As Congress returns from recess, vulnerable Senators and Senate candidates are back at work trying to cover up their problematic voting records. We took a look at how often they’ve actually put their party and the special interests ahead of the people they were elected to represent.
Over the course of his time in Washington, Senator John McCain has voted with the Republican Party 90 percent of the time – a partisan record that he won’t be able to erase in the face of a tough reelection this fall. McCain’s allegiance to the GOP has come at the expense of Arizonans, whose interests he ignored by voting to gut Medicare, block measures to make college more affordable, and against a federal minimum wage increase.
“John McCain calls himself a maverick, but a closer look at his voting record shows he puts his own party ahead of Arizona a whopping 90 percent of the time,” said DSCC National Press Secretary Lauren Passalacqua. “Senator McCain will have to explain to thousands of Arizona families why he put Washington special interests ahead of the families in his state.”
BACKGROUND
McCain Voted With The Republican Party 90% Of The Time. According to CQ vote studies of party unity, McCain voted with the Republican Party 90% of the time from 2007 – 2015. [CQ Vote Studies]
McCain Voted For The FY 2012 Ryan Budget. In May 2011, McCain voted “yes” vote on a: “Reid, D-Nev., motion to proceed to the concurrent resolution that would allow $2.859 trillion in new budget authority for fiscal 2012.” The motion was rejected 40-57. [H.Con.Res. 34, Vote 77, 5/25/11]
- Wall Street Journal: Ryan Plan “Would Essentially End Medicare.” “Republicans will present this week a 2012 budget proposal that would cut more than $4 trillion from federal spending projected over the next decade and transform the Medicare health program for the elderly, a move that will dramatically reshape the budget debate in Washington. The budget has been prepared by Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and the new chairman of the House Budget Committee. […] The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]
- National Journal: Ryan Budget Policies “Would Begin Affecting Millions of Seniors Almost Immediately By Increasing Costs For Prescription Drugs And Probably Long-Term Care.” “The policies in the House GOP budget, if enacted, would begin affecting millions of seniors almost immediately by increasing their costs for prescription drugs and probably long-term care. Further, Medicare costs could rise over time if healthier seniors choose to abandon the traditional benefit program.” [National Journal, 6/2/11]
- FY 2012 Ryan Budget Contained Largest Reduction In Pell Grants In History. “The budget lays out little in terms of cuts to specific programs, instead simply decreeing caps on levels of spending. But one cut is explicitly proposed in the document — a cut to the Pell Grant program, which provides college tuition assistance to low-income students. […] If implemented, this would be the largest reduction in Pell Grants in history, more than eight times higher than the previous record, which was a $100 reduction in the maximum award in 1994. These cuts ‘will reduce the number of low income students receiving Bachelor’s degrees each year by about 61,000.’” [ThinkProgress, 4/5/11]
- Headline: “House GOP Budget Slashes Billions From Pell Grants, Bumps Millions Of Students Out Of The Program”[ThinkProgress, 4/5/11]
McCain Voted Against Increasing The Federal Minimum Wage To $10.10. In April 2014, McCain supported a “no” vote on a: “Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Reid, D-Nev., motion to proceed to the bill that would increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 by 2016. It would gradually increase the minimum cash wage for workers who receive tips until it equals 70 percent of the federal minimum wage for other workers. It also would amend the tax code to extend through 2016 the $500,000 cap for small business expensing of investments eligible for deductions, including allowances for computer software and qualified real property.” [CQ, 4/30/14, S. 2223, Vote 117, 4/30/14]
- Increasing The Federal Minimum Wage To $10.10 Would Mean A Raise For 517,000 Workers In Arizona. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 517,000 workers in Arizona would be affected by increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10. [Economic Policy Institute, 12/19/13]
McCain Voted Against Advancing A Bill That Would Allow Eligible Borrowers Who Took Out Student Loans Prior To July 1, 2013 To Refinance Those Loans To Rates Offered To New Borrowers. In June 2014, McCain voted against a: “Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Reid, D-Nev., motion to proceed the bill that would allow eligible borrowers who took out student loans prior to July 1, 2013 to refinance those loans to rates offered to new borrowers. It would be offset by increasing taxes on those who earn more than $1 million a year.” The motion was rejected 56-38. [CQ, 6/11/14; S.2432, Vote 185, 6/11/14]
- More Than 480,000 Arizona Student Loan Borrowers Would Benefit From Student Loan Refinancing Proposal.According to the Department of Education, 480,000 Arizona student loan borrowers would benefit from legislation that let them refinance their student loans at lower rates. [U.S. Department of Education, 2014]
