Economic Justice and Voting Records

Poor People's Working Interests

Also see Platform of the Poor People's Working Party

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In 1996, President Clinton signed legislation that was called "Welfare Reform."  In truth, it was a welfare punishment act done for the sake of raw and ruthless political gain at the expense of the down and out.  While the rich got richer, the poor got poorer, many times due to taxpayer handouts to corporations.  And instead of hard work or public gain being the motivation behind granting government contracts to businesses, it can usually be traced to political connections and campaign contributions.  Unfortunately, over half the democrats in both the House and Senate voted for the scheme.  Only one Republican Senator voted against the first draft of the bill, along with most all Republican House members.  25 Democratic Senators voted for the bill, and 21 against.  The Republican Senator voted for the bill in the final draft that was enacted.  100 Democratic Representatives voted for the bill, and 97 voted against it, with 2 House Democrats not voting. A vote for the measure means the Congressional representative put short-term political concerns above common decency.   After all, the system is set up to purposely have some unemployment, and when the unemployment level is low, the Federal Reserve increases interest rates to slow down the economy.   This is done to prevent "inflation", but mostly to make sure wages stay low and keep profits high, especially the profits of the large Corporations who donate campaign contributions and thereby essentially set Government policy.  

Welfare Reform- a brief history AFL-CIO  House roll call vote- 1996 Welfare Reform
   
Final Senate roll call vote after committee with House of Reps. Also see Two Key Votes  Iraq War Res. of 2002 and Welfare Reform 1996
Poverty Links
Poverty U.S.A.    Catholic Campaign for Human Development ITEP    Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy 
KWRU    Kensington Welfare Right Union  ACORN
CLASP Center for Law and Social Policy Ohio Statewide Legal Services
Coalition on Human Needs Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
IPINET  Economic Policy Institute
 

"Welfare Reform" - a brief history    

http://www.ssa.gov/history/tally1996.html 

The so-called "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996" (P.L. 104-193) began life as H.R. 3734 in the House of Representatives. This main purpose of this bill was to repeal Title IV of the Social Security Act of 1935, and the program then known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). This is the only program from the 1935 Social Security Act to ever have been repealed. Popularly, the bill was known as "welfare reform" legislation.

The main reform introduced by the bill was the end to AFDC as a categorical entitlement and its replacement by a time-limited benefit program, tied to a work requirement. The new program is known as Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF).

H.R. 3742 was one of several versions of the legislation that had been introduced in the House starting in early 1995. H.R. 3742 was the version that finally prevailed in the House, passing the House on July 18, 1996 by a vote of 256-120.

The Senate began work on its own bill (S. 1956) in July 1996, and after the House passed H.R. 3742 the text of the House bill was incorporated into S. 1956, and this expanded bill passed the Senate on July 23, 1996 by a vote of 74-24.

The Conference on the differing bills was concluded on July 30, 1996 and the Conference Agreement (House Report No. 104-725) was considered in the House the next day, and in the Senate two days later. The results of those final votes on passage of the Conference Agreement are reported below.

Congressional Vote Totals by Party
HOUSE
(7/31/1996)
Democrat
Republican
Democrat
Farm Labor
Independent
Yes
100
227
1
0
No
97
3
0
1
Not Voting
2
3
0
0
SENATE
(8/1/1996)
Democrat
Republican
Yes
25
53
No
21
0
Not Voting
1
0
 

Final Vote Tallies after committee conference with House to iron out differences in bills - August of 1996

( In an earlier vote, before the final bill as amended with joint consultations with the House, Democrat Inouye of Hawaii did not vote.  Democrats Graham of Florida,  Mikulski of Maryland, and Reid of Nevada switched their votes to Yes for the final bill.  In the final version of the bill below, Pryor of Arkansas did not vote, although he voted against it in the earlier bill before the bill was sent to committee for resolution with the House.  The lone Republican Senator, Faircloth of North Carolina, voted against the first bill but voted for the bill in this final draft.)  

