After more than 20 years in Washington, Senator Richard Burr is bought and paid for by corporate special interests. Big energy and oil, for-profit colleges, the Koch brothers — they all have purchased stock in the Washington insider to ensure they get what they want, no matter how it might hurt North Carolina.
Instead of serving the Tar Heel state, Burr has spent his decades in Washington beefing up his own bank account:
- Burr and his wife enjoyed adding stamps to their passports on extravagant trips to Europe funded by the corporations he voted to help. In fact, his family has enjoyed making money off of his political career — Burr paid nearly $200,000 to his family and in-laws through campaign funds.
- “The coal, oil and natural gas industries, along with executives and lobbyists for electric utilities and nuclear power companies that Burr also has supported, have rewarded him with nearly $1.7 million in campaign donations since he first won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1994, ” according to McClatchy DC.
- Trump U-style for-profit colleges have donated $40,000 to Burr since 2009. Unsurprisingly when a congressional committee hearings were held looking in to the corrupt institutions, Burr quickly defended his backers and called the investigation “a witch hunt.” Veterans are regularly targetted by for-profit colleges, “misled” into spending more than they can afford on tuition without much in return.
The only people who could rely on Richard Burr during his decades long career? The Koch brothers:
- Burr focused on earning himself a 90% rating from Koch organization, Americans For Prosperity, voting to protect the Kochs’ bottomline instead of working families.
- Burr voted against raising the minimum wage 12 times.
- The senator put seniors’ livelihood at risk, voting for billions in cuts to Medicare at least 4 times, to raise the Medicare retirement age at least 3 times, and 5 times in support of changing the program into a voucher system.
Without the best interest of North Carolina families in mind, Burr apparently found he didn’t have to work as hard either.
- He skipped roughly two-thirds or 67 percent of hearings there are public records for, according to the Daily Kos.
- He missed 65 percent of Armed Services Committee hearings and all of the special Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
- Burr even sat out on national security focused hearings, several of which focused on the threats posed by ISIS and “violent extremism.”
Now, Senator Burr is defending Donald Trump’s abhorrent actions towards women:
- Burr is standing strong by Trump, despite the numerous sexual assault accusations the GOP nominee faces or the 2005 tape where he seemingly admits to committing such acts. Burr went as far as to say it was all above board because Trump’s “an entertainer.”
- Unsurprising for a senator that voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
- Burr also effectively voted to shutdown the government in order to defund Planned Parenthood in 2015.
Senator Richard Burr has spent more than two decades selling his vote to the highest bidder, not looking out for what’s best for North Carolina. It’s no wonder even GOP strategists admitted there’s a problem, telling Politico, “It’s a candidate problem. You can’t fire the candidate.” Perhaps the NRSC can’t — but voters can.
Background:
Burr Voted Against Raising The Minimum Wage AT Least 12 Times
2015: Burr Voted Against Raising The Federal Minimum Wage By An Unspecified Amount. In March 2015, Burr voted against an amendment that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] create[d] a deficit neutral reserve fund to allow for legislation that would increase the federal minimum wage.” The Senate rejected the proposed amendment to its version of the FY 2016 budget resolution by a vote of 48 to 52. [Senate Vote 93, 3/26/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/26/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
2014: Burr Effectively Voted Against Raising The Federal Minimum Wage By Nearly Three Dollars, To $10.10, By 2016. In April 2014, Burr effectively voted against a bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] increase[d] the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 by 2016. It would gradually increase the minimum cash wage for workers who receive tips until it equals 70 percent of the federal minimum wage for other workers. It also would amend the tax code to extend through 2016 the $500,000 cap for small business expensing of investments eligible for deductions, including allowances for computer software and qualified real property.” The vote was on a motion to end debate on the motion to proceed to consider the legislation, which required 60 votes to succeed. The Senate rejected the motion by a vote 54 to 42. [Senate Vote 117, 4/30/14; Congressional Quarterly, 4/30/14]
2007: Burr Effectively Voted Against Raising The Federal Minimum Wage From $5.15 To $7.25 An Hour Over Two Years. In January 2007, Burr effectively voted against a bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, would have “increase[d] the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years.” At the time, the federal minimum wage was $5.15 an hour. The vote was on a motion to end debate on the bill, which required 60 “yea” votes; the Senate rejected the motion by a vote of 54 to 43. [Senate Vote 23, 1/24/07; Congressional Quarterly, 1/24/07; U.S. Department of Labor, Viewed 3/27/14]
2006: Burr Voted Against Raising The Federal Minimum Wage From $5.15 To $7.25 An Hour Over 26 Months. In June 2006, Burr voted against an amendment that according to Congressional Quarterly, would have “raise[d] the federal minimum wage to $5.85 per hour 60 days after the bill’s enactment. The minimum wage would [have] increase[d] to $6.55 per hour 12 months later and to $7.25 per hour the following year.” At the time, the federal minimum wage was $5.15 an hour. The Senate agreed by unanimous consent to require 60 votes in the affirmative for passage. The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 52 to 46. [Senate Vote 179, 6/21/06; Congressional Quarterly, 6/21/06; 29 U.S.C. Sec. 206, 2006 ed.]
