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Bobby Scott's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Bobby Scott did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2022.

  • Voted in favor of HR 3755 "Women's Health Protection Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by NARAL Pro-Choice America. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Women have the right to make decisions about their own bodies and their health care. That has been understood by courts and lawmakers for decades. The Supreme Court failed to block SB8, which clearly violates the precedent set fifty years ago in Roe v. Wade, especially insofar as it makes no exceptions for the life and health of the mother. This law jeopardizes the health and safety of women all over the country, and this ruling opens the door to further abortion restrictions in other states. This cannot stand. It is clear that Congress must enact the Women's Health Protection Act to protect the rights guaranteed under Roe v. Wade." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 99% by Alliance for Retired Americans. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "It is essential that we confront the maternal mortality crisis, which has only worsened during the pandemic. Providing access to quality health services and nutrition for vulnerable mothers and their children is both a moral imperative and an investment in the future of our communities. The CARES for Families Act will build up the digital infrastructure of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which has a proven track record of reducing infant mortality and improving the health and well-being of pregnant women," (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""Our responsibility for the general welfare of the nation is the provision for safe and enriching communities. Regrettably, far too many students, workers, and families do not have access to the protections, support, and benefits they need to stay safe and healthy," said Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03). "Taken together, the six proposals we advanced today are essential to improving the lives and livelihoods of people across the country. We must fulfill our commitment to strengthening the social safety net and building safer communities for all."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 610 "Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act." (votesmart.org)
  • "Our responsibility for the general welfare of the nation is the provision for safe and enriching communities. Regrettably, far too many students, workers, and families do not have access to the protections, support, and benefits they need to stay safe and healthy," said Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03). "Taken together, the six proposals we advanced today are essential to improving the lives and livelihoods of people across the country. We must fulfill our commitment to strengthening the social safety net and building safer communities for all." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by Common Cause. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1 "For the People Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • "This bill will end the post-Citizens United era of dark money in our politics and restore power to the people. I urge the Senate to pass this bill and send it to the President's desk as soon as possible." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The bill has many important provisions -- it bans choke holds, ends no-knock warrants in drug cases and prohibits racial profiling; it creates national standards for policing policies, such as training, body cameras and use of deadly force; it provides for data collection; and it removes barriers that make it difficult to hold police officers accountable for misconduct." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1280 "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • "I was proud to vote for this year's National Defense Authorization Act. Our military assets and shipbuilding industrial base are vital to the economy of Hampton Roads. The conference report provides for a well-deserved three percent pay increase for our servicemembers. It also includes several important provisions that will directly support shipbuilding and ship maintenance in Hampton Roads. These provisions include funding for the Navy to procure one Columbia-class submarine and two Virginia-class submarines, and requiring advanced procurement to maintain the two per year build rate for the Virginia-class program. The FY21 NDAA also specifically prohibits the retirement of an aircraft carrier before its mid-life refueling." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by Center for Security Policy. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The National Defense Authorization Act will keep America safe and support our servicemembers and their families. This legislation includes critical investments in shipbuilding which is a huge win for Hampton Roads. I am also encouraged by the bill's inclusion of a well-deserved pay increase for our servicemembers as well as a guarantee of paid parental and bereavement leave. Additionally, I was very pleased to see the inclusion of my bipartisan EMBRACE Stormwater Management Act to reduce flooding on and around military bases, which jeopardizes military readiness, compounds stress for military families and pollutes bodies of water like the Chesapeake Bay. This bill will strengthen our national security and our alliances around the world." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 1605 "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022." (votesmart.org)