Grouped By Vote Position  http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=104&session=2&vote=00262

YEAs ---78
Abraham (R-MI)
Ashcroft (R-MO)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bond (R-MO)
Breaux (D-LA)
Brown (R-CO)
Bryan (D-NV)
Burns (R-MT)
Byrd (D-WV)
Campbell (R-CO)
Chafee (R-RI)
Coats (R-IN)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cohen (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Coverdell (R-GA)
Craig (R-ID)
D'Amato (R-NY)
DeWine (R-OH)
Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Exon (D-NE)
Faircloth (R-NC)
Feingold (D-WI)
Ford (D-KY)
Frahm (R-KS)
Frist (R-TN)
Gorton (R-WA)
Graham (D-FL)
Gramm (R-TX)
Grams (R-MN)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hatfield (R-OR)
Heflin (D-AL)
Helms (R-NC)
Hollings (D-SC)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Jeffords (R-VT)
Johnston (D-LA)
Kassebaum (R-KS)
Kempthorne (R-ID)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Mack (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nickles (R-OK)
Nunn (D-GA)
Pressler (R-SD)
Reid (D-NV)
Robb (D-VA)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Roth (R-DE)
Santorum (R-PA)
Shelby (R-AL)
Simpson (R-WY)
Smith (R-NH)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thompson (R-TN)
Thurmond (R-SC)
Warner (R-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs ---21
Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Bradley (D-NJ)
Bumpers (D-AR)
Daschle (D-SD)
Dodd (D-CT)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Glenn (D-OH)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerrey (D-NE)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
Moynihan (D-NY)
Murray (D-WA)
Pell (D-RI)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Simon (D-IL)
Wellstone (D-MN)
Not Voting - 1
Pryor (D-AR)  [this voting record is of David Pryor, not his son, Mark Pryor, who is a Senator elected in 2002 from Arkansas]
1996 Voting Record
U.S. House of Representatives
Welfare Reform
Welfare Bill of 1996
CALLAHAN (R-AL) W
EVERETT (R-AL) W
BROWDER (D-AL) W
BEVILL (D-AL) W
CRAMER (D-AL) W
BACHUS (R-AL) W
HILLIARD (D-AL) R
YOUNG, DON (R-AK) W
SALMON (R-AZ) W
PASTOR (D-AZ) R
STUMP (R-AZ) W
SHADEGG (R-AZ) W
KOLBE (R-AZ) W
HAYWORTH (R-AZ) W
LINCOLN (D-AR) W
THORNTON (D-AR) W
HUTCHINSON (R-AR) W
DICKEY (R-AR) W
RIGGS (R-CA) W
HERGER (R-CA) W
FAZIO (D-CA) W
DOOLITTLE (R-CA) W
MATSUI (D-CA) R
WOOLSEY (D-CA) R
MILLER, GEORGE (D-CA) R
PELOSI (D-CA) R
DELLUMS (D-CA) R
