Key Vote Alert: “NO” SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1158 AND “NO” ON SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1865, THE END-OF-YEAR SPENDING AGREEMENT AKA THE “DOUBLE-DECKER BUS”
Club for Growth opposes the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1158, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, and the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1865, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, and urges all Representatives and Senators to vote no. The legislation is expected to be considered soon in the House of Representatives and Senate. The results of both of the votes will be included in the Club for Growth Foundation’s 2019 Congressional Scorecard.
This legislation spends at the discretionary spending levels of this budget-busting Bipartisan Budget Act, which increased the FY2020 spending cap by over $171 billion and is about a 5:1 ratio of higher spending over revenue cuts on the repeal of the Obamacare taxes on an annualized basis.
The “Double-Decker Bus” is a spending agreement that has been split into two appropriations bills. Additionally, the Double-Decker Bus includes many anomalies that do not belong on spending bills, including anomalies that extend the authorizations of several expiring federal programs, such as a 7-year reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im), and reauthorizations of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Temporary Assistants for Needy Families (TANF) through the end of the fiscal year. The bill also waives statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO).
Additionally, the bill includes supplemental appropriations for natural disaster relief that is not subject to the budget caps. Congress has been unable to complete meaningful reforms on expiring federal programs and is instead ramming everything through on two gigantic last-minute spending bills. The spending levels of this bill will accommodate a deficit of over $1 trillion for FY2020.
Though many Members feel that a robust defense budget is required to maintain military readiness and national security, a large threat to our defense and national security remains the national debt, and a Defense Business Board report showed $125 billion in administrative waste in Pentagon business operations. A moment of reckoning will be upon Members when net interest payments exceed our defense budget in just a few years.
