Organizing for America

DEBATE REALITY CHECK: WORKERS

Tonight, Sarah Palin said: “American workforce is the greatest in this world, with the ingenuity and the work ethic that is just entrenched in our workforce.” [Vice Presidential Debate, 10/2/08]

The Facts: John McCain Has Repeatedly Voted Against The Interests of American Workers.


FACT: MCCAIN HAS REPEATEDLY OPPOSED EFFORTS TO HELP WORKERS INCLUDING VOTING AT LEAST 19 TIMES AGAINST INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE

McCain Has Voted At Least 19 Times Against Increasing The Minimum Wage. Since arriving in the U.S. Senate in 1987, McCain has voted against increasing the minimum wage at least 19 times. [2007 Senate Vote #23, 126; 2006 Senate Vote #179; 2005 Senate Votes #26, 257; 2000 Senate Vote #76; 1999 Senate Votes #94, 239; 1998 Senate Vote #278; 1996 Senate Votes #58, 184, 186; 1995 Senate Votes #344, 519; 1989 Senate Votes #29, 39, 68, 1988 Senate Votes #335, 336]

McCain Has Repeatedly Voted Against Measures To Help Displaced Workers. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment to ensure that existing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) benefits be made available to service and high-tech workers. In 2002, McCain voted against a proposal, sponsored by Senator John Edwards, which included funding for an emergency assistance grant program for community colleges that provide training programs for displaced workers. In 1995, McCain voted against a Moynihan amendment to maintain the worker retraining assistance part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which provides job retraining for workers laid off as a direct result of an international trade program such as NAFTA. The amendment was to a bill that would repeal these training services but would retain the income assistance part of the program. According to the Washington Post, “Organized labor won a major victory Tuesday when a program of special assistance for workers who lose their jobs as a result of trade agreements was removed from the block grant. The vote left the program intact as a federally guaranteed entitlement.” [2004 Senate Vote #80, 5/4/2004; 2002 Senate Vote #111, 5/15/02; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 5/15/02; 1995 Senate Vote #482, 10/10/95]

McCain Repeatedly Voted Against Repealing Tax Breaks That Encourage American Corporations To Ship Jobs Overseas. In 1995, 2004, and 2005, John McCain voted against repealing the deferral clause in the U.S. tax code that has provided an incentive for American companies to locate production facilities outside of the United States. Under the current tax code, U.S. companies are required to pay a 35 percent tax on any income earned inside the United States. However, under the deferral clause, U.S. corporations can defer paying taxes on any active income earned by a foreign subsidiary until it is repatriated to the United States. And as USA Today has noted, these transfers “often don't happen for years. General Electric, for example, has $62 billion in ‘undistributed earnings’ parked offshore, according to recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Drug giant Pfizer boasts $60 billion. ExxonMobil has $56 billion.” [USA Today, 3/20/08 ; Senate Vote #63, 3/17/05; Senate Vote #83, 5/5/04; Senate Vote #517, 10/26/95]

McCain Repeatedly Opposed The Ergonomics Rule, Aimed At Curbing Certain Workplace Injuries And Health Problems. In 2000 and 2001, McCain repeatedly voted to repeal or block implementation of ergonomics regulations, requiring “about 1.6 million employers to set up programs to prevent repetitive motion injuries.” [2001 Senate Vote #15, 3/6/2001; 2000 Senate Vote #143, 6/22/2000; 2000 Senate Vote #171, 6/30/2000; Congressional Quarterly, 6/30/2000]

McCain Has Repeatedly Voted To Strike Davis-Bacon Protections. McCain has repeatedly and consistently voted to provide exemptions from or limitations to the Davis-Bacon Act, requiring that workers be paid the prevailing local wage on federal construction sites. [1999 Senate Vote #320; 1996 Senate Votes #134; 1994 Senate Votes #248, 119, 116, 1993 Senate Votes #67, 289; 1992 Senate Votes #205, 105; 1990 Senate Votes #122, 120; 1989 Senate Votes #181, 36; 1987 Senate Vote #284]

McCain Voted Against Requiring 60 Day Notice For Plant Closings And Layoffs. McCain voted to kill a provision that requires employers of at least 100 full-time workers to give 60 days’ notice of plant closings and mass layoffs. [S 1420, Vote #180, 7/9/87, Failed 40-60: R 36-10 D 4-50]

McCain Has Repeatedly Voted Against Measures To Help Displaced Workers. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment that provides that existing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) benefits be made available to service and high-tech workers. In 2002, McCain voted against a proposal, sponsored by Senator John Edwards, which included funding for an emergency assistance grant program for community colleges that provide training programs for displaced workers. In 1995, McCain voted against a Moynihan amendment to maintain the worker retraining assistance part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which provides job retraining for workers laid off as a direct result of an international trade program such as NAFTA. [2004 Senate Vote #80, 5/4/2004; HR 3009, Vote 111, 5/15/02; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 5/15/02; S 143, Vote 482, 10/10/95]