  • "Creating millions of good-paying jobs is little help if we don't have the skilled workforce to fill those jobs. The bill provides nearly $80 billion to strengthen our workforce development system to ensure Americans have access to the training and resources they need to find a good-paying job and advance in their career. Notably, the bill includes programs that will help train the next generation of workers to tackle climate-focused projects and address the direct care workforce shortage." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Today's vote advances the bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create millions of new jobs while simultaneously unlocking the potential for Congress to make historic investments in our future. It is a step closer to affordable child care, universal pre-K, and more funding to fight child hunger. It is a step closer to better and safer schools, affordable higher education, and high-quality job training that will help rebuild America's middle class." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 3684 "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act." (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5376 "Build Back Better Act." (votesmart.org)
  • "The Heroes Act dedicates nearly $1 trillion in emergency relief to help states and local government avert devastating cuts, particularly to education, public safety, and basic services. It also delivers $100 billion in direct education funding to address the unique challenges created by the pandemic. In K-12, funding would be available for technology, summer programs, special education, and initiatives to reduce the achievement gaps. In higher education, funds would be used to support both students and their institutions." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The interim funding legislation passed by the House today will provide urgent relief to vulnerable small businesses and their workers. Thanks to the efforts of Democratic leadership, this funding package sets aside $60 billion for small lenders, such as community-based banks and credit unions, so that small businesses without banking relationships can still access much-needed relief funds. The proposal also now includes $75 billion for struggling hospitals and an additional $25 billion to bolster testing capacity, which remains one of the biggest barriers to economic recovery." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 266 "Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "I was proud to vote for the CHIPS and Science Act, which will lower costs for American families and will create good-paying jobs here in America. Only 12 percent of semiconductor chips are currently being manufactured domestically, down from 37 percent in the 1990s, and many foreign competitors are investing heavily to dominate this critical national security industry. The current shortage of semiconductor chips has been a key driver of inflation and led to massive increases in costs of many consumer goods, including automobiles." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The Inflation Reduction Act is a significant win for the American people. The IRA's passage--after the enactment of the American Rescue Plan, the Biden Infrastructure Law, and the CHIPS and Science Act--puts our nation on the best path for the strongest economic recovery from the pandemic and invests in our future. These legislative accomplishments are helping us confront inflation and climate change and have laid the groundwork to ensure that America's economy is set up for success for years to come. I look forward to joining my colleagues in the House on Friday in sending the Inflation Reduction Act to President Biden's desk." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5376 "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "President Biden is providing unprecedented relief for America's student loan borrowers. Today's announcement delivers on President Biden's promise to cancel up to $20,000 of borrowers' federal student debt. Also, extending the pause on student loan repayment will further help get borrowers back on track. Taken together, these actions will help struggling borrowers and families recover from the pandemic, prepare for the return to student loan repayment, and make ends meet." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "As we mark the seventh year of the calamitous Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, we now see how that decision has severely impacted voting rights today. In this unprecedented time when we are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, this decision has allowed for the closure of hundreds of polling places on the eve of elections and delays in mailing ballots to registered voters in areas that were previously subject to preclearance and the protections afforded under the Voting Rights Act. Protecting the right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. We must continue to fight any effort to suppress the vote and ensure access to the ballot." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Over the last few weeks, we saw Georgia Governor Brian Kemp sign one of the most restrictive voter suppression measures in recent history into law. Hundreds of similar laws have been introduced in other states aimed at disenfranchising communities by restricting secure drop boxes, creating new voter identification requirements, reducing early voting, and prohibiting volunteers from providing water to those who wait in line to exercise their right to vote. These voter suppression laws also take aim at the independence of election officials and interfere with a fair administration of our elections. These bills will make voting harder and are intentionally designed to suppress minority voter turnout and undermine the ability of local election officials to encourage voter participation." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5746 "Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Offshore wind is bringing clean energy and good jobs to Virginia as we #ActOnClimate. Input from Chesapeake and Virginia Beach residents is needed to find a path to bring the energy onshore." (twitter.com)
  • Signed Letter to Speaker Pelosi: "The clean energy industry, which includes renewable energy, clean vehicles, energy efficiency, and energy storage, is an integral and broad part of the American economy. Before the current crisis, this sector employed 3.4 million people, two thirds of whom worked at companies with less than 20 employees. These were blue-collar and white-collar jobs in every state of the country. Over the past five years, this sector grew at a rate that is 70% higher than the national average, particularly in states such as California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The #BuildBackBetter Act includes more than 130 programs that would invest nearly $600 billion in climate action, clean energy jobs, and healthier living conditions for families. The Senate needs to pass it so we can send it to @POTUS’ desk." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4447 "Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019." (votesmart.org)
