Unacceptable absent record shows need for change

To The Eagle:

As we all get ready to vote, I just had to comment about our Congresswoman, Jaime Herrera Beutler. I have had my eyes and ears open since January of this year to learn how she is doing in Congress. I wanted to tell you what I found out. I had not heard of what she was doing, so I got curious.

In January, she started out pretty well. She made 17 votes, which included a “present” vote on January 5, when Congress reconvened. Total for January, 2016, 17 votes.

In February, three votes on February 2, zero votes from February 3 to 12 (16 missed votes), February 23-29, zero votes, (missed 10 votes). Total for March, 2016, three votes, missed 26 votes.

In March, Jaime voted six times (on the 16th and 17th); she missed 14 votes. Total for March, 2016, six votes, missed 14 votes.

In April, Jaime did pretty well, she voted 18 times and only missed two votes. Total for April, 2016, 18 votes, missed only two votes.

In May, Jaime missed 43 votes. Total for May, zero votes. Here’s some of the votes she missed--military appropriations, cyber security appropriations, funds for the Counter Terrorism Board, the Addiction and Recovery Act, plus 10 other bills for drug addiction issues, pain management issues, and opioid use issues.

In June, no votes cast, she missed 33 votes. Total for June, zero votes.

In July, everyone was on vacation, Republican National Convention.

In August, everyone still on vacation, maybe they are campaigning.

In September, wow! Jaime cast 55 votes! Election coming!

In October, Congress is on recess, campaigning for re-election.

All of these statistics are available to the public. Her salary is also available to the public. Most of the rank and file members of Congress make $174,000 plus benefits, so I am assuming this is her salary.

According to govtrack.us, Jaime has missed 503 votes out of 3729 House votes, from January, 2011 to May, 2016. This puts her at a 13.5 percent absentee rate, which is six times the average for her fellow House members.

Just lately, Jaime missed a key vote in the House, whether to prohibit federal contractors from discriminating against gays or lesbians. By a vote of 213-212 this amendment was rejected by the House. All the votes to defeat the amendment came from Republicans. Her absence occurred on the same day that Jim Moeller, a Democrat from Vancouver, filed to replace Jaime as the congressman from the 3rd District seat in Washington. Did she not want to vote on this amendment, or what?

So now I know more about Jaime than I did a few months ago! And here is what I think. All of the hard-working voters in the state of Washington, who come to work everyday, and work hard, and do not make nearly what Jaime makes per year, need to remember her record in Congress for the last five years. If we had a 13.5 percent absentee record on our jobs, we would have been booted out long ago. Let’s give Jim Moeller a vote on election day, and see how he does. It’s got be an improvement. We deserve more from our elected officials than Jaime has given us.

Kathryn H. Vale

Long Beach