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Highway Bill Passes and Economic Freedom Suffers

Sen Alexander voted for this bill.

This week the bloated "Highway Bill" was passed in the U.S. Senate. It was a "business-as-usual" plan that spends too much and regulates too much.

The Club was opposed to the passage of the bill itself, and also issued "Key Vote" alerts on some of the amendments offered to the underlying bill. As a Club member, I want you to know how your Senators voted.

First, the Club for Growth urged a "NO" vote on the Menendez/Burr amendment (#1782): This amendment extends current and creates new market-distorting tax incentives for the production, distribution and use of vehicles that run on natural gas. It enlarges an already complicated tax code, and it expands the government's power to pick winners and losers in the private sector.

The final vote tally was 51-47, but it failed because it required a 60-vote hurdle. Republicans voting "YES," against the Club's position: Burr (NC), Chambliss (GA), Coburn (OK), Collins (ME), Isakson (GA) and Snowe (ME). Democrats who supported the Club's stance included Ben Nelson (NE) and Carl Levin (MI).

Second, the Club urged a "YES" on a DeMint amendment (#1589): This amendment eliminates several market-distorting energy subsidies and lowers the corporate tax rate by a commensurate amount of the loophole closures. If signed into law, it will simplify and help flatten the tax code, while reducing the government's ability to cause misallocations of capital by picking winners and losers in the private sector.

The amendment failed 26-72. Republicans voting "NO," against the Club's position included Alexander (TN), Barrasso (WY), Boozman (AR), Brown (MA), Cochran (MS), Collins. (ME), Cornyn (TX), Enzi (WY), Grassley (IA), Heller (NV), Hoeven (ND), Hutchison (TX), Isakson (GA), Lugar (IN), Moran (KS), Murkowski (AK), Roberts (KS), Snowe (ME), and Thune (SD). There were no Democrats who supported our stance.

Finally, the Club urged a "YES" on the DeMint amendment (#1756): This amendment devolves most of the federal highway program back to the states and also greatly reduces the federal gas tax. Over the last several decades, the federal government's role in infrastructure spending has greatly expanded beyond its constitutional limits. Today, it is remarkably inefficient and overly bureaucratic. The proper solution is to return the power back to the states so that spending can be handled more justly and effectively.

The vote failed 30-67. Republicans voting "NO," against the Club's position: Alexander (TN), Barrasso (WY), Blunt (MO), Brown (MA), Cochran (MS), Collins (ME), Enzi (WY), Heller (NV), Hoeven (ND), Johanns (NE), McConnell (KY), Murkowski (AK), Shelby (AL), Snowe (ME), and Thune (SD). Again, there were no Democrats who sided with the Club on this plan.

On the Highway Bill itself, it passed by an overwhelming 74-22. Republicans voting against the Club's stance included Alexander (TN), Blunt (MO), Boozman (AR), Brown (MA), Chambliss (GA), Cochran (MS), Collins (ME), Grassley (IA), Heller (NV), Hoeven (ND), Hutchison (TX), Inhofe (OK), Isakson (GA), Moran (KS), Murkowski (AK), Roberts (KS), Sessions (AL), Shelby (AL), Snowe (ME), Thune (SD), Vitter (LA), and Wicker (MS). All Senate Democrats, except Frank Lautenberg (NJ) who was absent, supported this irresponsible bill.

The Club for Growth believes it's important to hold Republicans and Democrats in Congress accountable for their votes and we intend to keep you informed as Congress continues this session.

When we see the same liberal Republicans and Democrats voting for the same anti-growth policies, we consider it our job to ensure Club members are aware of it. Our hope is that you will then take this critical information and use it to communicate to your friends and family about why they too should support the Club for Growth and its mission of prosperity and opportunity through economic freedom.