McCaskill campaign: Todd Akin one of 19 to vote against funding for Boys and Girls Clubs

(From the Claire McCaskill campaign)

In 2004, Todd Akin voted to raise his own pay just two weeks before he voted against funding for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Boys and Girls Clubs are one of America’s most ubiquitous youth organizations, which has a stated purpose of “inspiring and enabling all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.”

Akin Was One of 19 Members to Vote Against Funding for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.  On September 28, 2004, Akin voted against the Sensenbrenner, R-WI, motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would authorize $450 million in grants for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America over five years and increase the number of chapters nationwide to 5,000 by 2011.  The motion was agreed to 374-19.  [S 2363, R 185-19; D 189-0, 9/28/04]

“This vote is a disturbing look at the extent to which Todd Akin is willing to tell Missouri’s kids that they’re simply on their own,” said Erik Dorey, McCaskill for Missouri spokesman. “While Claire continues to focus on improving programs that we know work, Todd Akin has been voting in Congress to turn off the lights for Missouri children. Whether it’s the federal school lunch program or Boys and Girls Clubs, Todd Akin’s made it crystal clear that his own pay raises are more important than taking care of our most vulnerable kids.”

Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise in 2004. Akin voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $89.8 billion in fiscal 2005 for the departments of Treasury and Transportation and related agencies. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed.  The motion passed 235-170.  [H Res 770,Vote #451, 9/14/04]