Akin skips key votes on veterans' benefits, student loans, disaster assistance

(From the Claire McCaskill for Senate campaign)

Missouri veterans held a press conference call yesterday to  sharply question Todd Akin’s priorities after he skipped 87.5 percent of votes since July 1, including key legislation to boost benefits for veterans and military families, but Akin has yet to answer for failing to vote on other key pieces of legislation while campaigning for the Senate. Among the 133 votes Akin skipped were measures to fund the federal government, avoid an increase in estate tax levels, prevent student loan interest rates from doubling and provide disaster relief for drought-ravaged Missouri farmers.

"Does Todd Akin believe Missourians aren't going to notice that they're paying him to do a job he doesn't show up for, even while he's asking them for a promotion he doesn't deserve the same time?” said Erik Dorey, McCaskill for Missouri spokesman.

During the last three months, Akin failed to vote on several important pieces of legislation including a disaster assistance package that provided $383 million to states like Missouri struggling through a generational drought, a resolution funding the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year, a bill to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling, and a measure to prevent an increase in estate tax levels for family farmers--an effort that mirrors Claire’s bipartisan efforts in the Senate.

According to public records, Akin has missed 133 votes since July 1, 2012, which amounts to 87.5 percent  of all votes recorded on the House floor. The actual impact of his absence is even greater, because not included in that tally are missed votes and hearings in the committees on which he serves.

In stark contrast, Claire McCaskill hasn’t missed a single Senate vote during that period, and even flew to Washington for 3 a.m. votes immediately after the Missouri Press Association debate on Friday, September 21. During that session, Claire scored a legislative hat trick, passing three bipartisan bills and fulfilling her obligations as Missouri’s Senator.

Explaining his abysmal 12.5 percent attendance record for House votes since July, Akin yesterday told the Associated Press that his elected duties as a congressman were less important than his political advancement, while at the same time dismissing the importance of the bills considered in his absence.

The AP’s story highlighted one Missouri veteran’s take on Akin’s missed votes. From the article:

"In the real world, he'd have been fired from a job, and if he was in the military, he'd be considered a deserter," said Bob Murphy, an Army veteran from St. Charles who participated in a conference call organized by McCaskill's campaign.

Akin said he chose to campaign in Missouri instead of casting certain votes in Congress because he said the Democratic-led Senate has refused to act on many of the priorities passed by the Republican-led House

Currently, the bipartisan Farm Bill and Postal Reform are two key examples of legislation that have passed the Senate, but are waiting for House action. As part of the House’s extreme Tea Party faction, Akin has refused to support either measure despite the urgency of their passage for thousands of Missouri families.

BACKGROUND:

Akin Failed To Vote For Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012. On August 2, 2012 Akin failed to vote for the Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 to authorize $383 million in supplemental agricultural disaster assistance for losses in fiscal 2012. [Vote 554, 8/2/12]

Akin Missed Vote to Prevent Doubling of Student Loan Interest Rates. In June 2012, Akin failed to vote on the bill that extended the 3.4 percent rate on federally-backed student loans. [Vote 451, 6/29/12]

Akin Missed Vote to Continue Funding the Federal Government. In September 2012, Akin failed to vote on passage of the joint resolution that would provide continuing appropriations for the federal government through March 27, 2013, at an annualized rate of $1.047 trillion in discretionary spending for regular appropriations. The measure would increase funding for most federal programs and agencies by 0.6 percent, with higher levels for certain programs, such as cybersecurity and wildfire suppression. It also would provide nearly $100 billion in war funding and $6.4 billion in advance disaster relief funds. [Vote 579, 9/13/12]

Akin Failed To Vote on Recent Measure Extending Current Estate Tax Levels. In August 2012, Akin missed a key vote on a measure that would extend all expiring 2001 and 2003 tax rates for one year. The bill would effectively tie alternative minimum tax exemption amounts to inflation in 2012 and 2013. The bill would extend the so-called marriage penalty-tax relief, the $1,000 child tax credit and the 15 percent top rate on dividends and capital gains. It would keep the estate tax at its current levels. [Vote 545, 8/1/12]

• McCaskill Introduced Legislation to Maintain the Current Estate Tax Exemption and Top Rate. With the current Estate Tax exemption and top rate set to expire at the end of 2012, Senator McCaskill has introduced S. 3440, which would maintain the current Estate Tax exemption of $5 million, with a top rate of 35% for an additional year. [Thomas.gov, S 3440]

Akin Has Missed 87.5 perce of Votes In The House Since July 1, 2012 [GovTrack.us]

Akin Has Missed 133 out of 152 Votes [CQ.com]