  • "The #BuildBackBetter Act includes more than 130 programs that would invest nearly $600 billion in climate action, clean energy jobs, and healthier living conditions for families. The Senate needs to pass it so we can send it to @POTUS’ desk." (twitter.com)
  • Rated 92% by League of Conservation Voters. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to Administrator Wheeler: "EPA is failing to live up to its charge of protecting the environment. Instead, it is proposing to weaken a commonsense pollution standard that, combined with exempting transmission and storage facilities and weakening current standards as EPA has proposed, will result in 5 million metric tons of methane emissions each year--enough gas to heat 4 million homes. The United States must continue to lead in reducing emissions of harmful super pollutants such as methane. Tackling methane's contribution to climate change is an easy and concrete action we can take right now. It is also an opportunity to curb increasing rates of respiratory illnesses, other negative health effects, and premature deaths." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to Administrator Wheeler: "Studies make clear that minority and low-income communities unevenly bear the brunt of the consequences associated with fine particulate matter air pollution. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, African-American and Latinx-American communities are exposed to an average of 60 percent more air pollution than they cause.1 Additionally, our nation's low-income communities are disparately exposed to higher concentrations of air pollution than any other socioeconomic group. Exposure to particulate matter air pollutants, especially fine particulate matter, is the cause of 63 percent of all environmentally caused deaths in the United States.3 Moreover, science links pollution of this variety to severe lung and heart complications including irregular heartbeat, impaired lung function, asthma, and premature death in individuals with existing heart or lung disease." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 9 "Climate Action Now Act." (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1446 "Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • "For too long, Americans have been forced to live with gun violence and mass shootings at our schools, places of worship, concerts, and in our neighborhoods. The bills passed by the House today close gun show and internet gun sale loopholes which circumvent criminal background checks. H.R. 1446 will also close the so-called "Charleston loophole' which allowed Dylann Roof to obtain a firearm when he otherwise would not have been able to purchase a weapon. Universal background checks for firearm sales is an effective measure that helps prevent gun violence by keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. The passage of these bills is an important first step in making our schools, neighborhoods, and communities safer. The Senate must swiftly pass both of these pieces of legislation and send them to President Biden's desk for signature. Further inaction is not an option." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 2938 "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "The United States is the richest country in the world, but millions of Americans still can’t afford health care. Every person has the right to health care – regardless of their income. That’s why I’m joining @RepJayapal and @RepDebDingell in reintroducing #MedicareForAll. #M4A" (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1425 "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6201 "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Tonight, the House took an important step toward preparing the American people for the weeks and months ahead. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act ensures universal access to no-cost COVID-19 testing, provides workers emergency paid sick leave and extended family and medical leave so they are not forced to choose between their paycheck, their health, and the health of others, and it gives states and schools the flexibility they need to get food into the hands of students during school closures." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "To that end, I remain committed to advancing legislation to lower the cost of childcare, secure paid leave for all workers, and address gender pay inequities. We know that women were disproportionately pushed out of the workforce as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Women must have an equal opportunity to rejoin the workforce and receive equal pay for equal work as we come out of this pandemic." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "By passing H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, House Democrats are delivering on our promise to provide the American people long-awaited relief from skyrocketing prescription drug costs. This legislation will cut the cost of prescription drugs for seniors, families, taxpayers, and businesses across the country. This bill not only saves $500 billion by preventing drug companies from overcharging American consumers, it reinvests that money into expanding Medicare benefits, strengthening community health centers, and funding other vital public health programs. The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act is a historic achievement on behalf of the American people, and I urge the Senate to join our effort to lower drug costs by immediately taking up this legislation." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "This legislation will lower the cost of health care, prescription drugs, and energy for millions of American families. Medicare will finally be able to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices and lower costs for seniors. The bill also builds on the success of the American Rescue Plan's expansion of the subsidies under the Affordable Care Act to lower health costs, which helped us reach the lowest number of uninsured people ever." