I join with EMILY’s List (see press releases, below) in very much looking forward to replacing these nincompoops in 2018.
EMILY’s List Puts U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor, VA-02 “On Notice” for 2018
Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, put U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor (VA-02) “On Notice” for 2018, highlighting his seat as a top target for Democratic takeover in the upcoming election cycle.
The 2018 launch of “On Notice” is the largest ever in the organization’s 32-year history. It targets 50 Republicans on the federal level, all of whom have amassed appallingly anti-woman, anti-family records. These Republicans, including Rep. Scott Taylor, are among EMILY’s List’s top targets in the 2018 midterms.
Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement:
“Rep. Scott Taylor has failed to protect the people of Virginia he was elected to represent – and EMILY’s List and our five million-strong community are aggressively looking to flip his seat. Women voters are furious at his lack of leadership, especially when it comes to protecting the safety and wellbeing of their families. Taylor voted for the Republican health care bill that would kick 23 million Americans – including thousands of Virginians – off their insurance. He has repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and voted for a more extreme version of the Hyde Amendment.”
“It’s clear that Rep. Taylor cares far more about the politics of Washington than helping the women and families of Virginia’s 2nd District. That’s why EMILY’s List is putting Taylor ‘On Notice’ – because Virginia needs change. Voters deserve better, and that’s the choice they have in 2018.”
Voted for the House Republican health care plan to kick 23 million people off their insurance
Repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood
Voted for a more extreme version of the Hyde Amendment
Voted for the House GOP Plan (the AHCA) to Repeal the Affordable Care Act. On May 4, 2017, Taylor voted for the American Health Care Act, the House GOP’s bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. “The House legislation (HR 1628) would reshape the nation’s health care system by limiting federal Medicaid funding for states and changing the 2010 law’s protections for people who buy coverage on their own.” [CQ News, 5/04/17; H.R. 1628, Vote #256, 5/04/17]
- Legislation Would Increase Taxes on Low- and Moderate-Income Families. “The bill is the largest tax increase on low-and moderate-income people in recent decades, primarily due to its cuts to tax credits that help families afford health insurance premiums in the marketplace. For example, households with incomes between $20,000 and $50,000 would face an average tax increase of $170, in large part from cuts to their tax credits.”
- Legislation Would Give Millionaires an Average Tax Cut of $50K Each Year. “Millionaires, however, would ultimately get tax cuts averaging more than $50,000 apiece each year. Millionaires would gain about $40 billion in tax cuts annually once all the bill’s tax cuts are in place — roughly equivalent to the $38 billion that 32 million households in poverty would lose, primarily from cuts to their tax credits and to Medicaid.”
- Legislation Cut Taxes for Insurers. “The bill would eliminate the fee on insurers that helps pay for the ACA’s coverage expansions. This would cost $145 billion over ten years, JCT estimates. The biggest insurers would receive the biggest tax cuts. The bill would also cut taxes for insurers with high-paid executives by allowing insurers to deduct up to an additional $500,000 from their taxes for executives who are paid over $500,000 each year, while weakening the ACA’s restrictions on those deductions. JCT estimates this would cost $0.5 billion over ten years […] Eliminating a tax levied on drug companies would cost $29 billion over 2017 to 2026, JCT estimates. Manufacturers and importers of brand-name prescription drugs pay this fee based on their brand-name drug sales to government health programs. Wealthy shareholders and other investors, who own the bulk of stock and other investments, likely would ultimately enjoy the benefit of this tax cut as company profits expand.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/22/17]
- CBO Report Found that the AHCA Would Kick 23 Million People Off Their Health Insurance. “[…] the House Republican health bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would cause 23 million people to lose coverage by 2026 and drive $834 billion in federal Medicaid cuts over the next ten years, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found […]” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/24/17]
- Voted to Defund Planned Parenthood for One Year in House Republican Health Care Bill. “In passing their health-care bill, House Republicans have also taken a first step toward dramatically slashing federal funds for Planned Parenthood clinics. The women’s health provider stands to lose about 30 percent of its funding under a provision in the GOP health-care bill to block it from getting Medicaid reimbursements for one year unless its hundreds of clinics stop offering abortions.” [Washington Post, 5/04/17]
