In the first major voteafter winning the majority, House Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health reform law. The ACA improves access to affordable health care coverage, provides consumer protections, and reduces the federal deficit. Among other effects repeal would cost 1.2 million young adults their coverage through their parents’ health plan. It would mean higher drug prices for 2.7 million seniors, eliminate free preventive services for 44 million seniors and discard measures to help control health care costs. It would allow insurance companies to resume denying coverage, limiting care and spending premiums on larger CEO salaries and profits. H.R. 2 passed on Jan.19 by a vote of 245-189 (R: 242 - 0; D: 3 - 189) Roll Call 14. Y=W, N=R.

The resolution required that the fiscal year 2011 budget cut spending for all non-defense items to 2008 levels. That would mean massive cuts to vital working family programs and protections such as education, health care, environmental protections, transportation, workplace safety, wage protections and more. The resolution was approved Jan. 25, 2011 by a vote of 256-165 (R: 239-0; D: 17-165). Roll Call Vote 20. Y=W, N=R.

As part of the continuing effort to attack workers’ rights and weaken the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) offered an amendment to the H.R. 1, the continuing resolution to fund the federal government and its agencies, that would defund the NLRB for the remainder of 2011. The amendment failed Feb. 17 by a vote 176-250 (R: 176-60; D: 0-190) Roll Call Vote 75. Y=W, N=R

In another attack on the health care reform, Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.) offered an amendment to continuing resolution to fund the federal government and its agencies that would eliminate all funding to implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The amendment would prohibit the use of funds to pay any employee, officer, contractor, or grantee of any federal department or agency to implement the provisions of the ACA. It was approved Feb. 18 by a vote of 239-187 (R: 236 - 2; D: 3 - 185) Roll Call Vote 97. Y=W, N=R.

Project Labor Agreements (PLA) require all construction jobs to be filled by local workers, include diversity requirements, establishes wages and work rules covering overtime, working hours and dispute resolution and ensure that safety guidelines on the job site are enforced. They protect taxpayers by eliminating costly delays due to labor conflicts or shortages of skilled workers. Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) offered an amendment to the continuing resolution to keep the federal government and federal agencies funded, that would have prohibited the use of PLAs on federal projects. The amendment failed Feb. 19 by a vote of 210-210, a tie vote fails. (R: 210-26; D: 0-184) Roll Call Vote 126. Y=W, N=R

The Davis-Bacon prevailing wage law ensures that workers on public construction projects funded by taxpayer dollars are paid a wage comparable to the local standard or “prevailing” wage. It prevents unscrupulous contractors from low-balling bids and undercutting community wages with cheap, unskilled labor. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) offered an amendment to the continuing resolution to keep the federal government and federal agencies funded that would have repealed Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements on federal projects. The amendment failed Feb. 19 by a vote of 189-233 (R: 189-48; D: 0-185) Roll Call Vote 144. Y=W, N=R

The bill would provide continuing appropriations for all government agencies, except the Defense Department, through the remainder of fiscal year 2011. It would cut more than $61 billion including: cuts to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) that will eliminate job safety enforcement and investigations; cuts to job training and Employment Services; cuts to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) which will undermine workers’ ability to have a voice on the job; cuts to Head Start which will result in 218,000 fewer kids in the program and could cost as many 55,000 jobs.  It also would bar the use of funds made available in the bill for a variety of executive branch regulatory activities and implementation of several provisions of the Affordable care Act. The bill passed on Feb. 19 by a vote of 235-189 (R: 235-3; D: 0-186). Roll Call Vote 147. Y=W, N=R.

Current law allows federal employees who serve as union representatives a reasonable amount of official time to perform functions on behalf of the union such as negotiations, but not for internal union business. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) offered an amendment to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that would prohibit FAA employees from using official time.  The amendment failed March 31 by a vote of 195-227 (R: 192-41; D: 3-186) Roll Call vote 212. Y=W, N=R

The Davis-Bacon prevailing wage law ensures that workers on public construction projects funded by taxpayer dollars are paid a wage comparable to the local standard or “prevailing” wage. It prevents unscrupulous contractors from low-balling bids and undercutting community wages with cheap, unskilled labor. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) offered an amendment to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that would have repealed Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements on projects—including major airport construction and repair—authorized in the bill. The amendment failed April 1 by a vote of 183-238. (R: 183-51; D: 0-183) Roll Call Vote 216. Y=W, N=R

Last year the National Mediation Board (NMB) issued a new rule for union representation elections for airline and rail workers that calls for the majority of votes cast to determine the outcome of the elections—just as the majority of votes cast decide congressional and other elections. Previously each worker who did not cast a vote was counted as “No” vote. But the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill would have returned election rules to the previous system. Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) offered an amendment to the bill that would have preserved the NMB rule in which representation would be determined by a majority of the votes actually cast. The amendment failed April 1 by a vote of 206-220 (R: 16-220; D: 190-0) Roll Call Vote 217. Y=R, N=W

