I am pleased to share with you that the AFL-CIO gave me a 100% rating for standing with working people in 2023. This rating is based on the votes we take in a given year and their impact on workers across the country.

Here are some of the pieces of legislation that they highlighted as part of their inventory:

• I voted against the CHOICE Arrangement Act: This bill sought to relax rules on association health plans, letting employers offer plans without essential health benefits and insufficient reserves.
• I voted against the Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023: This bill threatened the separation of powers by restricting courts from deferring to agencies' expertise on interpreting laws and regulations. It would empower unelected judges to override agency decisions, potentially risking public health, safety, and financial security.
• I voted against the REINS Act: It would undermine federal agencies' ability to implement crucial rules safeguarding workers and the public. It would require prioritizing politics over scientific judgment.
• I voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023: This bill proposed severe cuts of $144 billion to domestic spending, slashing vital programs by up to 22%. It would endanger Medicaid coverage for 10 million low-income Americans, eliminate food assistance for millions of families, and revoke debt relief for 40 million student borrowers. Additionally, funds for veterans' medical care, clean energy projects, COVID-19 vaccines, and public transit subsidies would be at risk.

Standing with unions like the AFL-CIO is about more than just politics for me. Doing right by working people means doing right by families like mine.

Growing up, my dad's strong union made a tangible difference in our household, just as unions do for countless families today. I will always work to ensure the needs of working people are heard in Congress and our community.

More soon,

Rick