Today, we released our 2021 scorecard for the 116th Congress (Jan. 3, 2019 – Jan. 3, 2021), a critical component of our work in Washington to show how all of Congress performed on pro-business and pro-growth issues near and dear to the Chamber’s mission.
For each Congress, the Chamber defines its legislative priorities and then issues key vote letters to lawmakers on the consequential pieces of legislation that support and undermine the Chamber’s mission to create jobs and economic growth.
For the 116th Congress, top priorities included the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the momentous trade deal that was our biggest pre-COVID priority, and the multiple pandemic relief packages last year that were so instrumental in keeping millions of Americans on the job and small businesses open during the dark days of the lockdowns. Those policies were crucial in positioning the American economy for the Great Resurgence we are now poised to experience and members of Congress who supported these proposals received credit on our scorecard.
The Chamber also opposed many pieces of legislation that received votes, including the PRO Act, which would radically rewrite labor law in the U.S., and a rollback of NEPA reforms. Members of Congress who supported these proposals received lower scores on our scorecard.
What’s the scorecard:The purpose of the scorecard is to drive support for the Chamber’s policy priorities in Congress, create incentives for Members of Congress to take leadership roles in getting those priorities done, and to encourage durable, bipartisan legislation and collaboration that advances the Chamber’s mission to create jobs and economic growth. View the full scorecard for the 116th Congress here.
What’s next: Votes taken by members of Congress this year will be reflected in the scorecard released next year and be added to their lifetime “How They Voted” score. A member’s lifetime score is a critical – but not singular – consideration for political endorsements.
The bipartisan infrastructure package offers an opportunity for legislators to improve their score. On the other hand, members of Congress who support proposals such as the PRO Act, the FAIR Act, and mandatory unworkable, one-size fits all business reporting regimes, and those who end up voting in support tax increases on employers will see their scores decline, with significant risk of falling below the Chamber’s 70% threshold.
With votes on tax increases possibly looming in the coming months, the U.S., state, and local chambers will tomorrow activate on a day of action about the harm such increases would have on American businesses of all sizes. This will include social and local media and direct outreach to offices on the Capitol Hill.
Bottom line: The Chamber is committed to lawmakers who uphold our mission to create jobs and economic growth, and we are appreciative of those that work across the aisle to pass pro-growth legislation that moves the American economy forward.
