For the first time, voters across America can now access a Congressional Scorecard from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare to view their elected representatives’ records on issues crucial to seniors before this fall’s elections. The scorecard – previously available exclusively to National Committee members – is designed to inform citizens about how their House and Senate members voted on Social Security, Medicare, and other measures impacting older Americans during the 116th Congress.
“This election, more than any other, will determine whether seniors’ earned benefits are protected and expanded or cut and privatized. Workers pay for these benefits with their hard-earned payroll contributions over the course of their lifetimes. Amid a pandemic that has taken a disproportionate toll on older Americans, it is critical that voters understand their House and Senate members’ votes on key legislation affecting seniors. Our Congressional Scorecard will help voters compare incumbents’ public statements with their actual records.” – Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
To view their representatives’ scores, voters can visit www.ncpssm.org/scorecard and click on their state on the interactive U.S. map. That will bring up a list of the state’s U.S. Senators and House members, along with a record of relevant votes and a percentage score from 0 to 100%. The higher a members’ score, the better his/her votes aligned with seniors’ interests. Elected representatives with a perfect 100% score voted in favor of older Americans every time. House and Senate members scoring 0% voted consistently against seniors’ interests — or may have missed the votes in our scorecard.
The list of the votes which factor into the members’ scores is available here. The scorecard allows voters to compare the National Committee’s position on each issue with their elected representatives’ votes.
On the House side, these votes included the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act and the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. (H.R. 3), among others. Critical Senate votes included the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, which would have resulted in cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid — and a measure disapproving of the president’s order allowing states to offer junk health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act.
“The urgency of this election compelled us to release incumbents’ scores publicly so that all voters have the fullest possible picture of where their elected representatives in Congress stand. Armed with this information, we believe Americans will see which candidates truly support the social safety net programs that seniors depend on now more than ever during the COVID pandemic – and vote accordingly.” – Max Richtman