BAKER, BILL (R-CA) W
POMBO (R-CA) W
LANTOS (D-CA) R
STARK (D-CA) R
ESHOO (D-CA) R
CAMPBELL (R-CA) W
LOFGREN (D-CA) R
FARR (D-CA) R
CONDIT (D-CA) W
RADANOVICH (R-CA) W
DOOLEY (D-CA) W
THOMAS (R-CA) W
SEASTRAND (R-CA) W
GALLEGLY (R-CA) W
BEILENSON (D-CA) R
MCKEON (R-CA) W
BERMAN (D-CA) R
MOORHEAD (R-CA) W
DREIER (R-CA) W
WAXMAN (D-CA) R
BECERRA (D-CA) R
MARTINEZ (D-CA) R
DIXON (D-CA) R
ROYBAL-ALLARD (D-CA) R
TORRES (D-CA) R
WATERS (D-CA) R
HARMAN (D-CA) W
MILLENDER-MCDONALD (D-CA) R
HORN (R-CA) W
ROYCE (R-CA) W
LEWIS, JERRY (R-CA) W
KIM (R-CA) W
BROWN, GEORGE (D-CA) R
CALVERT (R-CA) W
BONO, SONNY (R-CA) W
ROHRABACHER (R-CA) W
DORNAN, ROBERT (R-CA) W
COX (R-CA) W
PACKARD (R-CA) W
BILBRAY (R-CA) W
FILNER (D-CA) R
CUNNINGHAM (R-CA) W
HUNTER (R-CA) W
SCHROEDER (D-CO) R
SKAGGS (D-CO) W
MCINNIS (R-CO) W
ALLARD (R-CO) W
HEFLEY (R-CO) W
SCHAEFER, DAN (R-CO) W
KENNELLY (D-CT) W
GEJDENSON (D-CT) W
DELAURO (D-CT) R
SHAYS (R-CT) W
FRANKS, GARY (R-CT) W
JOHNSON, NANCY (R-CT) W
CASTLE (R-DE) W
SCARBOROUGH (R-FL) W
PETERSON, PETE (D-FL) W
BROWN, CORRINE (D-FL) R
FOWLER (R-FL) W
THURMAN (D-FL) W
STEARNS (R-FL) W
MICA (R-FL) W
MCCOLLUM (R-FL) W
BILIRAKIS (R-FL) W
YOUNG, BILL (R-FL) A
GIBBONS (D-FL) R
CANADY (R-FL) W
MILLER, DAN (R-FL) W
GOSS (R-FL) W
WELDON, DAVE (R-FL) W
FOLEY (R-FL) W
MEEK, CARRIE (D-FL) R
ROS-LEHTINEN (R-FL) R
JOHNSTON, HARRY (D-FL) R
DEUTSCH (D-FL) W
DIAZ-BALART (R-FL) R
SHAW (R-FL) W
HASTINGS, ALCEE (D-FL) R
KINGSTON (R-GA) W
BISHOP (D-GA) W
COLLINS (R-GA) W
LINDER (R-GA) W
LEWIS, JOHN (D-GA) R
GINGRICH (R-GA) W
BARR (R-GA) W
CHAMBLISS (R-GA) W
DEAL (R-GA) W
NORWOOD (R-GA) W
MCKINNEY (D-GA) R
ABERCROMBIE (D-HI) R
MINK (D-HI) R
CHENOWETH (R-ID) W
CRAPO (R-ID) W
RUSH (D-IL) R
JACKSON (D-IL) R
LIPINSKI (D-IL) W
GUTIERREZ (D-IL) R
FLANAGAN (R-IL) W
HYDE (R-IL) W
COLLINS, CARDISS (D-IL) R
CRANE (R-IL) W
YATES (D-IL) R
PORTER (R-IL) W
WELLER (R-IL) W
COSTELLO (D-IL) W
FAWELL (R-IL) W
HASTERT (R-IL) W
EWING (R-IL) W
MANZULLO (R-IL) W
EVANS (D-IL) R
LAHOOD (R-IL) W
POSHARD (D-IL) W
DURBIN (D-IL) W
VISCLOSKY (D-IN) W
MCINTOSH (R-IN) W
ROEMER (D-IN) W
SOUDER (R-IN) W
BUYER (R-IN) W
BURTON (R-IN) W
MYERS (R-IN) W
HOSTETTLER (R-IN) W
HAMILTON (D-IN) W
JACOBS (D-IN) R
LEACH (R-IA) W
NUSSLE (R-IA) W
LIGHTFOOT (R-IA) W
GANSKE (R-IA) W
LATHAM (R-IA) W
ROBERTS, PAT (R-KS) W
BROWNBACK (R-KS) W
MEYERS (R-KS) W
TIAHRT (R-KS) W
WHITFIELD (R-KY) W
LEWIS, RONALD (R-KY) W
WARD (D-KY) W
BUNNING (R-KY) W
ROGERS (R-KY) W
BAESLER (D-KY) W
