In Senator Mitch McConnell’s Legislative Graveyard, Senate Republicans Block Commonsense Legislation To Secure Our Elections, Protect Americans’ Health Care, And Safeguard Pensions Earned By Working Americans
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans have turned the Senate into a legislative graveyard, refusing to take action on critical legislation that already has bipartisan support. More than 250 House-passed bills are buried in Leader McConnell’s legislative graveyard, and that number continues to grow.
“Republicans have kept the Senate at a standstill while urgently needed bills to protect our elections against the threat of foreign interference, protect Americans’ health care, shield survivors of domestic abuse, and meaningfully address the gun violence epidemic languish in Leader McConnell’s legislative graveyard,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “Senate Republicans need to remember why they came to the Senate in the first place, make a U-turn, and allow the Senate to work for the people.”
On the Senate floor, Republicans have repeatedly blocked legislation to secure our elections, protect Americans’ health care, support workers, and take action on climate change. And Leader McConnell is refusing to allow the Senate to debate critical issues like universal background checks and prescription drug pricing. Democrats are ready to tackle these challenges and get to work for the American people. It’s time for Leader McConnell to stop standing in the way, because Americans deserve a Senate that is working for them.
LEADER MCCONNELL AND SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE REPEATEDLY BLOCKED CRITICAL LEGISLATION FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans have blocked efforts by Democrats to pass commonsense bills on the Senate floor, including:
Election Security
S.2238/H.R.2722, Securing America’s Federal Elections Act, legislation to help safeguard elections from foreign interference, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
S.2242, Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act, bipartisan legislation to require presidential candidates to report contact from foreign state actors to the FBI.
S.1247, Duty to Report Act, legislation to require candidates to report offers of assistance from foreign state actors to the FBI and FEC.
S.1540, Election Security Act, legislation to require paper ballots and provide election security grants.
S.2669, SHIELD Act, legislation to prevent foreign interference in elections.
S.1356, Honest Ads Act, bipartisan legislation to apply the existing rules on disclosures in political ads on TV to those on social media platforms.
S.949, For the People Act, a sweeping package of pro-democracy reforms that aims to make it easier, not harder, to vote; end the dominance of big money in politics; and ensure that public officials work for the public interest.
S.890, Senate Cybersecurity Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to provide cybersecurity assistance to the Senate.
S.1834, Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Protection Act, legislation to stop practices designed to prevent Americans from voting.
Health Care
S.1556, No Junk Plans Act, legislation to overturn the Trump administration’s expansion of junk health insurance plans.
H.R.986, Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
S.Res.18, a resolution authorizing the Senate Legal Counsel to intervene in the federal court case that would undermine protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
S.Res.94, a resolution asking the Department of Justice to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions.
S.1905, ENROLL Act, legislation to help Americans find a quality health care plan.
S.916, MOMMA’s Act, legislation to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate.
Worker Protections
H.R.7, Paycheck Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation to empower women to challenge pay discrimination in the workplace, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
S.2598, Pension Stability Act, legislation to protect workers’ and retirees’ pensions.
S.2254, Butch Lewis Act, legislation to protect workers’ and retirees’ pensions.
S.27, American Miners Act, legislation to protect coalminers’ pensions.
Climate Change
S.J.Res.9, bipartisan legislation calling on the United States and Congress to take immediate action on climate change.
S.Res.97, legislation to establish a Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
Other Critical Issues
H.R.2486, FUTURE Act, legislation to reauthorize funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions, which passed the House on a bipartisan voice vote.
H.J.Res.77, a bipartisan resolution opposing President Trump’s removal of US troops from northern Syria, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
S.2625, Syrian Allies Protection Act, legislation to make visas available to Kurdish Syrians supported to US armed forces in Syria.
H.R.549, Venezuela TPS Act, legislation to protect Venezuelans from deportation, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
S.2603, RELIEF Act, legislation to eliminate the green card backlog.
LEADER MCCONNELL HAS BURIED COMMONSENSE, BIPARTISAN PROPOSALS PASSED BY THE HOUSE IN HIS LEGISLATIVE GRAVEYARD.
More than 250 bills passed by the House are awaiting legislative action in the Senate, including:
H.R.986, Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.987, Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, legislation to counteract the Trump administration’s efforts to sabotage the healthcare system, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.8, Bipartisan Background Checks Act, legislation to enact the common sense, widely-supported expansion of background checks for gun purchases, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1112, Enhanced Background Checks Act, legislation to close the “Charleston Loophole” for gun purchases, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1, For the People Act, a sweeping package of pro-democracy reforms that aims to make it easier, not harder, to vote; end the dominance of big money in politics; and ensure that public officials work for the public interest.
H.R.2722, Securing America’s Federal Elections Act, legislation to help safeguard elections from foreign interference, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.4617, SHIELD Act, legislation to prevent foreign interference in elections.
H.R.2513, Corporate Transparency Act, bipartisan legislation to crack down on money laundering by Russian oligarchs, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.582, Raise the Wage Act, legislation to increase the federal minimum wage, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.7, Paycheck Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation to empower women to challenge pay discrimination in the workplace, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.397, Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, bipartisan legislation to protect workers’ and retirees’ pensions, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1585, Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.777, Debbie Smith Act, bipartisan legislation to help end the backlog of untested rape kits, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.5, Equality Act, legislation to prevent discrimination against the LGBTQ community, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1500, Consumers First Act, legislation to strengthen the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
H.R.1994, SECURE Act, legislation to help workers save for retirement, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1423, Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act, legislation to eliminate forced arbitration clauses in employment, consumer, and civil rights cases, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.J.Res.77, a bipartisan resolution opposing President Trump’s removal of US troops from northern Syria, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.6, American Dream and Promise Act, legislation to protect Dreamers and those with Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure by ensuring they have a path to citizenship, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.549, Venezuela TPS Act, legislation to protect Venezuelans from deportation, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.2486, FUTURE Act, legislation to reauthorize funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, and Minority-Serving Institutions, which passed the House on a bipartisan voice vote.
H.R.9, Climate Action Now Act, legislation to hold the administration to the United States’ commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1146, Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act, legislation to block oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1941, Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, legislation to ban offshore drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.205, Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act, Republican-sponsored legislation to ban offshore drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
H.R.1644, Save the Internet Act, legislation to restore net neutrality, which passed the House with bipartisan support.
LEADER MCCONNELL HAS PROUDLY PROCLAIMED HIMSELF THE “GRIM REAPER” FOR LEGISLATION TO HELP THE MIDDLE CLASS.
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “The one thing I get to do that the other 99 don’t get it do, is decide what we’re going to do.” [Remarks at Susan B. Anthony List, 6/3/19]
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “Donald Trump still in the White House, and as long as I'm Majority Leader of the Senate, I get to set the agenda, that's why I call myself the Grim Reaper.” [Fox News Hannity, 5/9/19]
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “If I'm still the majority leader of the Senate, think of me as the Grim Reaper. None of that stuff is going to pass. None of it.” [Remarks in Owensboro, KY via CNN, 4/22/19]
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