Things that keep me awake in the middle of the night...

I was home all day yesterday in bed, half-conscious in a cold sweat, when I saw this:

First, I thought I was hallucinating, which wouldn't have surprised me given my condition.

Then, I thought it's time to start paying a bit closer attention here. For example, a brief overview of some of McCain's 2007 votes on children's issues:

1. Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act, H.R. 1429, Conference Report

Agreed to 95-0 (R 48-0, D 45-0, I 2-0) on November 14, 2007. Enacted as P.L. No. 110-134.

Vote Description:  This Conference Report expanded access to Head Start for more children, prioritized expansion of the Early Head Start Program, and made other improvements for the youngest children in the program. It also required quality improvements, including new associate and bachelor degree requirements for teachers and increased annual in-service training, and improved coordination between Head Start and other programs for young children.

McCain voted against this bill.

2. Departments of Labor, HHS, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, H.R. 3043, Motion to Recede and Concur
Passed 56-37 (R 10-36, D 44-1, I 2-0) on November 7, 2007.
Vetoed by President Bush on November 13, 2007.

Vote Description:  This bill would provide $150.7 billion in fiscal year 2008 for specific programs in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and related agencies.This bill would have helped children by providing some funding increases for key health, mental health, education and job training programs and rejecting cuts proposed by the President in other important programs for children.

McCain voted against this bill.

3. DREAM Act/Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, S. 2205, Cloture on the Motion to Proceed
Rejected 52-44 (R 12-36, D 38-8, I 2-0) on October 24, 2007.

Vote Description:  The Senate rejected a motion to allow a vote on a bill that would have permitted children of illegal immigrants who entered the United States before age 16 and who have lived here at least five years to gain conditional legal status and eventual citizenship if they graduate from high school and attend college or join the military for at least two years.

McCain voted against this bill.

4. Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, H.R. 976, Motion to Concur with House Amendments
Passed 67-29 (R 18-29, D 47-0, I 2-0) on September 27, 2007.
Vetoed by President Bush on October 3, 2007.

Vote Description:  The Senate voted a second time on this legislation because the House made changes when it passed the bill. The bill would reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for five years and increase federal funding for child health coverage through SCHIP and Medicaid by nearly $35 billion over five years. It would be funded by a 61 cent per pack federal cigarette tax increase.

McCain voted against this bill.

5. College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, H.R. 2669, Conference Report
Agreed to 79-12 (R 34-12, D 43-0, I 2-0) on September 7, 2007. Enacted as P. L. 110-084.

Vote Description:  This Conference Report redirected federal funding from student loan firms to aid for students and college graduates. It also increased Pell grant awards and improved debt forgiveness provisions for certain  public-sector workers.

McCain voted against this bill.


6. Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, H.R. 976

Passed 68-31 (R 18-31, D 48-0, I 2-0) on August 2, 2007.

Vote Description:  The bill would reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for five years and increase federal funding for child health coverage through SCHIP and Medicaid by nearly $35 billion over five years. The cost of the expansion would be funded by a 61 cent per pack federal cigarette tax increase.

McCain voted against this bill.

7. Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act, S. 1082
Passed 93-1 (R 44-0, D 48-0, I 1-1) on May 9, 2007.

Vote Description:  This bill would revise and extend Food and Drug Administration (FDA) programs to ensure the safety of prescription drugs and medical devices and expand the FDA’s ability to review the safety of prescription drugs and track problems after they have been approved and marketed.

McCain voted against this bill.

8. Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2008, S. Con. Res. 21, S. Amdt. 545  Special Education
Rejected 38-58 (R 0-47, D 36-11, I 2-0) on March 22, 2007.

Vote Description:  The amendment would have restored the top marginal tax rate on taxable income in excess of $1 million to pre-2001 levels and used the additional revenue to increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

McCain voted against this bill.

So, let's count that up: that's two votes against children's medical coverage, one vote against allowing children who have been brought to the US the opportunity to become citizens even if they're willing to die for the country, one vote against supporting education for children with disabilities, one vote against funding for improved training for their caregivers, one vote against reducing college costs and one vote against increasing oversight of drugs given to children. Sheesh.

It's enough to make you sick.

Comments

[Margie]

Wow! What an informative post.

Where you found the summary of the bill proposals and McCain's voting record on them? Can I put a link to your blog in one of my blog posts?

Thanks

[Catherine]

You're welcome to link it. All the blocked information is from the Children's Defense Fund Annual Report Card. You can see that link here:

http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/VoteCenter?congress=110&repId=122&session_num=0&page=legScore

[PL]

McCain didn't vote against DREAM. He walked out when the floor votes were being called to purposely avoid voting on it. He co-sponsored the bill but since he had to appeal to the Republican base at that time he adopted an anti-DREAM position. The guy keeps going back and forth on CIR as well. It is sickening.

[Catherine]

Great. Even better.

DREAM is one of those topics that I think provides a deeper lens into how legislators really feel about children's rights. Should a child be punished for the illegal acts of his parents?