USA TODAY International Edition
THESE 10 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS MISSED HUNDREDS OF HOUSE VOTES
Sen. Marco Rubio took some lumps in the presidential race from his Floridian foil Jeb Bush for missing about a third of his votes this year, but he’s not alone in failing to show up in Washington.
Plenty of members of Congress have missed a tenth or more of eligible floor votes since 2007, according to a new tool created by the non- profit journalism outfit ProPublica. Those who missed votes have an opportunity to submit a “personal explanation” to the Congressional Record, explaining how they would have voted and why — but those entries are often forgotten or left vague with descriptions like “inadvertently detained.” ProPublica highlights the best of the bunch in its new app.
Travel headaches and family emergencies are common causes for no- shows, but most reps find a way, such as New Jersey Republican Leonard Lance, who missed just two of his 5,031 eligible votes.
“I believe that those who have elected me to Congress have elected me to vote — it’s a primary responsibility,” Lance said.
Here’s a roundup of others in the House of Representatives who missed significant time: 22% BOBBY RUSH, D- ILL. Rush missed 1,549 of 6,906 eligible votes. He missed hundreds of votes during a five- month span in 2008 while he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous salivary gland tumor. Rush did not respond to questions about his voting record. 15% LUIS GUTIÉRREZ, D- ILL. Gutiérrez missed 1,044 of 6,902 eligible votes. Almost all of Gutiérrez’s time away from Washington is attributed to work on immigration, his spokesman Doug Rivlin said. Gutiérrez also travels several times a year to Puerto Rico where his mother and other family live.
“There are a lot of requests for his time and he typically has immigrant- and Latino- related events most weeks and/ or weekends,” Rivlin said. 13% RUBÉN HINOJOSA, D- TEXAS Hinojosa missed 874 of 6,906 eligible votes. Hinojosa missed several votes in early 2015 recovering from knee surgery. His staff did not respond to questions about his time away from Washington. 12% DON YOUNG, R- ALASKA Young missed 828 of 6,906 eligible votes. Young attribute several missed votes in February to the flu ( despite having taken a flu shot, he notes).
“Like most members of Congress, Rep. Young has missed votes,” spokesman Matthew Shuckerow said. “It is not something he likes to do, but there are instances where he is meeting with constituents who have traveled thousands of miles to meet with him and others when he himself is traveling to and from the state to attend important meetings or events.” 12% ALMA ADAMS, D- N. C. Adams missed 73 of 629 eligible votes. Elected in 2014, Adams missed a handful of votes because of the sickness and death of her mother in June.
“Anyone who has lost a parent or a loved one knows much time and energy goes into laying them to rest. A person also deserves to grieve in their own right,” spokeswoman Shadawn Reddick- Smith said. “Congresswoman Adams returned to D. C. for votes on June 10, just a day and half after her mother’s funeral, a total of just four missed voting days.” 11% CHARLES RANGEL, D- N. Y. Rangel missed 787 of 6,906 eligible votes. He missed several votes in 2012 recovering from a spinal infection. Despite that, spokeswoman Hannah Kim called Rangel “a reliable voter with one of the higher percentages in the House” dating to his first votes in 1971. “Those votes were missed largely due to rare circumstances, such as the recent historic trip to Africa with President Obama and hospitalization in early 2012,” Kim said. 11% JACKIE SPEIER, D- CALIF. Speier missed 605 of 5,542 eligible votes. She says she attended most important votes and missed significant time due to sick parents and time out with the flu.
“I’d say most people in Washington take voting seriously, but sometimes life happens and nobody begrudges you time with family when they’re dying or if you have a family member graduating high school,” Speier told USA TODAY.
Speier fractured her kneecap in a fall last Tuesday and traveled to Washington the same day to be there for votes. 11% JAIME HERRERA BEUTLER, R- WASH. Herrera Beutler missed 370 of 3,379 eligible votes. She missed dozens of votes in 2013 after the birth of her daughter, Abigail.
The “miracle baby” was born with Potter’s syndrome, a usually fatal diagnosis that required significant medical care. “During that time, Jaime still made it to D. C. for critical votes,” said spokeswoman Amy Pennington, adding that few constituents use the Congressional Record for accounting of missed votes but use a website, media statements, emails and calls to communicate with interested parties. 10% KEN BUCK, R- COLO. Buck missed 59 of 581 eligible votes. He missed several votes in September while home recovering from back surgery, and for a trip to Kansas for the pinning ceremony of his son’s promotion in the U. S. Army.
“As for logging a reason in the Congressional Record, I think as one of the most conservative members of Congress, Rep. Buck’s position on issues is pretty clear,” spokesman Kyle Huwa said. 10% TRENT KELLY, R- MISS. Kelly missed 26 of 271 eligible votes. Kelly’s missed votes in June were because of military service with the Mississippi Army National Guard.
“I had a prior commitment to this nation and to 1,400 soldiers,” Kelly said through a spokeswoman. “I discussed with leadership that I made that commitment prior to being elected and honored that commitment.”