LIVINGSTON (R-LA) W
JEFFERSON (D-LA) R
TAUZIN (R-LA) W
FIELDS, CLEO (D-LA) R
MCCRERY (R-LA) W
BAKER (R-LA) W
HAYES (R-LA) W
LONGLEY (R-ME) W
BALDACCI (D-ME) W
GILCHREST (R-MD) W
EHRLICH (R-MD) W
CARDIN (D-MD) W
WYNN (D-MD) W
HOYER (D-MD) W
BARTLETT (R-MD) W
CUMMINGS (D-MD) R
MORELLA (R-MD) W
OLVER (D-MA) R
NEAL (D-MA) W
BLUTE (R-MA) W
FRANK, BARNEY (D-MA) R
MEEHAN (D-MA) W
TORKILDSEN (R-MA) W
MARKEY (D-MA) R
KENNEDY, JOSEPH (D-MA) R
MOAKLEY (D-MA) R
STUDDS (D-MA) R
STUPAK (D-MI) W
HOEKSTRA (R-MI) W
EHLERS (R-MI) W
CAMP (R-MI) W
BARCIA (D-MI) W
UPTON (R-MI) W
SMITH, NICK (R-MI) W
CHRYSLER (R-MI) W
KILDEE (D-MI) W
BONIOR (D-MI) R
KNOLLENBERG (R-MI) W
LEVIN, SANDER (D-MI) W
RIVERS (D-MI) W
CONYERS (D-MI) R
COLLINS, BARBARA (D-MI) R
DINGELL (D-MI) W
GUTKNECHT (R-MN) W
MINGE (D-MN) W
RAMSTAD (R-MN) W
VENTO (D-MN) W
SABO (D-MN) R
LUTHER (D-MN) W
PETERSON, COLLIN (D-MN) W
OBERSTAR (D-MN) R
WICKER (R-MS) W
THOMPSON (D-MS) R
MONTGOMERY (D-MS) W
PARKER (R-MS) W
TAYLOR, GENE (D-MS) W
CLAY (D-MO) R
TALENT (R-MO) W
GEPHARDT (D-MO) R
SKELTON (D-MO) W
MCCARTHY, KAREN (D-MO) W
DANNER (D-MO) W
HANCOCK (R-MO) W
EMERSON (R-MO) I
VOLKMER (D-MO) W
WILLIAMS, PAT (D-MT) R
BEREUTER (R-NE) W
CHRISTENSEN (R-NE) W
BARRETT, BILL (R-NE) W
ENSIGN (R-NV) W
VUCANOVICH (R-NV) W
ZELIFF (R-NH) W
BASS (R-NH) W
ANDREWS (D-NJ) W
LOBIONDO (R-NJ) W
SAXTON (R-NJ) W
SMITH, CHRISTOPHER (R-NJ) W
ROUKEMA (R-NJ) W
PALLONE (D-NJ) W
FRANKS, BOB (R-NJ) W
MARTINI (R-NJ) W
TORRICELLI (D-NJ) W
PAYNE (D-NJ) R
FRELINGHUYSEN (R-NJ) W
ZIMMER (R-NJ) W
MENENDEZ (D-NJ) R
SCHIFF (R-NM) W
SKEEN (R-NM) W
RICHARDSON (D-NM) W
FORBES (R-NY) W
LAZIO (R-NY) W
KING (R-NY) W
FRISA (R-NY) W
ACKERMAN (D-NY) W
FLAKE (D-NY) A
MANTON (D-NY) W
NADLER (D-NY) R
SCHUMER (D-NY) R
TOWNS (D-NY) R
OWENS (D-NY) R
VELAZQUEZ (D-NY) R
MOLINARI (R-NY) W
MALONEY, CAROLYN (D-NY) R
RANGEL (D-NY) R
SERRANO (D-NY) R
ENGEL (D-NY) R
LOWEY (D-NY) W
KELLY (R-NY) W
GILMAN (R-NY) W
MCNULTY (D-NY) R
SOLOMON (R-NY) W
BOEHLERT (R-NY) W
MCHUGH (R-NY) W
WALSH (R-NY) W
HINCHEY (D-NY) R
PAXON (R-NY) W
SLAUGHTER (D-NY) R
LAFALCE (D-NY) R
QUINN (R-NY) W
HOUGHTON (R-NY) W
CLAYTON (D-NC) R
FUNDERBURK (R-NC) W
JONES (R-NC) W
HEINEMAN (R-NC) W
BURR (R-NC) W
COBLE (R-NC) W
ROSE (D-NC) W
HEFNER (D-NC) W
MYRICK (R-NC) W
BALLENGER (R-NC) W
TAYLOR, CHARLES (R-NC) W
WATT, MELVIN (D-NC) R
POMEROY (D-ND) W
CHABOT (R-OH) W
PORTMAN (R-OH) W
HALL, TONY (D-OH) R
OXLEY (R-OH) W
GILLMOR (R-OH) W
CREMEANS (R-OH) W
HOBSON (R-OH) W
BOEHNER (R-OH) W
