Carolyn McCarthy's Broken Promises on Jobs, Economy

Originally released: August 1, 2012

16-year Democrat incumbent fails to sponsor even one bill to create jobs, fix sputtering economy

Continuing to assail 16-year incumbent Democrat Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy for her failure and unwillingness to stem growing unemployment across Nassau County and New York’s Fourth Congressional District, Legislator Fran Becker (R-Lynbrook), Republican candidate for Congress, called McCarthy’s recent claims that she’s creating local jobs “a fairytale.”

Said Becker: “The reality is that Nassau County’s unemployment rate is 7.5% and rising. That’s a pretty big difference from Carolyn McCarthy’s ‘lollipops and bubblegum’ view of the economy. What economy does she live in? Certainly not ours, that’s for sure.”

Extensive review of McCarthy’s legislative record in the 112th Congress shows she sponsored just 14 pieces of legislation, none of which dealt with creating jobs or any economic issue.  (Source: THOMAS Legislative Search)

Carolyn McCarthy, in fact, recently voted against numerous proposals aimed at addressing job creation and the economy, reducing spending, and shrinking the  size of the federal government, including:

            H.R. 9 – The 2012 Small Business Tax Cut Act (Roll Call Vote #177, 4/19/2012) 

            H.Con.Res. 112 – Bill to establish a budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2013 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY 2014-2022  (Roll Call Vote #151, 3/29/2012)
            
           H.R. 910 – The Energy Tax Prevention Act (Roll Call Vote #249, 4/7/2012)          

           H.J.Res. 37 – Prohibiting the Federal Communications Commission from imposing their net-neutrality ruling (Roll Call Vote #252, 4/8/2011)   

            H.R. 2018 – The Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act that would have the Environmetal Protection Agency explain what effect its regulations have on jobs and the economy so officials can make educated judgments whether a regulation is necessary or harmful.  (Roll Call Vote #573, 7/13/2011)

            H.R. 1315 – The Consumer & Financial Protection & Soundess Improvement Act that would have amended the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act by strengthening the review authority of the Financial Stability Oversight Council of regulations issued by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, assisting our community’s working families and seniors (Roll Call Vote #621, 7/21/2011)

            H.R. 2587 – America’s job creators rallied around The Protecting Jobs from Government Interfence Act as it passed the House of Representatives.  The legislation was also supported  by most major industy groups.  It addresses the flaw in the National Labor Relations Act that empowers the National Labor Relations Board to order employers to close American workplaces – killing jobs – or unilaterally relocating workplaces.  This restriction stimies economic growth and success of businesses in today’s economy.  This legislation fosters a positive environment for American employers to develop their businesses in whatever location they believe offers the best opportunities.

            Additional legislation that McCarthy also voted against include:

            H.R. 2401 – The Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act;

            H.R. 2681 – The Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act;

            H.R. 2250 – The EPA Regulatory Relief Act;

            H.R. 2273 – The Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act;

            H.R. 3094 – The Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act; and
            H.R. 10 – REINS (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny) Act.     

“The lack of progress Carolyn McCarthy has made creating jobs and fixing our sputtering economy is jaw-dropping.  For a long-serving congresswoman and senior member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce not to sponsor a single piece of legislation to bring jobs to our area or fix the economy is unforgivable.  What exactly has Carolyn been doing in Washington?” asked Legislator Becker.

Becker observed that McCarthy also didn’t show much interest in co-sponsoring even Democrat-backed economic bills:

H.R. 870 – The Humphrey-Hawkins 21st Century Full Employment and Training Act sponsored by Michigan Democrat John Conyers that also has 52 cosponsors.  But not Carolyn McCarthy.  This bill is a comprehensive and innovative federal and local government job creation and training bill that would create millions of new jobs for the nation’s unemployed.  The Act’s Full Employment Trust Fund would provide federal funding for local community-based job creation and training initiatives until full employment is reached in the United States. The Act is deficit neutral.

H.R. 589 – The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act sponsored by California Democrat Barbara Lee that also has 92 Democrat co-sponsors.  But not Carolyn McCarthy.  The legislation would add 14 weeks of benefits to the the first “tier” of Emergency Unemployment Compensation that provides federal-funded benefits for workers who exhaust their state unemployment benefits.

H.R. 402 – The National Infrastructure Development Bank Act sponsored by Connecticut Democrat Rosa DeLauro that also has 77 Democrat co-sponsors.  But not Carolyn McCarthy.  The legislation would finance and execute infrastructure projects of national significance.  Some examples include projects concerning transportation (i.e. highways, transit, inland waterways, rail and air travel), the environment (i.e. drinking and wastewater facilities and hazardous waste facilities); energy (i.e. renewable energy transmission and building efficiency); and telecommunications (i.e. broadband development). The Development Bank would be capitalized with authorized appropriations of $5 billion a year for 5 years as paid in capital and would sunset 15 years after it is signed into law.

H.R. 494 – The 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps Act sponsored by Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur that also has 30 Democrat co-sponsors.  But not Carolyn McCarthy.  The bill would establish a Civilian Conservation Corps to employ unemployed or underemployed U.S. citizens in the construction, maintenance, and carrying on of works of a public nature, such as forestation of U.S. and state lands, prevention of forest fires, floods, and soil erosion, and construction and repair of National Park System paths and trails.

H.R. 1901 – The Youth Employment Act sponsored by Illinois Democrat Bobby Rush that also has 24 co-sponsored.  But not Carolyn McCarthy.  According to the bill’s sponsor, “the unemployment rate for Americans between the ages of 16 and 19 had reached a Depression-era level of 25.5 percent…the highest level it had ever been in the 50-plus years that the U. S. Labor Department has been tracking those records.” (Source: http://rush.house.gov/)  The legislation would set aside money for youth employment while also offering tax incentives for businesses that hire youth.

The only attempt McCarthy has made that suggests any interest in improving the economy was to follow 330 of her colleagues in co-sponsoring a Republican bill reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States, extending the government agency’s authority until 2014.

Becker called attempts by McCarthy to piggyback on Republican ideas to prop up her utterly collapsed economic record “a see-through attempt to camouflage her failed leadership during this economic crisis.”

“Carolyn McCarthy took credit for today’s terrible economy.  And just like every other Washington-insider, she hopes we’ll forget that she did.  It’s outrageous she hasn’t sponsored even one measure in Congress to help bring jobs to our community and fix the economic problems she created,” said Legislator Becker.

“I’m the only candidate running in this race with an actual Middle Class Jobs Plan that will create jobs and put Carolyn McCarthy’s faltering economy back on track.  132 American economists agree with me; I have the plan to put people back to work,” Becker stated.

“The neighbors I speak with keep asking me why our Congresswoman has abandoned us,” said Becker.  “I simply don’t have an answer to that.  All I can tell you is that I will not.”