it should be denied by voting "YES" on this amendment.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 3:06 PM, June 28, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Banning Earmarks

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on Campbell Amendment to Defund Earmarks in the Financial Services Approps Bill (H.R. 2829)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "YES" on Rep. John Campbell's amendment to the Financial Services appropriations bill (HR 2829). This vote will be included in our annual Congressional Scorecard.

This amendment would remove funding for all earmarks contained in this appropriations bill.

Pork barrel spending is fraught with abuse, it lacks accountability, is non-competitive, and has no oversight mechanism.

It's time to end the corruptive process of earmarking and this amendment is a good start.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 1:59 PM, June 28, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

June 22, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - 4% Spending Cut

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on 4% Across the Board Cut on the Leg. Branch Approps Bill (HR 2771)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "YES" on Rep. Jim Jordan's amendment (#10) to the Legislative Branch appropriations bill (HR 2771). This vote will be included in our annual Congressional Scorecard.

This amendment reduces funding for the bill by 4% across the board.

This reduction in spending would make total FY08 appropriations for the Legislative Branch equal to that spent in Fiscal Year 2007.

Over the last six years, the Legislative Branch approps bill has grown by approximately 50%, growing from $2.98 billion in FY02 to almost $4 billion for FY08. Considering this irresponsible growth rate and the impending fiscal crisis for our country's entitlement programs, a one-year freeze on spending is the least Congress can do to get back on track.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 12:16 PM, June 22, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

June 19, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Card Check

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on "Employee Free Choice Act" (S. 1041 / H.R. 800)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. Senate to vote "NO" on the absurdly named, Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1041 / H.R. 800), a bill that would allow unions to bypass secret elections. This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill does nothing but allow union organizers to freely intimidate workers into signing on to their agenda. Secret elections protect workers from this abuse and ensure that their voting decisions are made freely. Secret elections have been a cornerstone of our democratic process since our nation's founding for reasons so obvious and broadly accepted that they have never been seriously questioned. It speaks volumes about the supporters of this bill that they would seek to deny workers the fundamental democratic right to vote in private.

As the Heritage Foundation notes, "Publicly signed union cards do not reveal employees' free and considered choices. They allow unscrupulous organizers to threaten workers who refuse to sign up. Even when organizers obey the law, card-check allows organizers to manipulate workers psychologically, giving them only one side of the story and pushing them to make an impulsive decision to join the union with little time for reflection. Organizers can then return and repeatedly pressure holdouts to change their minds. Card checks reveal little about whether or not workers actually want to join a union, and the government should not take away workers' right to vote in privacy with a secret ballot when deciding to unionize."

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 6:03 PM, June 19, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

June 15, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Stopping Tax Hikes

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
Sponsorship of the "Tax Increase Prevention Act" (H.R. 2734)

The Club for Growth plans to positively score the sponsorship and co-sponsorship of Rep. Tim Walberg's "Tax Increase Prevention Act" (H.R. 2734) that would make all of the Bush tax cuts permanent. This key vote will be included in our 2007 Congressional scorecard.

The laws of economics and all empirical evidence point to one thing: The Bush tax cuts need to be made permanent. Economic growth has been strong, unemployment is low, the stock market is reaching new heights, and the federal deficit continues to shrink.

In contrast, if the Bush tax cuts were allowed to expire, a reversal of this economic boom would be imminent. It would severely impact our country's ability to innovate and compete in the global market. We urge all members of the House to co-sponsor Rep. Walberg's important piece of legislation.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 2:39 PM, June 15, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

June 12, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - 'Prevailing Wages'

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" ON CULBERSON/FEENEY/KING/McHENRY AMENDMENT (#57) TO THE DHS APPROPS BILL (H.R. 2638 / H. RES. 473)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "YES" on the Culberson/Feeney/King/McHenry Amendment (#57) to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill (H.R. 2638 / H. Res. 473). This vote will be included in the Club for Growth's 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

The amendment would strike Section 536 from the bill. That section requires that "prevailing" wage rates be applied to all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants made to states and localities.

These artificially higher wages, usually corresponding to union wage rates, would result in a higher cost to taxpayers, less security per dollar spent, and fewer jobs. It would also shield unions from much-needed competition.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 4:12 PM, June 12, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

June 8, 2007

Key Vote Alert - China and Protectionism

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
Sponsorship of Bills Concerning Trade with China

The Club for Growth plans to subtract points in our annual congressional economic scorecard for the sponsorship, or co-sponsorship of all bills introduced in the House and Senate that impose, or threaten to impose, protectionist policies towards China. This will be heavily weighted on our 2007 Congressional scorecard.