As a substitute to the Republican budget resolution and its draconian cuts to vital working family programs and tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., offered a substitute that included the end of emergency supplemental appropriations for overseas contingency operations beginning in 2013, consistent with withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq. It also called for increased tax revenue, in part by returning to Clinton-era rates and indexing the alternative minimum tax, rescinding upper-income tax cuts, creation of a progressive estate tax and taxing capital gains and qualified dividends as ordinary income. It called for changes to the health care system, including the creation of a public plan, and increased spending for education, infrastructure, housing, and research and development. It projected a budget surplus within 10 years. The resolution failed April 15 by a vote of 77-347 (R: 0-239; D: 77-108). Roll Call Vote 274. Y=R, N=W

As a substitute to the Republican budget resolution and its draconian cuts to vital working family programs and tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) offered a substitute amendment. It would have frozen non-security discretionary spending for five years and proposed phasing out overseas contingency funding. It maintained the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for those making less than $250,000 a year but allowed them to expire for those with higher incomes. It increased funding for infrastructure, child-care programs, energy independence, veterans' support programs, college affordability and housing. It projected a balanced budget except for interest on the debt by fiscal 2018. It failed April 15 by a vote of 166-259 (R: 0-236; D: 166-23). Roll Call Vote 276. Y=R, N=R

The Republican budget resolution makes huge cuts to vital working family programs and cuts taxes for the wealthy and corporations It converts the federal share of Medicaid to a block grant to states and privatizes Medicare with a voucher system. It makes permanent the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, along with new tax cuts and cuts corporate taxes. It does not project a balanced budget.  It was approved April 15 by a vote of 235-193 (R: 235-4; D: 0-189). Roll Call Vote 277. Y=W, N=R

The Davis-Bacon prevailing wage law ensures that workers on public construction projects funded by taxpayer dollars are paid a wage comparable to the local standard or “prevailing” wage. It prevents unscrupulous contractors from low-balling bids and undercutting community wages with cheap, unskilled labor. Rep. Paul Goslar (R-Ariz.) offered an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriation bill that would have repealed Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements on federally funded Homeland Security projects. The amendment failed June 2 by a vote of 183-234 (R: 182-52; D: 1-182) Roll Call Vote 395. Y=W, N=R

Project Labor Agreements (PLA) require all construction jobs to be filled by local workers, include diversity requirements, establishes wages and work rules covering overtime, working hours and dispute resolution and ensures that safety guidelines on the job site are enforced. They protect taxpayers by eliminating costly delays due to labor conflicts or shortages of skilled workers. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) offered an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriation bill that would have prohibited the use of project labor agreements on federally funded Homeland Security projects. The amendment failed June 2 by a vote of 207-213. (R: 206-28; D: 1-185) Roll Call Vote 396. Y=W, N=R

After a nearly 10-year battle, Transportation Security Officers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) finally won collective bargaining rights in February. Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) offered an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriation bill that would prohibit collective bargaining for TSA employees. The amendment passed June 2 by a vote of 218-205. (R: 217-18; D: 1-187) Roll Call Vote 403. Y=W, N=R

Rep. LaTourette, R-Ohio, amendment that would strike the section of the bill that would bar the use of funds to implement or enforce an executive order or rule encouraging agencies to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects exceeding $25 million in cost. Adopted on June 13 by a vote of 204-203. (R 27-202; D 177-1). Roll Call Vote 413. Y=R, N=W.

Rep. Amash, R-Mich., amendment that would bar the use of funds in the bill to administer or enforce Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements. Rejected on June 13 by a vote of 178-232. (R 177-54; D 1-178; I 0-0). Roll Call Vote 414. Y=W, N=R.

The FAA Air Transportation and Safety Improvement Act, amendment was sponsored by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and would exclude employees of the Transportation Security Administration from the collective bargaining rights of Federal employees. Amendment 14 failed in the Senate on February 15 by a vote of 47-51. (R 47-0; D 0-49; I 0-2) Roll Call vote 17. Y=W, N=R.

The FAA Air Transportation and Safety Improvement Act, amendment was sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and would strike the provisions relating to a memorandum of understanding between the FAA and OSHA that would provide some OSHA protections to flight crews. Motion to table amendment 18 was agreed on February 17 by a vote of 52-47. (R 0-47; D 50-0; I 2-0) Roll Call vote 22. Y=R, N=W.

Passage of a bill that would provide continuing appropriations through fiscal 2011 for all government agencies, except the Defense Department, which would receive $515.8 billion in base funding. Most other programs would be funded at fiscal 2010 levels, less eliminations, reductions and rescissions totaling roughly $61.5 billion. The bill does not include earmarks and eliminates all previous fiscal 2010 earmark funding from continuing appropriations. The bill would eliminate funding for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter alternative engine program and prohibit any funding from being made available to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. It also would bar the use of funds made available in the bill for a variety of executive branch regulatory activities and implementation of several provisions of the health care overhaul law. Rejected on March 9, 2011 by a vote of 44-56 (R 44-3; D 0-51; I 0-2). Roll Call vote 36. Y=W, N=R.

Snowe, R-Maine, amendment to add new costly and burdensome requirements on the regulatory authority of government departments and agencies. The amendment would stall the regulatory process and make it difficult or delay government agencies, like OSHA, from issuing new regulations designed to protect the American worker, consumer and public in general. Rejected on June 9, 2011 by a vote of 53-46. (R 47-0; D 6-44; I 0-2).  Y=W, N=R.