Last month, Club for Growth warned Members of Congress against passing a 4-week Continuing Resolution that expired on December 20th because it would back up Members of Congress against a deadline that was certain to force Senators and Representatives into supporting a last-minute deal before Christmas. Members of Congress can probably find provisions they support within the thousands of pages of legislation in the Double-Decker Bus. However, full consideration of this massive piece of legislation should alarm Members of Congress and force them to realize they have abdicated their legislative authority to the Appropriations Committees and Congressional Leadership.
The bill also includes a provision to bailout pensions for thousands of coal miners. This is in essence, an earmark to Members that have fiercely advocated for the pension bailout.
On the bright side, the legislation repeals the Cadillac tax, the 2.3 percent Medical Device Tax, and a health insurance fee. These Obamacare-era taxes have caused health care costs to skyrocket and their repeal is welcomed, although an appropriations bill should not be the legislative vehicle to repeal these taxes. A better course of action would be repealing these Obamacare taxes along with Obamacare’s spending.
Club for Growth Foundation’s Congressional Scorecard for the 116th 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 the public.
Vote Results
Club Position
No
Required for Majority
1/2
Vote Results
Passed
Vote Number
690
Vote Date
December 17, 2019
Vote Counts
YEAs:
280
NAYs:
138
Not Voting:
12
Ralph Abraham
LA
R
Y
Alma Adams
NC
D
Y
Robert Aderholt
AL
R
Y
Pete Aguilar
CA
D
N
Rick Allen
GA
R
Y
Colin Allred
TX
D
Y
Justin Amash
MI
I
N
Mark Amodei
NV
R
Y
Kelly Armstrong
ND
R
N
Jodey Arrington
TX
R
N
Cindy Axne
IA
D
Y
Brian Babin
TX
R
Y
Don Bacon
NE
R
Y
James Baird
IN
R
Y
Troy Balderson
OH
R
Y
Jim Banks
IN
R
Y
Andy Barr
KY
R
Y
Nanette Barragan
CA
D
N
Karen Bass
CA
D
N
Joyce Beatty
OH
D
Y
Ami Bera
CA
D
Y
Jack Bergman
MI
R
Y
Don Beyer
VA
D
Y
Andy Biggs
AZ
R
N
Gus Bilirakis
FL
R
Y
Rob Bishop
UT
R
Y
Dan Bishop
NC
R
N
Sanford Bishop
GA
D
Y
Earl Blumenauer
OR
D
N
Suzanne Bonamici
OR
D
N
Mike Bost
IL
R
Y
Brendan Boyle
PA
D
N
Kevin Brady
TX
R
Y
Anthony Brindisi
NY
D
Y
Mo Brooks
AL
R
Y
Susan Brooks
IN
R
Y
Anthony Brown
MD
D
Y
Julia Brownley
CA
D
Y
Vern Buchanan
FL
R
Y
Ken Buck
CO
R
N
Larry Bucshon
IN
R
Y
Ted Budd
NC
R
N
Tim Burchett
TN
R
N
Michael Burgess
TX
R
Y
Cheri Bustos
IL
D
Y
G.K. Butterfield
NC
D
Y
Bradley Byrne
AL
R
N
Ken Calvert
CA
R
Y
Salud Carbajal
CA
D
Y
Tony Cardenas
CA
D
N
Andre Carson
IN
D
Y
Buddy Carter
GA
R
Y
John Carter
TX
R
Y
Matthew Cartwright
PA
D
Y
Ed Case
HI
D
Y
Sean Casten
IL
D
Y
Kathy Castor
FL
D
Y
Joaquin Castro
TX
D
N
Steve Chabot