There are several economic concerns that U.S. lawmakers have with China, but none of them can be resolved by imposing a tax upon ourselves, which is exactly what a tariff is, or otherwise restricting trade with one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Protectionist policies would stifle economic growth, increase prices, and cause higher unemployment and generally lower the standard of living of Americans.

The bills we plan to score include, but are not limited to, the bills proposed by Senators Schumer and Graham that would impose a 27.5% tax on Chinese imports, along with S. 796, HR 1229, HR 321 and HR 782.

The current protectionist rhetoric is eerily reminiscent of that which led to the Smoot-Hawley Act. That legislation triggered the stock market collapse of 1929, devastated the U.S. economy and exacerbated the Great Depression.

It is worth noting that Senator Reed Smoot and Congressman Willis Hawley were both defeated in the 1932 election following the passage of their bill.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 11:12 AM, June 8, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

May 23, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Price Gouging

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 1252)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "NO" on the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 1252), sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak. This vote will be included in our annual Congressional Scorecard.

This bill seeks to prohibit the sale of gasoline at prices that are "unconscionably excessive" or that take "unfair advantage" of consumers. But it is a dangerous and arbitrary proposal. Nowhere in the bill are "unconscionably excessive" and "unfair advantage" even defined, thus guaranteeing untold litigation resulting from this ambiguity.

More importantly, it simply fails to consider the textbook effects of supply and demand. In a free economy, high prices are the reflection of higher demand relative to supply. Any effort to artificially depress prices will inevitably lead to decreasing supplies and can eventually lead to rationing, both of which severely inhibit economic growth.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 10:01 AM, May 23, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

May 17, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - GSE Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on Bachus/Biggert Amendment to the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act (H.R. 1427)

The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "YES" on the Bachus/Biggert Amendment to the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act (HR 1427). This vote will be included in our annual Congressional scorecard.

The Bachus/Biggert Amendment would strike from the bill the "Affordable Housing Fund" and all related requirements and references.

The Affordable Housing Fund is a new scheme that would force government-sponsored, privately-owned companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to allocate huge sums of money to a bureaucratically-controlled slush fund for the purpose of financing left-wing, anti-growth activists.

We urge all members of the House to vote YES on this amendment that would strip out this ill-conceived measure.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 4:42 PM, May 17, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Veto Letter

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
Signing the Campbell/Ryan Letter to President Bush

The Club for Growth plans to score the signatures of the accompanying letter (see below the fold) to President Bush currently being circulated by Reps. John Campbell and Paul Ryan.

The letter offers support by the signers to sustain any Bush veto on FY08 appropriations bills that go over the President's request.

Right now, the proposed FY08 budget resolution recklessly authorizes more than $23 billion for non-war discretionary spending over the amount proposed by the White House. According to the Heritage Foundation, discretionary outlays have surged 57% from 2001 through 2006. If there was ever a time to start clamping down on spending, it would be now.

If you would like to sign this letter please contact Brad Watson at brad dot watson at mail dot house dot gov.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 4:19 PM, May 17, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

April 24, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - ATP Termination

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on Coburn's ATP Amendment (#921) to American COMPETES Act (S. 761)

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The Club for Growth urges members of the Senate to vote "YES" on Senator Tom Coburn's amendment (#921) that would terminate the Advanced Technology Program. We plan to include this vote in our annual rating of Congress. The amendment is being offered as part of the America COMPETES Act (S. 761), which the Senate is currently considering.

The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) is a poster child for wasteful corporate welfare programs. From 1990 to 2004, more than $2 billion has been allocated to the ATP, with a large stake going to successful Fortune 500 companies.

In 2005, Brian Riedl of the Heritage Foundation stated that, "ATP does not fund basic science research. Rather, it funds the commercialization of research so that businesses can profit from it. Basic economic theory states that profit-seeking companies have every incentive to fund profitable R&D themselves. If these projects are as promising as claimed, the companies should have no problem convincing their shareholders to fund the projects, or tapping into the $150 billion that private investors annually spend on R&D."

