Same year- Todd Akin votes to raise his pay, cut Head Start

(From the Claire McCaskill campaign)

In 2007, Todd Akin voted once again to end programs that help improve the lives of Missourians when he voted against the reauthorization of the Head Start program. Head Start is designed to improve early childhood education and the 2007 bill, which Akin voted against, corrected inefficiencies and raised standards for the program and its teachers. In that same year, Todd Akin voted once again to give himself a pay raise. The bill to support early childhood education passed 381-36, despite Akin's extreme opposition.

Akin Was One of Only 36 Members Who Opposed Head Start Funding in 2007. Akin voted against the adoption of the conference report on the bill that would authorize $7.4 billion in fiscal 2008, $7.7 billion in 2009, $8 billion in 2010, and unspecified sums in fiscal 2011 and 2012 for the Head Start program. The measure would increase salaries of Head Start teachers and require that by 2013, at least 50 percent of Head Start teachers nationwide have at least a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a related field. The House adopted the report 381-36. [HR 1429, Roll Call 1090, R 154-36; D 227-0, 11/14/07]

“This vote is a perfect example of Akin’s flawed approach to taxpayer dollars, where he would rather shut off the lights on every government program instead of working across the aisle to improve it,” said Erik Dorey, McCaskill for Missouri spokesman. “Whether it’s funding for Head Start or the school lunch program, Todd Akin has repeatedly shown that he believes it’s ok to use taxpayer dollars for his own pay raises, but America’s kids are simply on their own. Head Start has proven itself as an important and effective program for early childhood education. Missourians would probably agree it’s a better use of taxpayer dollars than Rep. Akin’s pay raise.”    

Akin Supported 2.5 percent Congressional Pay Raise in 2007. In 2007, Akin voted in favor of a measure to kill an amendment that would block an automatic pay hike for members of Congress. By voting in favor of the effort to the kill the amendment, Akin voted for a 2.5 percent salary increase ($4,400) for an annual salary of $169,600. The motion to kill the amendment passed 244-181. [Washington Post, 6/28/07, HR 517, Vote #580, 6/27/07]