2005: Burr Effectively Voted Against Increasing The Federal Minimum Wage From $5.15 To $6.25 Per Hour. In October 2005, Burr effectively voted against an amendment that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] increase[d] the minimum wage to $5.70 six months after the bill’s enactment and to $6.25 one year after enactment.” At the time, the federal minimum wage was $5.15 an hour. The vote was on a motion to waive the Budget Act and overcome a point of order made against the amendment. The Senate rejected the motion by a vote of 47 to 51, killing the amendment. [Senate Vote 257, 10/19/05; Congressional Quarterly, 10/19/05; U.S. Department of Labor, Viewed 3/27/14]
2005: Burr Voted Against Increasing The Federal Minimum Wage From $5.15 To $7.25 An Hour. In March 2005, Burr voted against an amendment that according to Congressional Quarterly, would have “raise[d] the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour over 26 months.” The Senate rejected the proposed amendment to bankruptcy overhaul legislation by a vote of 46 to 49. [Senate Vote 26, 3/7/05; Congressional Quarterly, 3/7/05]
2000: Burr Voted Against Raising The Minimum Wage $1 Over Two Years. In March 2000, Burr voted against raising the minimum wage $1 over two years. According to Congressional Quarterly, the bill would have “increase[d] the federal hourly minimum wage by $1 over two years.” At the time of passage, the minimum wage was $5.15 an hour. The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 282 to 143. The bill was then attached to H.R. 3081, a $46 billion business tax cut bill. H.R. 3081 died in the Senate. In addition, according to Congressional Quarterly, “President Clinton has promised to veto the minimum wage legislation if it reaches his desk containing what he has called the House’s ‘irresponsible’ tax cuts.” [House Vote 45, 3/9/00; Congressional Quarterly, 3/9/00; Congressional Quarterly, 3/9/00; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3846; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3081]
2000: Burr Voted Against Raising The Federal Minimum Wage By $1 Over Two Years Instead Of Over Three. In March 2000, Burr voted against an amendment that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] increase[d] the minimum wage by $1 over two years.” The amendment was to a bill that, according to the Congressional Research Service’s summary, would have raised the minimum wage by $1 over three years. The House agreed to the amendment by a vote of 246 to 179. Later on, after the House passed the underlying bill, it was attached to separately-passed small business tax legislation, and the combined bill was sent to the Senate. That chamber took no substantive action on the combined bill, and according to Congressional Quarterly, “the 106th Congress adjourned without clearing a minimum wage increase.” [House Vote 43, 3/9/00; Congressional Quarterly, 3/9/00; Congressional Quarterly, 12/16/00; CRS Summary of H.R. 3846, 3/8/00; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3846; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3081]
1996: Burr Effectively Voted To Block Legislation To Increase The Minimum Wage By 90 Cents Over Two Years, To $5.15 Per Hour. In May 1996, Burr effectively voted to block legislation to increase the minimum wage. According to Congressional Quarterly, the question of whether the House should consider raised by Rep. Rob Portman (R-OH) was on “the Riggs, R-Calif., amendment to increase the minimum wage by 90 cents per hour over two years, despite the chair’s ruling that the amendment would violate a point of order established in 1995 law (PL104-4) that forbade unfunded mandates on state and local governments.” According to Congressional Quarterly, the Riggs amendment would have, “increase[d] the minimum wage by 90 cents per hour over two years, thereby raising the minimum wage from its current level of $4.25 per hour to $4.75 per hour on July 1, 1996 and to $5.15 per hour on July 1, 1997.” The vote was on a question of consideration. The House decided to continue to consider the legislation by a vote of 267 to 161. The Riggs amendment was later adopted by the House and the bill was later adopted by the House. The bill was then appended to H.R. 3448, the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996. H.R. 3448’s conference report later passed the House and the Senate and was signed by the president. It in part raised the minimum wage to $5.15 by September 1, 1997. [House Vote 191, 5/23/96; Congressional Quarterly, 5/23/96; Congressional Quarterly, 5/23/96; Congressional Quarterly, 5/23/96; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1277; Congressional Actions, H.Res.440; CRS Summary via Congress.gov, H.R. 3448]
