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Timothy Bishop on Jobs

Democratic Representative (NY-1)

 


Voted NO on allowing compensatory time off for working overtime.

Congressional Summary:

Opponent's Argument for voting No:

Reference: Working Families Flexibility Act; Bill H.R.1406 ; vote number 13-HV137 on Apr 9, 2013

Voted YES on extending unemployment benefits from 39 weeks to 59 weeks.

Congressional Summary:Revises the formula for Tier-1 amounts a state credits to an applicant's emergency unemployment compensation account. Increases the figures in the formula from 50% to 80% of the total amount of regular compensation ; and from 13 to 20 times the individual's average weekly benefit amount.

Proponent's argument to vote Yes:

Rep. CHARLES RANGEL (D, NY-15): The House, for weeks, has attempted to save the free world from a fiscal disaster. We have bailed out the banks and those who held mortgages. At the same time, we provided for energy extensions, we provided tax breaks for those people that tax provisions have expired. We provided for hurricane relief, for mental health. So over $1 trillion is out there for this House to ease the pain of millions of Americans.

While we were dealing with these gigantic powers, we overlooked the fact that over the last 12 months the number of unemployed workers has jumped by over 2 million, leaving 10 million Americans struggling for work. These are hardworking people that have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

Rep. JERRY WELLER (R, IL-11): This important legislation provides additional needed assistance to the long-term unemployed. It's important that we pass this legislation today as our last act before we leave for the election campaign.

This legislation focuses the most additional benefits on workers and States where the unemployment rate is highest and where jobs are hardest to find. This program continues the requirement that those benefiting from extended unemployment benefits had to have worked at least 20 weeks. Americans were rightly concerned about proposals to eliminate that work requirement and allow 39 weeks or, under the legislation before us today, as many as 59 weeks of total unemployment benefits to be paid to those who have previously only worked for a few weeks.

Opponent's argument to vote No:None voiced.

Reference: Unemployment Compensation Extension Act; Bill HR.6867 ; vote number 2008-H683 on Oct 3, 2008

Voted YES on overriding presidential veto of Farm Bill.

OnTheIssues.org Explanation: This bill was vetoed twice! Congress passed an identical bill in May, which Pres. Bush vetoed. Congress then discovered that a clerical error. A replacement bill was passed; then vetoed again by the President; and this is its "final" veto override.

Congressional Summary: Provides for the continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through FY2012. Revises agricultural and related programs, including provisions respecting:

  1. commodity programs;
  2. conservation;
  3. trade;
  4. nutrition;
  5. credit;
  6. rural development;
  7. research and related matters;
  8. forestry;
  9. energy;
  10. horticulture and organic agriculture;
  11. livestock;
  12. crop insurance and disaster assistance;
  13. socially disadvantaged and limited resource producers; and
  14. miscellaneous programs.
President's veto message: I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 6124. The bill that I vetoed on May 21, 2008, H.R. 2419, did not include the title III (trade) provisions that are in this bill. In passing H.R. 6124, the Congress had an opportunity to improve on H.R. 2419 by modifying certain objectionable, onerous, and fiscally imprudent provisions [but did not].

This bill lacks fiscal discipline. It continues subsidies for the wealthy and increases farm bill spending by more than $20 billion, while using budget gimmicks to hide much of the increase. It is inconsistent with our trade objectives of securing greater market access for American farmers. [Hence] I must veto H.R. 6124.

Proponents argument for voting YEA: We had a meeting this morning with the Secretary of Agriculture to talk about implementation. So [despite the two vetoes], the work has been going on within the department of agriculture to get ready for implementation.

This is a good bill. It has wide support in the Congress. It does address all of the issues that have been brought to the Agriculture Committee.

Reference: Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008; Bill HR6124 ; vote number 2008-417 on Jun 18, 2008

Voted YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing.

    To enable employees to form & join labor organizations, and to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts. Requires investigation that an employer:
    1. discharged or discriminated against an employee to discourage membership in a labor organization;
    2. threatened to discharge employees in the exercise of guaranteed collective bargaining rights; and
    3. adds to remedies for such violations: back pay plus liquidated damages; and additional civil penalties.

    Proponents support voting YES because:

    The principle at stake here is the freedom that all workers should have to organize for better working conditions & fair wages. There are many employers around the country who honor this freedom. Unfortunately, there are also many employers who do not. These employers attempt to prevent workers from unionizing by using tactics that amount to harassment, if not outright firing. In fact, one in five people who try to organize unions are fired. These tactics are already illegal, but the penalties are so minor, they are not effective deterrents.