Voted for Allowing States to Defund Planned Parenthood. On February 16, 2017, Taylor voted for a joint resolution overturning an Obama administration rule, thereby allowing states to defund Planned Parenthood. “The House on Thursday passed, 230-188, a resolution (H J Res 43) that would overturn an Obama administration rule to prevent states from limiting which organizations receive federal money for family planning. Congress appropriated about $286 million in fiscal 2016 for what’s known as Title X funding, which is supposed to be spent on family planning and reproductive health. […] The primary impetus for the states’ action was to avoid spending any money on Planned Parenthood or other health centers that offer abortions. Planned Parenthood received about $25 million from Title X funding in recent years. The group receives far more from reimbursements from Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor.” [CQ News, 2/16/17; H.J. Res. 43, Vote #99, 2/16/17]
Voted for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017. In January 2017 Taylor voted for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017, a bill that “effectively bars using federal money for abortion coverage for low-income women under Medicaid. The bill would not limit how a state could use its own money, except in the District of Columbia, where the city’s budget is approved by Congress. However, the bill would go further than the Hyde Amendment by trying to impose burdens on insurance companies or individuals who use private money to pay for abortions. For instance, it would disallow the use of refundable tax credits and cost sharing-reductions for health insurers and small employers that provide abortion coverage.” The bill passed the House 238-183 with 235 GOP voting for it. [H.R. 7, Vote #65, 1/24/17; CQ News, 1/24/17]
Supported a Bill to Deny Funding for Women Seeking Abortions in Cases of Fetal Anomalies. Taylor voted for a bill that “would have denied state funding to Medicaid-eligible women for abortion performed as a result of a totally incapacitating fetal anomaly.” [NARAL Scorecard, 2015]
Opposed Abortion; Supported Ban On Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Providers “Taylor, who personally opposes abortion, said he supports the ban on taxpayer funding for abortion and told the young woman that he agrees that ‘she has the legal right to decide.’” [The Virginian-Pilot, 2/20/17]
EMILY’s List Puts U.S. Rep. Dave Brat, VA-07 “On Notice” for 2018
Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, put U.S. Rep. Dave Brat (VA-07) “On Notice” for 2018, highlighting his seat as a top target for Democratic takeover in the upcoming election cycle.
The 2018 launch of “On Notice” is the largest ever in the organization’s 32-year history. It targets 50 Republicans on the federal level, all of whom have amassed appallingly anti-woman, anti-family records. These Republicans, including Rep. Dave Brat, are among EMILY’s List’s top targets in the 2018 midterms.
Stephanie Schrock, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement:
“Rep. Dave Brat has failed to protect the people of Virginia he was elected to represent – and EMILY’s List and our five million-strong community are aggressively looking to flip his seat. Women voters are furious at his shameful lack of courage and leadership – especially when it comes to protecting the safety and wellbeing of their families. Brat voted for the Republican health care bill that would kick 23 million Americans – including thousands of Virginians – off their insurance. He has repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and voted to undermine equal pay protections for women.”
“It’s clear that Rep. Brat cares far more about the politics of Washington than helping the women and families of Virginia’s 7th District. That’s why EMILY’s List is putting Brat ‘On Notice’ – because Virginia needs change. Voters deserve better, and that’s the choice they have in 2018.”
Voted for the House Republican health care plan to kick 23 million people off their insurance
Repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood
Voted to undermine equal pay protections for women
Voted for the House GOP Plan (the AHCA) to Repeal the Affordable Care Act. On May 4, 2017, Brat voted for the American Health Care Act, the House GOP’s bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. “The House legislation (HR 1628) would reshape the nation’s health care system by limiting federal Medicaid funding for states and changing the 2010 law’s protections for people who buy coverage on their own.” [CQ News, 5/04/17; H.R. 1628, Vote #256, 5/04/17]
- Legislation Would Increase Taxes on Low- and Moderate-Income Families. “The bill is the largest tax increase on low-and moderate-income people in recent decades, primarily due to its cuts to tax credits that help families afford health insurance premiums in the marketplace. For example, households with incomes between $20,000 and $50,000 would face an average tax increase of $170, in large part from cuts to their tax credits.”
- Legislation Would Give Millionaires an Average Tax Cut of $50K Each Year. “Millionaires, however, would ultimately get tax cuts averaging more than $50,000 apiece each year. Millionaires would gain about $40 billion in tax cuts annually once all the bill’s tax cuts are in place — roughly equivalent to the $38 billion that 32 million households in poverty would lose, primarily from cuts to their tax credits and to Medicaid.”