2000: Burr Effectively Voted To Block Legislation Increasing The Minimum Wage By $1 To $6.15, Likely Over Two Years. In March 2000, Burr effectively voted to block legislation increasing the minimum wage. According to Congressional Quarterly, the vote was on a “Judgment of the House to continue consideration of the bill that would allow states to opt out of the increase if the state adopts a minimum wage rate that is no less than the current rate of $5.15 and the rate applies to the same class of employees as the federal rate, despite the ruling of the chairman that the bill constituted an unfunded mandate.” The underlying legislation was H.R. 3846 which at the time of the vote would have increased the minimum wage by $1 over 3 years. However, according to Congressional Quarterly, the next vote the House took “adopt[ed] an amendment offered by James A. Traficant Jr., D-Ohio, that would have raised the minimum wage by $1 over two years. Forty-two Republicans joined 203 Democrats and one independent in voting to add the language to a business tax-relief package (HR 3081); only five Democrats opposed the measure.” The vote was on a question of continued consideration. The House decided to continue to consider the legislation by a vote of 274 to 141. [House Vote 42, 3/9/00; Congressional Quarterly, 3/9/00; Congressional Quarterly, 12/16/00]
1996: Burr Voted Against Raising The Minimum Wage From $4.25 To $5.15 By September 1997 As Part Of A Larger Bill Which Also Provided $20 Billion In Business Tax Cuts. In August 1997, Burr voted against raising the minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.15 as part of a larger bill which also cut taxes for businesses. According to Congressional Quarterly, the conference report would have “increase[d] the minimum wage from the current level of $4.25 per hour to $4.75 per hour on Oct. 1, 1996, and to $5.15 per hour on Sept. 1, 1997, while also allowing a 90-day training wage for workers under 20 years old.” In addition the conference report would have “provide[d] about $20 billion over 10 years in tax relief to large and small businesses by extending and creating a variety of tax incentives. They include: permitting tax-exempt individual retirement accounts for non-working spouses, increasing from $17,500 to $25,000 over seven years the amount that small businesses can deduct for equipment purchases, and making a number of changes in current pension law. The tax relief is paid for by reinstating through Dec. 31, 1996 the expired airline ticket tax and eliminating several tax preferences, including a credit for companies doing business in Puerto Rico.” The vote was on adopting the conference report. The House adopted the conference report by a vote of 354 to 72. The Senate later passed and the president later signed it. [House Vote 398, 8/2/96; Congressional Quarterly, 8/2/96; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3448]
1995: Burr Voted Against Raising The Minimum Wage From $4.25 To $5.15 Per Hour By July 1, 1997. In May 1995, Burr voted against raising the minimum wage to $5.15 an hour. According to Congressional Quarterly, the bill would have “increase[d] the minimum wage by 90 cents per hour over two years, thereby raising the minimum wage from its current level of $4.25 per hour to $4.75 per hour on July 1, 1996 and to $5.15 per hour on July 1, 1997.” In addition, the bill would have “amend[ed] the 1947 Portal-to-Portal Act to provide that employees need not be paid for the time spent using an employer-owned vehicle to commute between home and work.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 281 to 144. The bill was then appended to H.R. 3448, the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996. H.R. 3448’s conference report later passed the House and the Senate and was signed by the president. It in part raised the minimum wage to $5.15 by September 1, 1997. [House Vote 195, 5/23/96; Congressional Quarterly, 5/23/96; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1277; Congressional Actions, H.Res.440; CRS Summary via Congress.gov, H.R. 3448]
Voted At Least Five Times In Support Of Turning Medicare Into A Voucher Program
2012: Burr Voted To Consider Sen. Pat Toomey’s Proposed Budget That Included The Ryan Budget’s Plan To Convert Medicare Into A Premium Support Plan. In May 2012, Burr voted to consider for the Ryan budget Medicare plan, as part of Sen. Pat Toomey’s (R-PA) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2013 to 2022. According to a press release from Sen. Toomey, his budget contained a provision that “Adopts the long term Medicare reform plan included in the House FY 2013 budget (effective 2023).” The vote was on a motion to proceed to consider the resolution; the motion failed by a vote of 42 to 57. [Senate Vote 99, 5/16/12; Senator Pat Toomey press release, 4/18/12]
