Knowing exactly where your lawmakers stand on the issues is the most important step in being an informed and active participant in the political process.

With Election Day approaching, a steady diet of uninspiring campaign rhetoric, hyperbolic accusations, and political mudslinging will continue to feed the airwaves. Add to the mix the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by outside groups and Super PACs and it can be all too easy to forget the most important question to ask on Nov. 6, “Do I approve of the way my lawmakers are voting?” ARSA carefully selected the House and Senate votes important to the aviation maintenance industry to help answer that critical question.

The vote charts are an objective measure of how legislators voted on issues important to the industry and are a small fraction of a member’s voting record. The charts do not include intrinsic factors you should consider when casting your ballot in the upcoming election, such as a candidate’s character, professional qualifications, or positions on other issues that matter to you personally. Furthermore, a candidate’s ARSA voting record should neither be read as an endorsement of any candidate, nor as a statement of opposition to a lawmaker’s reelection.

To view where your lawmakers stood on the key issues outlined below visit here and input your address.

House votes

The Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection & Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act (H.R. 4) – ARSA supported – Passed

This was the first and only law passed to overturn a portion of the president’s signature healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act. H.R. 4 repealed a provision in the law that would have mandated companies to report every transaction with an outside vendor totaling more than $600 on an IRS Form 1099 beginning in 2012.

Mandatory Criminal Background Amendment (H.AMDT.217) – ARSA opposed – Failed

In the fight for FAA reauthorization, the House beat back an amendment from Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) that would have mandated criminal background checks for employees at part 145 repair stations. ARSA members aggressively lobbied against the proposal during the Association’s 2011 Annual Legislative Day, which coincided with House floor debate on the matter.

Three Percent Withholding Tax Repeal (H.R. 674) – ARSA supported – Passed

The Tax Increase Prevention Reconciliation Act (TIPRA), enacted in 2006, included a provision requiring governmental entities whose annual expenditures exceed $100 million withhold three percent of all payments made to any individual or company that provided goods or services to the government. H.R. 674 repealed the onerous tax would have had no relationship to a company’s taxable income, impinging on cash flow and effectively resulting in an interest-free loan to the U.S. Treasury.

Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011 (H.R. 527) – ARSA supported – Passed

The Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011 aimed to strengthen the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), the law that requires federal agencies to contemplate the impact of regulations on small business. The legislation mandated that federal agencies consider both direct and indirect impacts of regulations while also requiring a periodic review of all rules that have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The bill passed the House, but stalled in the Senate.

FAA Reauthorization Conference Report Final Vote (H.R. 658) – ARSA Supported – Passed

After 23 short-term extensions of the prior FAA authorization law, Congress enacted the FAA Modernization & Reform Act, which authorized $15.9 billion annually for the agency through 2015. The law, which strikes the right balance between safety, oversight, and operational freedom for repair stations, was a significant victory for the aviation maintenance industry.

Repeal of Affordable Care Act (H.R. 6079) – ARSA Supported – Passed

Shortly after the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act, House Republican leaders proposed H.R. 6079 to scrap the law.  H.R. 6079 passed the chamber, but was not taken up in the Senate.

Senate votes

Repealing the Job-Killing Healthcare Law Act Amendment (S. 223) – ARSA supported – Failed

Offered as an amendment to the FAA Air Transportation Modernization & Safety Improvement Act, the measure sought to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection & Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act (H.R. 4) – ARSA supported – Passed

See House vote description.

Surface & Air Transportation Programs Extension (H.R. 2887) – ARSA supported – Passed

The expiration of surface transportation and aviation authorizations overlapped in the 112th Congress, necessitating several temporary extensions for both programs. The Surface & Air Transportation Extension Act of 2011 extended surface transportation programs for six months (through March 31, 2012) and the FAA for four months (through Jan. 31, 2012). This short-term extension followed a partial shutdown of the FAA and proved to be one of the last.

Three Percent Withholding Tax Repeal (H.R. 674) – ARSA supported – Passed

See House vote description

FAA Reauthorization Conference Report Final Vote (H.R. 658) – ARSA supported – Passed

See House vote description

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