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Matheson alone deals with Utah Poverty

article: Matheson alone deals with Utah Poverty

Published: February 2, 2010, 12:00 am
Revised: February 2, 2010, 9:26 am
Author(s): State Office UTDemocrats
Topics: Legislative Session, Utah Government, Federal Office, Elections & Candidates

As a result of the recession, 40 million Americans now live in the State of Poverty, the largest state in the nation. This is an increase of 2.6 million people in the past year, a year in which household income gains of a whole decade were wiped out.

Poverty in Utah is real. It doesn't have to be. Poverty takes many forms - from the panhandler on the street to the family that struggles to make a mortgage payment. 10.3% of Utahns live in poverty. 11.3% of Utah's children live in poverty. One important goal for Democrats is to alleviate the effects of poverty for the 254,000 Utahns who live with it every day.

The Shriver Center for Poverty Law believes that this devastating trend will be reversed only if our nation’s political leadership — the President and Congress — take aggressive action to address the many complex structural causes of poverty by adopting the right priorities, enacting needed laws, and adequately funding essential programs.

With the help of national anti-poverty experts in 20 different fields, the Shriver Center has identified the 18 House votes and 14 Senate votes over the past year that were the most significant in fighting poverty.

Below is a list of every Utah Senator and Representative who voted on poverty-related legislation in 2009 and received a grade followed by a summary of the legislation that they voted on.

= vote to fight poverty = vote against fighting poverty

Senate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 %   
Robert Bennett No No No No Yes Yes No No Yes No No No No No 21 F
Orrin Hatch No No No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No No No 36 D
House 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 %   
Rob Bishop1st No No No No No Yes No No No Yes No No No No vote Yes No No No 18 F
Jim Matheson2nd Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No 83 A
Jason Chaffetz3rd No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No 6 F

 

18 House bills

1. Paycheck Fairness Act of 2009

H.R. 12

Helps close the gender wage gap by strengthening the Equal Pay Act, which prohibits employers from paying unequal wages to men and women who perform substantially equal work.
2. Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009

H.R. 2

Extends and increases the funding to the Children's Health Insurance Program, enabling states to enroll an additional 4 million children. February 4, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-3
3. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

S. 181

Reverses the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and restores long-standing protections for individuals filing pay discrimination claims. January 29, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-2
4. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)

H.R. 1

Increases funding to and expands eligibility for a variety of programs, including SNAP (food stamps), Unemployment Insurance, housing programs, and tax credits. February 17, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-5
5. Serve America Act

H.R. 1388

Reauthorizes and expands the National and Community Service Act and Domestic Volunteer Service Act. November 13, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-13
6. Vision Care for Kids Act of 2009

H.R. 577

Awards matching grants to states to improve vision care for low-income children who are uninsured or insured but without coverage for vision care.
7. Amendment to Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009

H. Amdt. 115 to H.R. 1728

Eliminates consumer protections that would regulate high cost mortgages.
8. Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009

H.R. 1728

Protects mortgage borrowers from abusive, predatory lending practices.
9. 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act

H.R. 2187

Provides grants to public schools for modernization, renovation or repair to make them safe, healthy and more energy efficient.
10. Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

S. 896

Reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, increases the availability of mortgage credit, and provides strong protections for tenants living in foreclosed properties. May 20, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-22
11. Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009

H.R. 627

Protects consumers by prohibiting practices that unfairly harm credit cardholders. May 22, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-24
12. Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009

H.R. 626

Provides federal employees with four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, or the taking in of a foster child.
13. American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

H.R. 2454

Stems the tide of climate change, protects low-income consumers, and ensures low-income individuals are given the opportunity to participate in the green economy.
14. Amendment to Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

H. Amdt. No. 299 to H.R. 2997

Makes a five percent cut to discretionary spending in the bill, negatively impacting food assistance programs including SNAP (food stamps) and child nutrition programs.
15. Frank Melville Supported Housing Investment Act of 2009

H.R. 1675

Makes improvements to the Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program by adding funding and authorizing a new demonstration program.
16. Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009

H.R. 3221

Assists low-income students through grants, simplification of financial aid applications, improvement of education facilities, and increased funding for minority colleges and education initiatives.
17. Affordable Health Care for America Act

H.R. 3962

Comprehensively reforms the health insurance system by expanding health insurance coverage to more Americans and regulating health insurance industries (House version).
18. Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

H.R. 3288

Provides significant funding increases for several housing programs that serve low-income families. December 16, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-117

14 Senate bills

1. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

S. 181

Reverses the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and restores long-standing protections for individuals filing pay discrimination claims. January 29, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-2
2. Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009

H.R. 2

Extends and increases the funding to the Children's Health Insurance Program, enabling states to enroll an additional 4 million children. February 4, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-3
3. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)

H.R. 1

Increases funding to and expands eligibility for a variety of programs, including SNAP (food stamps), Unemployment Insurance, housing programs, and tax credits. February 17, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-5
4. District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009

S. 160

Creates a new Congressional district for the District of Columbia.
5. Serve America Act

H.R. 1388

Reauthorizes and expands the National and Community Service Act and Domestic Volunteer Service Act. November 13, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-13
6. Amendment to Senate Budget Resolution

S. Amdt. 937 to S.Con.Res. 13

Requires states to impose drug testing on Temporary Assistance of Needy Families (TANF) applicants and recipients.
7. Amendment to Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

S. Amdt. 1014 to S. 896

Allows bankruptcy judges to alter loans for primary residences, aiding homeowners in foreclosure.
8. Amendment to Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

S. Amdt. 1036 to S. 896

Creates important protections for tenants residing in foreclosed properties by instituting notice requirements.
9. Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

S. 896

Reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, increases the availability of mortgage credit, and provides strong protections for tenants living in foreclosed properties. May 20, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-22
10. Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009

H.R. 627

Protects consumers by prohibiting practices that unfairly harm credit cardholders. May 22, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-24
11. Amendment to Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010

Motion to Table S. Amdt. 1371 to H.R. 2892

Makes the E-Verify program mandatory, requiring employers to electronically verify worker eligibility despite the program's well-documented risks to workers' rights and immigrants' civil liberties.
12. Amendment to Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

S. Amdt. 2376 to H.R. 3288

Affirms the existence of community service requirements for households living in public housing.
13. Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

H.R. 3288

Provides significant funding increases for several housing programs that serve low-income families. December 16, 2009: Became Public Law No. 111-117
14. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

H.R. 3590

Comprehensively reforms the health insurance system by expanding health insurance coverage to more Americans and regulating health insurance industries (Senate version).