OH
R
Y
Liz Cheney
WY
R
Y
Judy Chu
CA
D
N
David Cicilline
RI
D
Y
Gil Cisneros
CA
D
Y
Katherine Clark
MA
D
Y
Yvette Clarke
NY
D
N
Lacy Clay
MO
D
Y
Emanuel Cleaver
MO
D
Y
Ben Cline
VA
R
N
Michael Cloud
TX
R
N
James Clyburn
SC
D
Y
Steve Cohen
TN
D
N
Tom Cole
OK
R
Y
Doug Collins
GA
R
Y
James Comer
KY
R
N
K. Michael Conaway
TX
R
Y
Gerald Connolly
VA
D
Y
Paul Cook
CA
R
Y
Jim Cooper
TN
D
Y
Luis Correa
CA
D
N
Jim Costa
CA
D
Y
Joe Courtney
CT
D
Y
TJ Cox
CA
D
Y
Angela Craig
MN
D
Y
Rick Crawford
AR
R
Y
Dan Crenshaw
TX
R
Y
Charlie Crist
FL
D
Y
Jason Crow
CO
D
Y
Henry Cuellar
TX
D
N
Joe Cunningham
SC
D
Y
John Curtis
UT
R
N
Sharice Davids
KS
D
Y
Warren Davidson
OH
R
N
Danny Davis
IL
D
Y
Susan Davis
CA
D
Y
Rodney Davis
IL
R
Y
Madeleine Dean
PA
D
Y
Peter DeFazio
OR
D
N
Diana DeGette
CO
D
N
Rosa DeLauro
CT
D
Y
Suzan DelBene
WA
D
Y
Antonio Delgado
NY
D
Y
Val Demings
FL
D
Y
Mark DeSaulnier
CA
D
N
Scott DesJarlais
TN
R
Y
Theodore Deutch
FL
D
Y
Mario Diaz-Balart
FL
R
Y
Debbie Dingell
MI
D
Y
Lloyd Doggett
TX
D
N
Michael Doyle
PA
D
N
Jeff Duncan
SC
R
N
Neal Dunn
FL
R
Y
Tom Emmer
MN
R
N
Eliot Engel
NY
D
N
Veronica Escobar
TX
D
N
Anna Eshoo
CA
D
N
Adriano Espaillat
NY
D
N
Ron Estes
KS
R
Y
Dwight Evans
PA
D
Y
Drew Ferguson
GA
R
Y
Abby Finkenauer
IA
D
Y
Brian Fitzpatrick
PA
R
Y
Chuck Fleischmann
TN
R
Y
Lizzie Fletcher
TX
D
Y
Bill Flores
TX
R
Y
Jeff Fortenberry
NE
R
Y
Bill Foster
IL
D
Y
Virginia Foxx
NC
R
Y
Lois Frankel
FL
D
Y
Marcia Fudge
OH
D
Y
Russ Fulcher
ID
R
N
Tulsi Gabbard
HI
D
A
Matt Gaetz
FL
R
N
Mike Gallagher
WI
R
N
Ruben Gallego
AZ
D
N
John Garamendi
CA
D
Y
Jesus Garcia
IL
D
N
Sylvia Garcia
TX
D
N
Greg Gianforte
MT
R
Y
Bob Gibbs
OH
R
Y
Louie Gohmert
TX
R
N
Jared Golden
ME
D
Y
Jimmy Gomez
CA
D
N
Vicente Gonzalez
TX
D
N
Anthony Gonzalez
OH
R
Y
Lance Gooden
TX
R
Y
Paul Gosar
AZ
R
N
Josh Gottheimer
NJ
D
Y
Kay Granger
TX
R
Y
Tom Graves
GA
R
Y
Garret Graves
LA
R
Y
Sam Graves
MO
R
Y
Al Green
TX
D
N
Mark Green
TN
R
Y
H. Morgan Griffith
VA
R
N
Raul Grijalva
AZ
D
N
Glenn Grothman
WI
R
N
Michael Guest
MS
R
Y
Brett Guthrie
KY
R
Y
Debra Haaland
NM
D
N
James Hagedorn
MN
R
Y
Josh Harder
CA
D
Y
Andy Harris
MD
R
Y
Vicky Hartzler
MO
R
Y
Alcee Hastings
FL
D
Y
Jahana Hayes
CT
D
Y
Denny Heck
WA
D
Y
Kevin Hern
OK
R
N
Jaime Herrera Beutler
WA
R
Y
Jody Hice
GA
R
N
Clay Higgins
LA
R
N
Brian Higgins
NY
D
Y
French Hill
AR
R
Y
James Himes
CT
D
Y
George Holding
NC
R
N
Trey Hollingsworth
IN
R
A
Kendra Horn
OK
D
Y
Steven Horsford
NV
D
Y
Chrissy Houlahan
PA
D
Y
Steny Hoyer
MD
D
Y
Richard Hudson
NC
R
Y
Jared Huffman
CA
D
N
Bill Huizenga
MI
R
N
Duncan Hunter
CA
R
A
Will Hurd
TX
R
Y
Sheila Jackson-Lee