    Opponents support voting NO because:

    Democracy itself is placed at risk by this bill. The sanctity of the secret ballot is the backbone of our democratic process. Not one voter signed a card to send us here to Congress. None of us sent our campaign workers out to voters' houses armed with candidate information & a stack of authorization cards. No. We trusted democracy. We trusted the voters to cast their ballots like adults, freely, openly, without intimidation, and we live with the results. But here we are, poised to advance legislation to kill a secret ballot process.

    Let's be clear. Every American has the right to organize. No one is debating that. This is a right we believe in so strongly we have codified it and made it possible for workers to do so through a secret ballot.

    Reference: The Employee Free Choice Act; Bill H R 800 ; vote number 2007-118 on Mar 1, 2007

    Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25.

    Increase the federal minimum wage to:
    1. $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after enactment;
    2. $6.55 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day; and
    3. $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day.

    Proponents support voting YES because:

    We have waited for over 10 years to have a clean vote on the minimum wage for the poorest workers in this country Low-wage workers had their wages frozen in time, from 10 years ago, but when they go to the supermarket, the food prices are higher; when they put gasoline in the car, the gasoline prices are higher; when they pay the utility bills, the utility bills are higher; when their kids get sick, the medical bills are higher. All of those things are higher. They are living in 2007, but in their wages they are living in 1997.

    Opponents support voting NO because:

    This bill is marked more by what is not in the bill than what is in it. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They create two-thirds of our Nation's new jobs, and they represent 98% of the new businesses in the US. What protection does this bill provide them? None whatsoever.

    We can do better. In the interest of sending the President a final measure that provides consideration for small businesses and their workers, the very men and women who are responsible for our economy's recent growth and strength, we must do better.

    Reference: Fair Minimum Wage Act; Bill HR 2 ("First 100 hours") ; vote number 2007-018 on Jan 10, 2007

    Voted NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business.

    American Jobs Creation Act of 2004: <0l>
  1. Repeal the tax exclusion for extraterritorial income - Permits foreign corporations to revoke elections to be treated as U.S. corporations Business Tax Incentives - Small Business ExpensingTax Relief for Agriculture and Small Manufacturers
  2. Tax Reform and Simplification for United States Businesses
  3. Deduction of State and Local General Sales Taxes
  4. Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform
  5. Provisions to Reduce Tax Avoidance Through Individual and Corporation Expatriation
Reference: Bill sponsored by Bill Rep Thomas [R, CA-22]; Bill H.R.4520 ; vote number 2004-509 on Oct 7, 2004

Rated 100% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record.

Bishop scores 100% by the AFL-CIO on union issues

As the federation of America’s unions, the AFL-CIO includes more than 13 million of America’s workers in 60 member unions working in virtually every part of the economy. The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation. To accomplish this mission we will build and change the American labor movement.

The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.

Source: AFL-CIO website 03n-AFLCIO on Dec 31, 2003

Allow an Air Traffic Controller's Union.

Bishop co-sponsored allowing an Air Traffic Controller's Union

OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY: Federal Aviation Administration Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act of 2006: Prohibits the FAA from implementing any proposed change to the FAA personnel management system in cases where the services of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service do not lead to an agreement between the Administrator and FAA employees, unless Congress authorizes the change during the 60-day period. Requires binding arbitration if Congress does not enact a bill into law within the 60-day period.

SPONSOR'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Sen. OBAMA: Because what air traffic controllers do is vital to our safety, I became very concerned by a letter I received from Illinois air traffic controller Michael Hannigan. He wrote that "the air traffic controllers are not being allowed to negotiate in good faith with the FAA."

What was clear in Michael's plea was the sense that he and his colleagues felt that they were being treated unfairly. I looked into it and came to the conclusion that if we did not restore a fair negotiation procedure, it would threaten agency morale and effectiveness.

The problem is this: the FAA Administrator currently has the extraordinary authority to impose wages and working conditions on her workers without arbitration. In order to do that, she merely has to declare an impasse in negotiations and if Congress does not stop her from imposing her terms and conditions within 60 days, the Administrator can go ahead and act unilaterally. That authority denies air traffic controllers and all other FAA employees the opportunity to engage in and conclude negotiations in good faith.

It is in the best interest of the agency and public safety to have management and labor cooperate in contract negotiations.

EXCERPTS OF BILL:

LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; never came to a vote.

Source: FAA Dispute Resolution Act (S.2201/H.R.4755) 06-S2201 on Jan 26, 2006

Form unions by card-check instead of secret ballot.