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 2:46 PM, April 24, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

SENATE Key Vote Alert - SOX Reform

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on DeMint's SOX Amendment (#928) to American COMPETES Act (S. 761)

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The Club for Growth plans to score a "YES" vote on Senator Jim DeMint's amendment (#928) to reform Sarbanes-Oxley as a pro-growth vote in our annual rating of Congress. The DeMint amendment would allow small businesses to decide whether to exempt their company from onerous mandates of the Sarbanes-Oxley law. The amendment is being offered as part of the America COMPETES Act (S. 761), which the Senate is currently considering.

The amendment will make it optional for companies to exempt themselves from Section 404-requiring an internal and external audit-if they meet one of the following three conditions: market capitalization of less than $700 million; revenue of less than $125 million, or fewer than 1,500 shareholders.

According to a recent GAO study, the cost of complying with Sarbanes-Oxley for small public companies is disproportionately higher than for larger companies. Because of this unfair disadvantage, many small companies are opting to remain private, limiting their access to capital and their ability to grow. Senator DeMint's amendment would allow small companies to focus on increasing productivity and job growth instead of getting bogged down in expensive and time-consuming regulatory requirements.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 10:50 AM, April 24, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

April 18, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Executive Compensation

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" ON SHAREHOLDER VOTE ON EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION ACT (H.R. 1257)

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The Club for Growth urges members of the House to vote "NO" on the Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act (H.R. 1257).

Sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank, H.R. 1257 would require companies to include in their proxy material a non-binding vote on a company's executive compensation plan.

It is neither Congress' responsibility nor its obligation to regulate how companies conduct their executive compensation agreements, or to mandate how shareholders can voice their views. As it stands now, there is nothing stopping shareholders, as owners, from exerting their influence on how much executives earn. This makes this proposal an unnecessary and overreaching mandate that needs to be voted down.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 109th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 5:38 PM, April 18, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Metro Pork Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" ON NATIONAL CAPITAL TRANSPORTATION
AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2007 (HR 401)

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If the House schedules a vote for the National Capital Transportation Amendments Act of 2007 (H.R. 401), the Club for Growth plans to score a "NO" vote on it as a pro-economic growth vote in our annual rating of Congress.

Sponsored by Rep. Tom Davis, H.R. 401 would provide the nation's capital transit system, better known as the Metro, with an additional taxpayer subsidy of $1.5 billion. If passed, the Davis earmark would be one of the largest ever passed by Congress.

At a time of runaway spending, passage of this egregious earmark is the last thing our nation's economy needs. It is high time that this mature transit system has the incentive to be self-sufficient or be funded by local taxpayers who rely on the service, rather than once again relying on taxpayers from across the country to bail it out.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 109th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 9:13 AM, April 18, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

April 17, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Price Controls

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on Medicare Fair Prescription Drug Price Act of 2007 (S. 3)

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The Club for Growth plans to score a "NO" vote as a pro-economic growth vote in its annual rating of Congress on S. 3, a bill that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to "negotiate" lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries. The Senate is scheduled to debate and vote on this proposal this week.

This bill is nothing more than an effort to impose price controls, which would stifle innovation, and over time, prevent the development of new potentially life-saving drugs.

As the Heritage Foundation notes, "If it is allowed, government "negotiation" with drug makers would not be negotiation in the common meaning of the term but rather fixing prices below those reductions already achieved in the market in order to get, on paper at least, larger discounts than [Pharmacy Benefit Managers] do today. To achieve those additional savings, Congress would need to wield a hammer that is unavailable to PBMs. And the only real tool the government has that private plans do not is the ability to deny all seniors access to specific drugs if the manufacturers refuse a government-set price. This would be, in effect, a price control scheme, enforced by denying patients access to drugs. The effectiveness of this approach would depend on Congress's willingness to deny seniors access to some, or even many, prescription drugs."

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 10:46 AM, April 17, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

March 29, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Alternative Budget

Key Vote Alert

"YES" on the Ryan Substitute Amendment

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "YES" on the Ryan Substitute Amendment to the Concurrent Budget Resolution (H. Con. Res. 99). This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This substitute amendment is a pro-growth alternative budget that is vastly better than the one set forth by the House Budget Committee. Among other things, the substitute extends the Bush tax cuts, saves $279 billion in mandatory savings and stops the raid on the Social Security Trust Fund, all of which the official budget resolution does NOT do.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 11:29 AM, March 29, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

March 27, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Amtrak

Key Vote Alert

"YES" on Sessions Amendment to the "Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007" (H.R. 1401)

The Club for Growth urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "YES" on the Sessions Amendment to the "Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007" (H.R. 1401). This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This amendment will prohibit funds from being used by Amtrak for any of the Top 10 worst revenue losing long-distance routes.

