The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a public policy organization dedicated to the principles of free markets and limited government, has created a voting scorecard for the 112^th Congress focusing on worker issues. CEI’s labor policy website, Workplacechoice.org, will be the only real time congressional voting scorecard devoted to analyzing Congress’ labor record from a free-market perspective.

CEI developed the scorecard to educate taxpayers on how their Congressional Representatives and Senators vote on labor policy issues. A unique feature of the scorecard is that it is maintained in real time, rather than completed at the end of a congressional session.

The score is determined based on the CEI policy determinations that support worker freedom and the elimination of Big Labor’s privileges across the country.

CEI will announce which votes will be scored as far in advance as possible. Presently in the 112^th Congress numerous pro-worker bills and amendments have been introduced. A list of this legislation can be viewed on the Workplacechoice.org Pro-Worker Legislation page.

 

The scorecard for the 112th session of the House of Representatives can be found at: http://workplacechoice.org/hrscorecard112/

Key:
√ Voted with CEI’s Position
X Voted against CEI’s Position
* Did not vote

Grade Scale

100%………………………….. A+   95% – 99%………………….. A   90% – 94%………………….. A-

85% – 89%………………….. B+   80% – 84%………………….. B   70% – 79%………………….. B-

65% – 69%………………….. C+   60% – 64%………………….. C   50% – 59%………………….. C-

31% – 49%………………….. D+   11% – 30%………………….. D   1% – 10%……………………. D-

0%……………………………… F

 

 

Votes in the current Congress score include:

United States House of Representatives

Removing Language to Restore Original Union Election Rule to the National Mediation Board

Roll Call: 217

Bill: H.R. 658       LaTourette of Ohio Amendment No. 21                   CEI position: NO

The vote was on an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2011 to remove language in the Act that repeals a change to the Railway Labor Act’s voting rules. The change was imposed by the National Mediation Board in July 2010, without any input from Congress.

 

Prohibit FAA Employees from Using Official Time for Union Activities

Roll Call: 212

Bill: H.R. 658       Gingrey of Georgia Amendment No. 18                   CEI Position: YES

The vote was on an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2011 to prohibit Federal Aviation Administration employees from using official—that is, taxpayer sponsored—time for union activities during the official workday. It would not repeal the right of any FAA employee to collectively bargain or arbitrate.

 

De-funding the National Labor Relations Board — Roll Call: 75

Bill: H.R. 1          Rep. Price of Georgia Amendment No. 410          CEI Position: YES

The vote was an amendment to Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011, which would eliminate funding for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Under the Obama administration, the NLRB has been making repeated efforts to go around Congress by trying to enact policy changes that are biased toward organized labor’s goals—including card check-like organizing methods like remote electronic voting.

 

Prohibit Funding for Project Labor Agreements —

Roll Call: 126

Bill: H.R. 1                        Rep. Guinta of New Hampshire Amendment No. 166              CEI Position: YES

The vote was an amendment to Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011, which would prohibit the use of funds to enter into government contracts that require contractors to adopt project labor agreement, which favor impose “prevailing wage” and other requirements that advantage unionized contractors at the expense of non-union ones.

Roll Call: 396

Bill: H.R. 2017          Rep. Scalise of Louisiana Amendment No. 388          CEI Position: YES

The vote was an amendment to Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2012, which would prohibit the use of funds to enter into, after the date of the enactment of this Act, a Government contract that requires a project labor agreement.

Roll Call: 413

Bill: H.R. 2055          Rep. LaTourette of Ohio Amendment No. 411          CEI Position: NO

The vote was an amendment printed in the Congressional Record to strike section 415 of the bill, prohibiting funding for federal project labor agreements.

 

Prohibit use of Prevailing Wage —

Roll Call: 144

Bill: H.R. 1                        Rep. King of Iowa Amendment No. 273                CEI Position: YES

The vote was on an amendment to Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011, which eliminate the “Davis Bacon” prevailing wage rate requirement for federal projects funded by the 2011 appropriation act. Because this has typically been equivalent to the prevailing union wage, the law makes it harder for non-union contractors to compete for those projects.

Roll Call: 395

Bill: H.R. 2017          Rep. Gosar of Arizona Amendment No. 386          CEI Position: YES

The vote was on an amendment to Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2012, which eliminate the “Davis Bacon” prevailing wage rate requirement for federal projects funded by the 2011 appropriation act. Because this has typically been equivalent to the prevailing union wage, the law makes it harder for non-union contractors to compete for those projects.

Roll Call: 585

Bill: H.R. 2354          Rep. Gosar of Arizona Amendment No. 655          CEI Position: YES

The vote was on an amendment to prohibit the use of funds to be used to administer or enforce the requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act, except with respect to a contract that exceeds $20 million.

 

Prohibit Funding Toward TSA Regarding Collective Bargaining

Roll Call: 403

Bill: H.R. 2017          Rep. Rokita of Indiana Amendment No. 2          CEI Position: YES

An amendment to prohibit the use of funds to implement the determination of the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration regarding transporation security officers and collective bargaining as described in the decision memorandum dated February 4, 2011.

A scorecard for the 112th session of the Senate will be available soon.

Questions regarding the scorecard can be directed to CEI Labor Policy Counsel F. Vincent Vernuccio at Vvernuccio@cei.org or 202-331-1010