Bishop signed H.R.1409&S.560

Amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to certify a bargaining representative without directing an election if a majority of the bargaining unit employees have authorized designation of the representative (card-check) and there is no other individual or labor organization currently certified or recognized as the exclusive representative of any of the employees in the unit.

    Requires that priority be given to any charge that, while employees were seeking representation by a labor organization, an employer:
  1. discharged or otherwise discriminated against an employee to encourage or discourage membership in the labor organization;
  2. threatened to discharge or to otherwise discriminate against an employee in order to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of guaranteed self-organization or collective bardaining rights; or
  3. engaged in any unfair labor practice that significantly interferes with, restrains, or coerces employees in the exercise of such guaranteed rights.
    Source: Employee Free Choice Act 09-HR1409 on Mar 10, 2009

    Member of House Education and Labor Committee.

    Bishop is a member of the House Education and Labor Committee

    The House Committee on Education and the Workforce's purpose is to ensure that Americans' needs are addressed so that students and workers may move forward in a changing school system and a competitive global economy. The following issues are under the jurisdiction of the Committee:

    Source: U.S. House of Representatives website, www.house.gov 11-HC-ELC on Feb 3, 2011

    Rated 0% by CEI, indicating a pro-worker rights voting record.

    Bishop scores 0% by CEI on union issues

    The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a public policy organization dedicated to the principles of free markets and limited government, has created a Congressional Labor Scorecard for the 112th Congress focusing on worker issues. The score is determined based on policies that support worker freedom and the elimination of Big Labor's privileges across the country.

    Source: CEI website 12-CEI-H on May 2, 2012

    Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016.

    Bishop co-sponsored Minimum Wage Fairness Act

    Congressional summary: Increases the federal minimum wage for employees to:

    1. $8.20 an hour beginning 6 months after enactment
    2. $9.15 an hour beginning 1 year later,
    3. $10.10 an hour beginning 2 years later, and
    4. an amount determined by increases in the Consumer Price Index, beginning annually after 3 years.

    Proponent's argument in favor (RaiseTheMinimumWage.com): The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour remains decades out of date, and the federal minimum wage for tipped workers--$2.13 per hour--has not increased in over 20 years. The minimum wage of the past provided significantly more buying power than it does today. The minimum wage of $1.60 an hour in 1968 would be $10.56 today when adjusted for inflation.

    Opponent's argument against: (Neil King in Wall Street Journal, Feb. 24, 2014): The CBO concluded that a jump in the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour could eliminate 500,000 jobs. For Republicans, the report provided ammunition that a higher minimum wage would kill jobs. Democrats pointed to the CBO's findings that the higher wage would lift 900,000 people out of poverty. But both sides missed a key finding: That a smaller hike from the current $7.25 to $9.00 an hour would cause almost no pain, and still lift 300,000 people out of poverty while raising the incomes of 7.6 million people.Congressional Budget Office report:: Once fully implemented, the $10.10 option would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers, or 0.3%. Some people earning slightly more than $10.10 would also have higher earnings, due to the heightened demand for goods and services. The increased earnings for low-wage workers would total $31 billion. Accounting for all increases and decreases, overall real income would rise by $2 billion.

    Source: S.1737 & H.R.1010 14-H1010 on Mar 6, 2013

    Extend unemployment compensation during recession.

    Bishop co-sponsored extending unemployment compensation during recession

    A bill to provide for a program of temporary extended unemployment compensation. Provides for federal-state agreements under which a state will make temporary extended unemployment compensation payments to individuals who:

    1. have exhausted all rights to regular compensation under state or federal law with respect to a benefit year (excluding any benefit year that ended before one year before the enactment of this Act);
    2. have no rights to regular compensation or extended compensation with respect to a week under such law or any other state or federal unemployment compensation law;
    3. are not receiving compensation for such week under the unemployment compensation law of Canada; and
    4. filed an initial claim for regular compensation on or after one year before the enactment of this Act.
    Source: Emergency Unemployment Extension Act (S.2544&H.R.4934) 2008-S2544 on Jan 22, 2008

    Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue.

    Bishop signed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

      Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to declare that an unlawful employment practice occurs when:
    1. a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice is adopted;
    2. an individual becomes subject to the decision or practice; or
    3. an individual is affected by application of the decision or practice, including each time wages, benefits, or other compensation is paid.
    Allows an aggrieved person to obtain relief, including recovery of back pay, for up to two years preceding the filing of the charge, where the unlawful employment practices that have occurred during the charge filing period are similar or related to practices that occurred outside the time for filing a charge. Applies the preceding provisions to claims of compensation discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

    [Note: A woman named Lilly Ledbetter filed a lawsuit for gender-based discriminatory compensation. The Supreme Court ruled that Ms. Ledbetter could only sue for damages going back 180 days, and the 180 days was calculated from the time her employment contract was initiated, i.e., her hire date. This new law changes the 180-day period to two years, and also calculates the date from the time of each paycheck, rather than the hire date. -- Ed.]