- Legislation Cut Taxes for Insurers. “The bill would eliminate the fee on insurers that helps pay for the ACA’s coverage expansions. This would cost $145 billion over ten years, JCT estimates. The biggest insurers would receive the biggest tax cuts. The bill would also cut taxes for insurers with high-paid executives by allowing insurers to deduct up to an additional $500,000 from their taxes for executives who are paid over $500,000 each year, while weakening the ACA’s restrictions on those deductions. JCT estimates this would cost $0.5 billion over ten years […] Eliminating a tax levied on drug companies would cost $29 billion over 2017 to 2026, JCT estimates. Manufacturers and importers of brand-name prescription drugs pay this fee based on their brand-name drug sales to government health programs. Wealthy shareholders and other investors, who own the bulk of stock and other investments, likely would ultimately enjoy the benefit of this tax cut as company profits expand.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/22/17]
- CBO Report Found that the AHCA Would Kick 23 Million People Off Their Health Insurance. “[…] the House Republican health bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would cause 23 million people to lose coverage by 2026 and drive $834 billion in federal Medicaid cuts over the next ten years, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found […]” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/24/17]
- Voted to Defund Planned Parenthood for One Year in House Republican Health Care Bill. “In passing their health-care bill, House Republicans have also taken a first step toward dramatically slashing federal funds for Planned Parenthood clinics. The women’s health provider stands to lose about 30 percent of its funding under a provision in the GOP health-care bill to block it from getting Medicaid reimbursements for one year unless its hundreds of clinics stop offering abortions.” [Washington Post, 5/04/17]
Voted for Allowing States to Defund Planned Parenthood. On February 16, 2017, Brat voted for a joint resolution overturning an Obama administration rule, thereby allowing states to defund Planned Parenthood. “The House on Thursday passed, 230-188, a resolution (H J Res 43) that would overturn an Obama administration rule to prevent states from limiting which organizations receive federal money for family planning. Congress appropriated about $286 million in fiscal 2016 for what’s known as Title X funding, which is supposed to be spent on family planning and reproductive health. […] The primary impetus for the states’ action was to avoid spending any money on Planned Parenthood or other health centers that offer abortions. Planned Parenthood received about $25 million from Title X funding in recent years. The group receives far more from reimbursements from Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor.” [CQ News, 2/16/17; H.J. Res. 43, Vote #99, 2/16/17]
Voted against Motion for Equal Pay By Excluding Claims of Employment Discrimination from Bill. In September 2015, Brat voted against a Democratic motion to recommit with instructions. “The Democratic Motion to Recommit protects women’s right to demand equal wages, by excluding claims of employment discrimination from the underlying bill that raises new obstacles for Americans to seek remedy in the courts.” The motion to recommit failed 179 to 239. [HR 758, Vote #500, 9/17/15; Democratic Motions to Recommit, HR 758, 9/17/15]
Voted to Block Consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act. In April 2015, Brat voted to block consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that would end the pay gap between men and women and unsure equal pay for equal work. “The legislation would protect workers from retaliation for sharing information about their wages, require employers to explain any pay disparities among workers performing the same job, and allow employees to seek unlimited punitive damages in wage bias cases.” A vote against the previous question would have allowed the bill to be considered. The previous question to H Res 189 passed 239 to 183. The previous question to H Res 200 passed 240 to 183. [H. Res. 189, Vote #148, 4/14/15; Bloomberg, 4/14/15; Democratic Leader – Previous Questions, 4/14/15; H. Res. 200, Vote #154, 4/15/15]
EMILY’s List Puts U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock, VA-10 “On Notice” for 2018
Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, put U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (VA-10) “On Notice” for 2018, highlighting her seat as a top target for Democratic takeover in the upcoming election cycle.
The 2018 launch of “On Notice” is the largest ever in the organization’s 32-year history. It targets 50 Republicans on the federal level, all of whom have amassed appallingly anti-woman, anti-family records. These Republicans, including Rep. Barbara Comstock, are among EMILY’s List’s top targets in the 2018 midterms.
Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement:
“Rep. Barbara Comstock has failed to protect the people of Virginia she was elected to represent – and EMILY’s List and our five million-strong community are aggressively looking to flip her seat. Women voters are furious at her shameful lack of courage and leadership – especially when it comes to protecting the safety and wellbeing of their families. Comstock has repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood, to undermine equal pay protections for women, and for a radical national abortion ban.”
“It’s clear that Rep. Comstock cares far more about the politics of Washington than helping the women and families of Virginia’s 10th District. That’s why EMILY’s List is putting Comstock ‘On Notice’ – because Virginia needs change. Voters deserve better, and that’s the choice they have in 2018.”
Voted to defund Planned Parenthood
Voted to undermine equal pay protections for women
Voted for a national abortion ban
Voted for Allowing States to Defund Planned Parenthood. On February 16, 2017, Comstock voted for a joint resolution overturning an Obama administration rule, thereby allowing states to defund Planned Parenthood. “The House on Thursday passed, 230-188, a resolution (H J Res 43) that would overturn an Obama administration rule to prevent states from limiting which organizations receive federal money for family planning. Congress appropriated about $286 million in fiscal 2016 for what’s known as Title X funding, which is supposed to be spent on family planning and reproductive health. […] The primary impetus for the states’ action was to avoid spending any money on Planned Parenthood or other health centers that offer abortions. Planned Parenthood received about $25 million from Title X funding in recent years. The group receives far more from reimbursements from Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor.” [CQ News, 2/16/17; H.J. Res. 43, Vote #99, 2/16/17]
Voted for a Bill to Repeal Parts of the Affordable Care Act and Effectively Defund Planned Parenthood through Budget Reconciliation Procedures. In 2015, Comstock voted for the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. The bill would have “remove[d] the penalties used to enforce the mandates that most individuals have health coverage and large employers offer it to their workers. In 2018, it would repeal the law’s Medicaid expansion and its subsidies to help low- and middle-income individuals buy health coverage through the new insurance exchanges. The measure also would scrap a lengthy list of taxes used to help offset the cost of the health law, including the taxes on medical devices, health insurers and so-called “Cadillac” employer-sponsored health plans that will receive temporary suspensions under the year-end funding and tax package (PL 114-113). In addition, the package would stop most federal money from flowing to Planned Parenthood for one year and boost funding for community health centers.” The bill passed the House 240-181. [H.R. 3762, Vote #6, 1/06/16; CQ News, 1/06/16]
Voted for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act. In 2015, Comstock voted for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act. The measure would have modified “the CR by defunding Planned Parenthood, sending it to the Senate.” The measure passed the House 241-185. [H. Con. Res. 79, Vote #527, 9/30/15; CQ News, 9/30/15]
Voted against Motion for Equal Pay By Excluding Claims of Employment Discrimination from Bill. In September 2015, Comstock voted against a Democratic motion to recommit with instructions. “The Democratic Motion to Recommit protects women’s right to demand equal wages, by excluding claims of employment discrimination from the underlying bill that raises new obstacles for Americans to seek remedy in the courts.” The motion to recommit failed 179 to 239. [HR 758, Vote #500, 9/17/15; Democratic Motions to Recommit, HR 758, 9/17/15]
Voted to Block Consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act. In April 2015, Comstock voted to block consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that would end the pay gap between men and women and unsure equal pay for equal work. “The legislation would protect workers from retaliation for sharing information about their wages, require employers to explain any pay disparities among workers performing the same job, and allow employees to seek unlimited punitive damages in wage bias cases.” A vote against the previous question would have allowed the bill to be considered. The previous question to H Res 189 passed 239 to 183. The previous question to H Res 200 passed 240 to 183. [H. Res. 189, Vote #148, 4/14/15; Bloomberg, 4/14/15; Democratic Leader – Previous Questions, 4/14/15; H. Res. 200, Vote #154, 4/15/15]
Voted for a Twenty Week National Abortion Ban, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. In May 2015, Comstock voted for “a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy in a party-line vote on Wednesday.” According to The Hill, “But the bill did not change a provision that allows victims of incest to receive an abortion only if they are under 18 years old … The new version of the House bill also includes a two-day waiting period for rape victims. Doctors must also ensure that victims have received medical treatment or counseling during that time.” The bill passed 242-184 with 238 GOP voting for it. [HR 36, Vote #223, 5/13/15; The Hill, 5/13/15; The Hill, 5/11/15]
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