Amtrak is the poster child for why the government should stay out of the private sector. After spending billions and billions of taxpayers' funds, it continues to lose money. While this amendment is not the complete solution, it aims to get rid of the most inefficient and wasteful routes. If Congress is serious about being responsible fiscal stewards to American taxpayers, they will pass this amendment.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 12:46 PM, March 27, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

March 21, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Stop the Raid

Andrew Roth

KEY VOTE ALERT
"YES" on the "Stop the Raid" Amendment (#489)

The Club for Growth plans to score a "YES" vote as a pro-economic growth vote in its annual rating of Congress on the DeMint Amendment (#489) to "Stop the Raid on Social Security", which is being offered on the FY08 Budget Resolution (S. Con. Res. 21) in the Senate.

Social Security's long-term unfunded liability is $4.6 trillion through 2080. Unless the program is reformed, either substantial benefit cuts with little warning to beneficiaries or job-killing tax increases will be the result.

If adopted, this amendment would demonstrate Congress is serious about finally beginning action on meaningful reform. While the amendment would not commit the Senate to any particular plan, it contains a workable framework for proceeding with modernization of Social Security so that it is fiscally sound for the future.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 5:02 PM, March 21, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

February 26, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Card Check Bill

Key Vote Alert

KEY VOTE ALERT
"NO" on "Employee Free Choice Act" (H.R. 800)

The Club for Growth, with its 40,000 members, urges Members of the U.S. House to vote "NO" on the absurdly named, Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800), a bill that would allow unions to bypass secret elections. This key vote will be part of our 2007 Congressional Scorecard.

This bill does nothing but allow union organizers to freely intimidate workers into signing on to their agenda. Secret elections protect workers from this abuse and ensure that their voting decisions are made freely. Secret elections have been a cornerstone of our democratic process since our nation's founding for reasons so obvious and broadly accepted that they have never been seriously questioned. It speaks volumes about the supporters of this bill that they would seek to deny workers the fundamental democratic right to vote in private.

As the Heritage Foundation notes, "Publicly signed union cards do not reveal employees' free and considered choices. They allow unscrupulous organizers to threaten workers who refuse to sign up. Even when organizers obey the law, card-check allows organizers to manipulate workers psychologically, giving them only one side of the story and pushing them to make an impulsive decision to join the union with little time for reflection. Organizers can then return and repeatedly pressure holdouts to change their minds. Card checks reveal little about whether or not workers actually want to join a union, and the government should not take away workers' right to vote in privacy with a secret ballot when deciding to unionize."

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 2:44 PM, February 26, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

February 1, 2007

SENATE Key Vote Alert - Minimum Wage

Andrew Roth

The Club for Growth, with its 40,000 members, plans to score a "NO" vote as a pro-economic growth vote in its annual rating of Congress on H.R. 2, a bill that would increase the minimum wage. The Senate is currently scheduled to vote on this proposal today, Thursday, February 1, 2007.

As the Heritage Foundation correctly observes, "Increasing the minimum wage is frequently proposed as a means of helping the working poor, but high minimum wages only harm unskilled, low-wage workers. By artificially increasing the cost of unskilled labor, minimum wage laws encourage employers to minimize their need for low-wage employees, either by using more machines or by changing the way that they offer services. This in turn means that there are fewer jobs available for unskilled workers. The relatively few beneficiaries of an increased minimum wage are more likely to be students working part-time than they are to unskilled workers with children to support."

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 10:37 AM, February 1, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #

January 18, 2007

HOUSE Key Vote Alert - Feeney Letter

Andrew Roth

The Club for Growth, with its 40,000 members, plans to score the signatures of a recent coalition letter to President Bush, led by Congressman Tom Feeney, as a pro-economic growth measure in its annual Congressional Scorecard.

Signers of the letter pledge to sustain any veto made by the President on any tax increase submitted to him by Congress.

The problem in Washington hasn’t been a lack of revenue; it’s been a lack of spending restraint. Tax hikes are counterproductive and anti-growth and Congress should vigorously oppose them.

A copy of the letter is reprinted below. To sign onto it, please contact Tonnie Wybensinger in Rep. Feeney’s office at t.wybensinger@mail.house.gov.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 110th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.

Posted at 11:33 AM, January 18, 2007 | Trackback | Print | #