    Source: S.181&H.R.11 2009-S181 on Jan 29, 2009

    Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination.

    Bishop signed Paycheck Fairness Act

    Source: S.182&H.R.12 2009-S182 on Jan 8, 2009

    2012 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Jobs: Timothy Bishop on other issues:
    NY Gubernatorial:
    Andrew Cuomo
    Bill de Blasio
    George Pataki
    Howie Hawkins
    Kathy Hochul
    Mike Bloomberg
    Rob Astorino
    Zephyr Teachout
    NY Senatorial:
    Kirsten Gillibrand

    Newly-elected Democrats taking office Jan.2015:
    AZ-7: Rep.-Elect Ruben Gallego
    CA-11:Rep.-Elect Mark DeSaulnier
    CA-31:Rep.-Elect Pete Aguilar(R⇒D)
    CA-33:Rep.-Elect Ted Lieu
    CA-35:Rep.-Elect Norma Torres
    FL-2: Rep.-Elect Gwen Graham(R⇒D)
    HI-1: Rep.-Elect Mark Takai
    MA-6: Rep.-Elect Seth Moulton
    MI-12:Rep.-Elect Debbie Dingell
    MI-14:Rep.-Elect Brenda Lawrence
    NE-2: Rep.-Elect Brad Ashford(R⇒D)
    NJ-12:Rep.-Elect Bonnie Coleman
    NY-4: Rep.-Elect Kathleen Rice
    PA-13:Rep.-Elect Brendan Boyle
    VA-8: Rep.-Elect Donald Beyer
    Seated in special elections 2013-2014:
    AL-1: Bradley Byrne(R)
    FL-13:David Jolly(R)
    FL-19:Curt Clawson(R)
    IL-2: Robin Kelly(D)
    LA-5: Vance McAllister(R)
    MA-5: Katherine Clark(D)
    MO-8: Jason Smith(R)
    NC-12:Alma Adams(D)
    NJ-1: Donald Norcross(D)
    SC-1: Mark Sanford(R)
    VA-7: Dave Brat(R)

    Newly-elected Republicans taking office Jan.2015:
    AR-2: Rep.-Elect French Hill
    AR-4: Rep.-Elect Bruce Westerman
    AL-6: Rep.-Elect Gary Palmer
    CA-25:Rep.-Elect Steve Knight
    CA-45:Rep.-Elect Mimi Walters
    CO-4: Rep.-Elect Ken Buck
    FL-26:Rep.-Elect Carlos Curbelo(D⇒R)
    GA-1: Rep.-Elect Buddy Carter
    GA-10:Rep.-Elect Jody Hice
    GA-11:Rep.-Elect Barry Loudermilk
    GA-12:Rep.-Elect Rick Allen(D⇒R)
    IA-1: Rep.-Elect Rod Blum(D⇒R)
    IA-3: Rep.-Elect David Young
    IL-10:Rep.-Elect Robert Dold(D⇒R)
    IL-12:Rep.-Elect Mike Bost(D⇒R)
    More newly-elected Republicans taking office Jan.2015:
    LA-5: Rep.-Elect Ralph Abraham
    LA-6: Rep.-Elect Garret Graves
    ME-2: Rep.-Elect Bruce Poliquin(D⇒R)
    MI-4: Rep.-Elect John Moolenaar
    MI-8: Rep.-Elect Mike Bishop
    MI-11:Rep.-Elect Dave Trott
    MN-6: Rep.-Elect Tom Emmer
    MT-0: Rep.-Elect Ryan Zinke
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    NY-24:Rep.-Elect John Katko
    OK-5: Rep.-Elect Steve Russell
    PA-6: Rep.-Elect Ryan Costello
    TX-4: Rep.-Elect John Ratcliffe
    TX-23:Rep.-Elect Will Hurd
    TX-36:Rep.-Elect Brian Babin
    UT-4: Rep.-Elect Mia Love(D⇒R)
    VA-10:Rep.-Elect Barbara Comstock
    WA-4: Rep.-Elect Dan Newhouse
    WI-6: Rep.-Elect Glenn Grothman
    WV-2: Rep.-Elect Alex Mooney
    WV-3: Rep.-Elect Evan Jenkins(D⇒R)
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    Page last updated: Jul 23, 2016