TX
D
N
Pramila Jayapal
WA
D
N
Hakeem Jeffries
NY
D
Y
Bill Johnson
OH
R
Y
Mike Johnson
LA
R
N
Henry Johnson
GA
D
Y
Dusty Johnson
SD
R
N
Eddie Johnson
TX
D
A
Jim Jordan
OH
R
N
John Joyce
PA
R
N
David Joyce
OH
R
Y
Marcy Kaptur
OH
D
Y
John Katko
NY
R
Y
William Keating
MA
D
Y
Fred Keller
PA
R
N
Trent Kelly
MS
R
Y
Mike Kelly
PA
R
N
Robin Kelly
IL
D
Y
Joseph Kennedy
MA
D
N
Ro Khanna
CA
D
N
Daniel Kildee
MI
D
Y
Derek Kilmer
WA
D
Y
Andy Kim
NJ
D
Y
Ron Kind
WI
D
Y
Peter King
NY
R
Y
Steve King
IA
R
N
Adam Kinzinger
IL
R
Y
Ann Kirkpatrick
AZ
D
Y
Raja Krishnamoorthi
IL
D
Y
Ann Kuster
NH
D
Y
David Kustoff
TN
R
Y
Darin LaHood
IL
R
N
Doug LaMalfa
CA
R
Y
Conor Lamb
PA
D
Y
Doug Lamborn
CO
R
Y
James Langevin
RI
D
Y
Rick Larsen
WA
D
Y
John Larson
CT
D
Y
Bob Latta
OH
R
N
Brenda Lawrence
MI
D
Y
Al Lawson
FL
D
Y
Suzanne Lee
NV
D
Y
Barbara Lee
CA
D
N
Debbie Lesko
AZ
R
Y
Mike Levin
CA
D
Y
Andy Levin
MI
D
N
John Lewis
GA
D
A
Ted Lieu
CA
D
N
Daniel Lipinski
IL
D
Y
David Loebsack
IA
D
Y
Zoe Lofgren
CA
D
N
Billy Long
MO
R
Y
Barry Loudermilk
GA
R
Y
Alan Lowenthal
CA
D
N
Nita Lowey
NY
D
Y
Frank Lucas
OK
R
A
Blaine Luetkemeyer
MO
R
Y
Ben Lujan
NM
D
N
Elaine Luria
VA
D
Y
Stephen Lynch
MA
D
Y
Tom Malinowski
NJ
D
Y
Sean Maloney
NY
D
Y
Carolyn Maloney
NY
D
N
Kenny Marchant
TX
R
Y
Roger Marshall
KS
R
Y
Thomas Massie
KY
R
N
Brian Mast
FL
R
Y
Doris Matsui
CA
D
Y
Ben McAdams
UT
D
N
Lucy McBath
GA
D
Y
Kevin McCarthy
CA
R
Y
Michael McCaul
TX
R
Y
Tom McClintock
CA
R
N
Betty McCollum
MN
D
Y
Donald McEachin
VA
D
Y
James McGovern
MA
D
N
Patrick McHenry
NC
R
Y
David McKinley
WV
R
Y
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
WA
R
N
Jerry McNerney
CA
D
Y
Mark Meadows
NC
R
N
Gregory Meeks
NY
D
Y
Grace Meng
NY
D
N
Dan Meuser
PA
R
Y
Carol Miller
WV
R
Y
Paul Mitchell
MI
R
Y
John Moolenaar
MI
R
Y
Alex Mooney
WV
R
N
Gwen Moore
WI
D
N
Joseph Morelle
NY
D
Y
Seth Moulton
MA
D
Y
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
FL
D
Y
Markwayne Mullin
OK
R
N
Greg Murphy
NC
R
Y
Stephanie Murphy
FL
D
Y
Jerrold Nadler
NY
D
A
Grace Napolitano
CA
D
N
Richard Neal
MA
D
Y
Joseph Neguse
CO
D
N
Dan Newhouse
WA
R
Y
Donald Norcross
NJ
D
N
Ralph Norman
SC
R
N
Devin Nunes
CA
R
Y
Tom O'Halleran
AZ
D
Y
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
NY
D
N
Pete Olson
TX
R
Y
Ilhan Omar
MN
D
N
Steven Palazzo
MS
R
Y
Frank Pallone
NJ
D
N
Gary Palmer
AL
R
N
Jimmy Panetta
CA
D
N
Christopher Pappas
NH
D
Y
Bill Pascrell
NJ
D
N
Donald Payne
NJ
D
Y
Greg Pence
IN
R
Y
Ed Perlmutter
CO
D
Y
Scott Perry
PA
R
N
Scott Peters
CA
D
Y
Collin Peterson
MN
D
Y
Dean Phillips
MN
D
Y
Chellie Pingree
ME
D
Y
Mark Pocan
WI
