CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND ACTION COUNCIL GRADES MEMBERS OF CALIFRONIA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

In 2007 Some Gains Made for Children, But Much Work Remains to Be Done

WASHINGTON, DC – The Children’s Defense Fund Action Council (CDFAC) today released its 2007 Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard, showing some important legislative successes but noting some missed key opportunities to improve the lives of children in 2007. Members of Congress from California voted to protect the well-being of children 69 percent of the time, in line with average scores in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The average scores for Members of Congress in both the House of Representatives and the Senate improved from the previous three years with more Members scoring 100 percent than in 2004, 2005 or 2006.  However, Congress failed to provide health coverage for even one-third of the children currently uninsured in America.  The Scorecard, which grades every Member of the House and Senate based on ten key votes affecting children, calls on voters to hold their legislators accountable for their votes. 

“While Congress did take some important strides forward for children and families in 2007, much work remains,” said CDFAC President Marian Wright Edelman. “In the state of California alone there are 1.3 million children without health coverage and 1.6 million living in poverty. We must demand that our leaders commit to helping children as a condition of our vote.”

As the 2007 CDF Action Council Scorecard reports:

·         Members of Congress from California scored 69 percent, ranking 24^th among all 50 states. 

·         The top members from California scoring 100% were Sen. Diane Feinstein, Rep. Joe Baca, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Rep. Howard Berman, Rep. Lois Capps, Rep. Dennis A. Cardoza, Rep. Jim Costa, Rep. Susan Davis, Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. Bob Filner, Rep. Michael M. Honda, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Doris Matsui, Rep. Gerald McNerney, Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano, Rep. Laura Richardson, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Brad Sherman, Rep. Hilda L. Solis, Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher, Rep. Mike Thompson, and Rep. Henry A. Waxman.

·         The worst members from California were Rep. John Campbell (10%), Rep. John T. Doolittle (10%), Rep. Gary G. Miller (10%), and Rep. Edward Royce (10%).

The Scorecard highlights Congress’s failure to override President Bush’s veto of legislation to extend health coverage to 3.1 million more uninsured children. But it also credits Members for making important progress for children and families in 2007 by passing:

• The first increase in the minimum wage in a decade, bringing it from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour by 2009, which is expected to benefit the parents of approximately 6.4 million children under 18.
• Access and quality improvements in Head Start to help more young children start school ready to succeed.
• Additional funds for student loans to help many more youth attend college.

            “Whether Members of Congress are liberal, conservative or moderate; Democrat, Republican or Independent, children need all of them to vote, lobby, speak for and protect them,” Edelman said. “As candidates from California line up to ask for your votes in November 2008, we must all listen carefully to what candidates say they will do for children and families and then hold them accountable once they are in office.”

               CDFAC developed an interactive map and other online tools to show how Members of Congress voted by state. To see the interactive map as well as the 2007 Congressional Scorecard in its entirety, which includes the grades of all Members of Congress, visit: www.cdfactioncouncil.org.

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