KAPTUR (D-OH) W
HOKE (R-OH) W
STOKES (D-OH) R
KASICH (R-OH) W
BROWN, SHERROD (D-OH) R
SAWYER (D-OH) W
PRYCE, DEBORAH (R-OH) W
REGULA (R-OH) W
TRAFICANT (D-OH) W
NEY (R-OH) W
LATOURETTE (R-OH) W
LARGENT (R-OK) W
COBURN (R-OK) W
BREWSTER (D-OK) W
WATTS, J.C. (R-OK) W
ISTOOK (R-OK) W
LUCAS (R-OK) W
FURSE (D-OR) W
COOLEY (R-OR) W
BLUMENAUER (D-OR) R
DEFAZIO (D-OR) W
BUNN (R-OR) W
FOGLIETTA (D-PA) R
FATTAH (D-PA) R
BORSKI (D-PA) W
KLINK (D-PA) W
CLINGER (R-PA) W
HOLDEN (D-PA) W
WELDON, CURT (R-PA) W
GREENWOOD (R-PA) W
SHUSTER (R-PA) W
MCDADE (R-PA) A
KANJORSKI (D-PA) W
MURTHA (D-PA) W
FOX (R-PA) W
COYNE (D-PA) R
MCHALE (D-PA) W
WALKER (R-PA) W
GEKAS (R-PA) W
DOYLE (D-PA) W
GOODLING (R-PA) W
MASCARA (D-PA) W
ENGLISH (R-PA) W
KENNEDY, PATRICK (D-RI) R
REED (D-RI) W
SANFORD (R-SC) W
SPENCE (R-SC) W
GRAHAM (R-SC) W
INGLIS (R-SC) W
SPRATT (D-SC) W
CLYBURN (D-SC) R
JOHNSON, TIMOTHY P. (D-SD) W
QUILLEN (R-TN) W
DUNCAN, JR. (R-TN) W
WAMP (R-TN) W
HILLEARY (R-TN) W
CLEMENT (D-TN) W
GORDON (D-TN) W
BRYANT (R-TN) W
TANNER (D-TN) W
FORD, HAROLD (D-TN) A
CHAPMAN (D-TX) W
WILSON, CHARLES (D-TX) W
JOHNSON, SAM (R-TX) W
HALL, RALPH (D-TX) W
BRYANT, JOHN (D-TX) W
BARTON (R-TX) W
ARCHER (R-TX) W
FIELDS, JACK (R-TX) W
STOCKMAN (R-TX) W
DOGGETT (D-TX) W
EDWARDS (D-TX) W
GEREN (D-TX) W
THORNBERRY (R-TX) W
LAUGHLIN (R-TX) W
DE LA GARZA (D-TX) W
COLEMAN, RONALD (D-TX) R
STENHOLM (D-TX) W
JACKSON-LEE (D-TX) R
COMBEST (R-TX) W
GONZALEZ (D-TX) R
SMITH, LAMAR (R-TX) W
DELAY (R-TX) W
BONILLA (R-TX) W
FROST (D-TX) W
BENTSEN (D-TX) W
ARMEY (R-TX) W
ORTIZ (D-TX) R
TEJEDA (D-TX) R
GREEN (D-TX) R
JOHNSON, EDDIE (D-TX) R
HANSEN (R-UT) W
GREENE (R-UT) W
ORTON (D-UT) W
SANDERS (I-VT) R
BATEMAN (R-VA) W
PICKETT (D-VA) W
SCOTT (D-VA) R
SISISKY (D-VA) W
PAYNE, LEWIS (D-VA) W
GOODLATTE (R-VA) W
BLILEY (R-VA) W
MORAN, JIM (D-VA) W
BOUCHER (D-VA) W
WOLF (R-VA) W
DAVIS, THOMAS (R-VA) W
WHITE (R-WA) W
METCALF (R-WA) W
SMITH, LINDA (R-WA) W
HASTINGS, RICHARD (R-WA) W
NETHERCUTT (R-WA) W
DICKS (D-WA) W
MCDERMOTT (D-WA) R
DUNN (R-WA) W
TATE (R-WA) W
MOLLOHAN (D-WV) R
WISE (D-WV) W
RAHALL (D-WV) R
NEUMANN (R-WI) W
KLUG (R-WI) W
GUNDERSON (R-WI) A
KLECZKA (D-WI) W
BARRETT, THOMAS (D-WI) R
PETRI (R-WI) W
OBEY (D-WI) W
ROTH, TOBY (R-WI) W
SENSENBRENNER (R-WI) W
CUBIN (R-WY) W
Key:
R = Voted Right (In other words, voted against Welfare Reform Bill)
W = Voted Wrong (In other words, voted for Welfare Reform Bill)  
A = Absent-Did not Vote or make position known
S = Speaker
I = Not in Office