McCain Rated as America’s Worst Senator for Children

Posted by Satyam Khanna, Think Progress at 6:17 AM on February 28, 2008.

Yesterday the Children's Defense Fund Action Council released its 2007 Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard. CDF reports some positive news, particularly that average scores for members of Congress "improved from the previous three years with more Members scoring 100 percent than in 2004, 2005 or 2006."

Many, however, did not fare so well. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) received a 10 percent rating -- the worst in the U.S. Senate.

CDF ranked members on 10 votes affecting children:


1. Increase minimum wage (H.R. 2)

2. Increase funding for children with disabilities (S. Con. Res. 21)

3. Protect children from unsafe medications (S. 1082)

4. 2008 Budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 21)

5. SCHIP Reauthorization (H.R. 976)

6. College Cost Reduction and Access Act (H.R. 2669)

7. SCHIP (H.R. 976 - motion to concur)

8. DREAM Act (S. 2205)

9. Funding child health and education (H.R. 3043)

10. Improving Head Start programs (H.R. 1429)


McCain has missed 57 percent of Senate votes this session, being absent or voting "present"8 out of 10-related votes. McCain voted "yes" to increase the minimum wage; his only other vote was voting "no" on SCHIP reauthorization on Aug. 2, 2007:

Furthermore, the rankings weren't divided by party. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Gordon Smith (R-OR) received strong 70 percent rankings.

McCain's CDF score has steadily declined over the years. In 2004, he received a 38 percent in 2005, 22 percent; in 2006, 10 percent.

Read the full report here.

Tagged as: children, health care, mccain

Satyam Khanna is a Research Associate for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.