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 3 "Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6833 "The Affordable Insulin Now Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "The border wall is costly, ineffective and diplomatically obnoxious and everybody knows it. Fear-mongering won’t change the facts. We must reopen the government and then debate real border security." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1333 "NO BAN Act." (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6 "American Dream and Promise Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • "Today, I was proud to vote in favor of the American Dream and Promise Act. In 2012, we asked undocumented immigrants who were brought here at a young age, through no fault of their own, to step out of the shadows and undergo robust background checks in exchange for work authorization and temporary relief from deportation. We promised them an opportunity to legally contribute to their communities. Under the DACA program, they have been able to fulfill their dreams of completing college, getting a job, buying a car and owning a home, thereby contributing to our economic growth that benefits all Americans. The American Dream and Promise Act will finally offer permanent protections to all Dreamers who are integral to our communities and our economies." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1333 "NO BAN Act." (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6 "American Dream and Promise Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • "Ever since Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked invasion on Ukraine, President Biden promised that Russia would face crushing sanctions, and we would leave Russia more isolated economically and diplomatically from the world. Today's announcement is another example of President Biden following through on that promise. Congress is also expected to pass bipartisan legislation this week to further punish Russia beyond the scope of what the president can do via executive order, and I look forward to supporting that bill. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the coordinated sanctions with our allies have already inflicted significant harm on the Russian economy and tanked the ruble. The Russian stock market has yet to re-open. However, more must be done." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Today, President Biden made clear that the United States, along with the rest of the G7, our NATO partners and other allies, will make sure Russia pays a steep economic price through another set of devastating sanctions. Just earlier today, the Russian stock market took a massive plunge and the ruble has already hit a record low. We must remain steadfast in our support of Ukraine and remain resolved to ensure Russia is isolated from the world and economically and diplomatically weakened if it continues down this destructive path in violation of international law." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6968 "Suspending Energy Imports from Russia Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "The funding package also includes investments in our national defense and shipbuilding and will provide necessary aid to Ukraine, as well as providing critical funds to Jefferson Lab." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The U.S. has moved with unity & speed to support Ukraine ???? This week, the House will pass: ?Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act: to help send weapons & supplies ?Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act: to seize & sell assets of Putin’s cronies to help Ukraine" (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7691 "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 3522 "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "This tax bill, which adds $1.5 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, is deeply irresponsible. The Tax Policy Center has confirmed that the final version of the bill is even more generous to the wealthiest Americans while harming even more middle class families. More than half of middle-class families will get a tax increase, while 83% of the tax cuts go to the top 1% of Americans. We know from experience that tax cuts do not pay for themselves, and we also know that this bill will do nothing to simplify the tax code. This tax scam is another giveaway to the wealthy at the expense of hardworking families. The only opportunity the middle class will have with this tax plan are the opportunities to lose access to affordable healthcare, lose investments in education, and lose the Social Security and Medicare benefits they worked so hard for." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 1 "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5377 "Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "While many Virginians may initially see small increases in their take-home pay, this bill ensures that middle-class tax cuts will only be temporary -- and that middle-class families will permanently pay for the cuts later. The nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that the bottom 60 percent of Virginians will see their taxes increase by nearly $200 in 2027 while the top 1 percent will see a cut of $7,400." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5430 "United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act." (votesmart.org)
  • "While the Trump administration is wrong to claim that this agreement will bring back hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs, USMCA's improved labor standards and unprecedented enforcement mechanisms can address the imbalances wrought by the race-to-the-bottom policies embodied in NAFTA and begin to level the playing field for workers across North America. As Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, I will be carefully reviewing the implementation of this Agreement to ensure Mexico abides by its labor commitments." (justfacts.votesmart.org)

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