D
N
Katie Porter
CA
D
Y
Bill Posey
FL
R
Y
Ayanna Pressley
MA
D
N
David Price
NC
D
Y
Mike Quigley
IL
D
Y
Jamie Raskin
MD
D
N
John Ratcliffe
TX
R
N
Tom Reed
NY
R
Y
Guy Reschenthaler
PA
R
Y
Kathleen Rice
NY
D
Y
Tom Rice
SC
R
N
Cedric Richmond
LA
D
N
Denver Riggleman
VA
R
Y
Martha Roby
AL
R
Y
Lisa Rochester
DE
D
Y
David Roe
TN
R
Y
Mike Rogers
AL
R
Y
Hal Rogers
KY
R
Y
Francis Rooney
FL
R
N
John Rose
TN
R
Y
Max Rose
NY
D
Y
Harley Rouda
CA
D
Y
David Rouzer
NC
R
N
Chip Roy
TX
R
N
Lucille Roybal-Allard
CA
D
N
Raul Ruiz
CA
D
Y
C.A. Ruppersberger
MD
D
Y
Bobby Rush
IL
D
Y
John Rutherford
FL
R
Y
Tim Ryan
OH
D
Y
Linda Sanchez
CA
D
N
John Sarbanes
MD
D
Y
Steve Scalise
LA
R
Y
Mary Scanlon
PA
D
Y
Janice Schakowsky
IL
D
N
Adam Schiff
CA
D
Y
Bradley Schneider
IL
D
Y
Kurt Schrader
OR
D
Y
Kim Schrier
WA
D
Y
David Schweikert
AZ
R
N
David Scott
GA
D
Y
Austin Scott
GA
R
Y
Robert Scott
VA
D
Y
F. James Sensenbrenner
WI
R
N
Jose Serrano
NY
D
A
Terri Sewell
AL
D
Y
Donna Shalala
FL
D
Y
Brad Sherman
CA
D
Y
Mikie Sherrill
NJ
D
Y
John Shimkus
IL
R
A
Mike Simpson
ID
R
Y
Albio Sires
NJ
D
Y
Elissa Slotkin
MI
D
Y
Jason Smith
MO
R
N
Adam Smith
WA
D
N
Adrian Smith
NE
R
Y
Christopher Smith
NJ
R
Y
Lloyd Smucker
PA
R
N
Darren Soto
FL
D
Y
Abigail Spanberger
VA
D
Y
Ross Spano
FL
R
N
Jackie Speier
CA
D
N
Greg Stanton
AZ
D
Y
Pete Stauber
MN
R
Y
Elise Stefanik
NY
R
Y
Bryan Steil
WI
R
N
Greg Steube
FL
R
N
Haley Stevens
MI
D
Y
Chris Stewart
UT
R
Y
Steve Stivers
OH
R
Y
Thomas Suozzi
NY
D
N
Eric Swalwell
CA
D
Y
Mark Takano
CA
D
N
Van Taylor
TX
R
N
Glenn Thompson
PA
R
Y
Bennie Thompson
MS
D
A
Mike Thompson
CA
D
Y
Mac Thornberry
TX
R
Y
William Timmons
SC
R
N
Scott Tipton
CO
R
Y
Dina Titus
NV
D
N
Rashida Tlaib
MI
D
N
Paul Tonko
NY
D
N
Norma Torres
CA
D
N
Xochitl Torres Small
NM
D
Y
Lori Trahan
MA
D
N
David Trone
MD
D
Y
Michael Turner
OH
R
Y
Lauren Underwood
IL
D
Y
Fred Upton
MI
R
Y
Jeff Van Drew
NJ
D
Y
Juan Vargas
CA
D
A
Marc Veasey
TX
D
Y
Filemon Vela
TX
D
N
Nydia Velazquez
NY
D
N
Peter Visclosky
IN
D
Y
Ann Wagner
MO
R
Y
Tim Walberg
MI
R
Y
Greg Walden
OR
R
Y
Mark Walker
NC
R
A
Jackie Walorski
IN
R
Y
Michael Waltz
FL
R
Y
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
FL
D
Y
Maxine Waters
CA
D
N
Steve Watkins
KS
R
Y
Bonnie Watson Coleman
NJ
D
N
Randy Weber
TX
R
Y
Daniel Webster
FL
R
Y
Peter Welch
VT
D
N
Brad Wenstrup
OH
R
Y
Bruce Westerman
AR
R
Y
Jennifer Wexton
VA
D
Y
Susan Wild
PA
D
Y
Roger Williams
TX
R
Y
Joe Wilson
SC
R
Y
Frederica Wilson
FL
D
Y
Robert Wittman
VA
R
Y
Steve Womack
AR
R
Y
Rob Woodall
GA
R
Y
Ron Wright
TX
R
N
John Yarmuth
KY
D
Y
Ted Yoho
FL
R
N
Don Young
AK
R
Y
Lee Zeldin
NY
R
N