2015: Burr Effectively Voted Against Making It Harder To Privatize Medicare, Turn It Into A Paul Ryan-Style “Premium Support” Program Or Reduce Benefits, By Requiring 60 Votes In The Senate. In March 2015, Burr effectively voted against an amendment to the Senate’s FY 2016 budget resolution that, according to Politico, would have “make it tougher to turn Medicare into something resembling Ryan’s so-called ‘premium support’ plan.” According to Congressional Quarterly, “The Bennet amendment would [have] create[d] a 60-vote point of order against any legislation that would privatize Medicare, reduce guaranteed benefits, increase out of pocket expenses or turn the program into a premium-supported plan.” The vote was on a motion to waive a budget point of order against the proposed amendment. The Senate rejected the motion by a vote of 46 to 53. Afterwards, the presiding officer sustained the point of order, killing the amendment. [Senate Vote 90, 3/25/15; Politico,4/4/15; Congressional Quarterly, 4/25/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
2013: Burr Voted For Replacing Medicare With A Premium Support Plan As Part Of The FY 2014 Ryan Budget. In March 2013, Burr voted for replacing Medicare with a premium support plan, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023 According to the House Budget Committee, “Beginning in 2024, for those workers born in 1959 or later, Medicare would offer them a choice of private plans competing alongside the traditional fee-for-service option on a new Medicare Exchange. Medicare would provide a premium-support payment either to pay for or to offset the premium of the plan chosen by the senior.” The vote was on the House Republicans’ fiscal year 2014 budget resolution, which Senate Budget Committee chairwoman Patty Murray offered as a substitute amendment to the Senate’s fiscal year 2014 budget resolution. The Senate rejected the amendment by a vote of 40 to 59. [Senate Vote 46,3/21/13; House Budget Committee, 3/12/13]
2012: Burr Effectively Voted To Replace Medicare With A Premium Support Plan As Part Of The FY 2013 Ryan Budget. In May 2012, Burr effectively voted to replace Medicare with a premium support plan, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2013 to 2022 According to the House Budget Committee, “For those workers currently under the age of 55, beginning in 2023, those seniors would be given a choice of private plans competing alongside the traditional fee-for-service option on a newly created Medicare Exchange. Medicare would provide a premium-support payment either to pay for or offset the premium of the plan chosen by the senior.” The vote was on a motion to proceed to consider the House-passed budget resolution, which the Senate rejected by a vote of 41 to 58. [Senate Vote 98, 5/16/12; House Budget Committee, 3/20/12; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 112]
2011: Burr Effectively Voted For FY 2012 Ryan Budget, Which Replaced Medicare With A Premium Support Plan. In May 2011, Burr effectively voted for replacing Medicare with a premium support plan, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to the Congressional Research Service, “Under the new system, Medicare would pay a portion of the beneficiaries’ premiums, i.e., provide ‘premium support.’ The payments would be adjusted for age, health status, and income and would be paid directly by the government to the insurance plan selected by the Medicare beneficiary. In addition, plans with healthier enrollees, would be required to help subsidize plans with less healthy enrollees.” The vote was on a motion to proceed to consider the House-passed budget resolution, which the Senate rejected by a vote of 40 to 57. [Senate Vote 77, 5/25/11; CRS Report #R41767, 4/13/11]
Burr Voted Against Reauthorizing The Violence Against Women Act
2012: Burr Voted Against Reauthorizing The Violence Against Women Act. In April 2012, Burr voted against the proposed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 (VAWA), which expanded the protections offered by the original 1994 Act and later extensions of it. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 31. A version of VAWA passed the House in May 2012, but the chambers were unable to reconcile their differing bills. [Senate Vote 87, 4/26/12; All Congressional Actions, S.1925; All Congressional Actions, H.R. 4970]
Voted To Defund Planned Parenthood
2015: Burr Effectively Voted For Defunding Planned Parenthood. In December 2015, Burr effectively voted for defunding Planned Parenthood. According to Congressional Quarterly, the amendment would have “remove[d] the section of the measure that would block for one year federal funding that is considered direct spending to Planned Parenthood.” The underlying legislation was a substitute amendment repealing key provisions of the Affordable Care Act while also defunding Planned Parenthood. The vote was on a motion to waive all applicable budgetary discipline required a 3/5’s majority. The Senate rejected the amendment by a vote of 48 to 52. [Senate Vote 314, 12/3/15; Congressional Quarterly, 12/3/15; Congressional Quarterly, 12/3/15]
Published: Oct 13, 2016