FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2018
McCaskill Set on Attacking Trump, Not Fighting for Missouri Farmers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, Republican U.S. Senate candidate, issued the following statement reiterating his concern for Missouri’s agriculture industry following the recent trade discussions with China:
“My top concern remains Missouri farms and farming families. I have been in direct and regular contact with agriculture leaders in the state during these trade negotiations. I am pleased to see the President has directed the USDA to use the necessary tools to ensure agriculture is protected, which is critical. No nation, and certainly not China, should be allowed to shut out our farmers. China’s cheating must be stopped, and overseas markets must be opened to our farmers and their products.
“At this critical time for our farmers, they need someone in the Senate they can trust. Claire McCaskill has sold out Missouri farmers for twelve long years, voting to regulate our farmers’ water and their land, voting to tax their farms. She has richly earned her ‘F’ rating from the American Farm Bureau. Now she is focused on her war against President Trump rather than on helping Missouri’s farms. She’s out of touch. She’s all about herself. She can’t be trusted.”
BACKGROUND
McCaskill Has A Failing Grade This Cycle From The American Farm Bureau
McCaskill Has A 25% From The American Farm Bureau For 2017/18. (“Congressional Scorecard & Voting Record,” American Farm Bureau; “Claire McCaskill,” Project Vote Smart, Accessed 4/6/18)
McCaskill Supports The Death Tax
Missouri Groups Have Expressed Their Opposition To The Death Tax
The Missouri Farm Bureau Published Op-Eds Explaining Their Opposition To The Death Tax. “Farmland prices are high because farm incomes have been good. That’s a wonderful thing for which farmers owe no apology. Every dollar of those increased incomes is taxed by the state and the nation, and every acre of those farms pays property taxes. We’re already paying taxes on our good fortune, as we should. We ought not be taxed again at death.” (Blake Hurst, Op-Ed, “My Neighbor Is Not Warren Buffett,” Missouri Farm Bureau, 10/18/12)
McCaskill Repeatedly Voted In Favor Of Protecting The Death Tax
In February 2009, McCaskill Voted Against Repealing The Death Tax For Estates Under $5 Million. (H.R. 1, Roll Call Vote #38: Motion Rejected 36-61, 2/4/09, McCaskill Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 1/15/16)
In July 2010, McCaskill Voted Against A Permanent Repeal Of The Death Tax. (H.R. 4213, Roll Call Vote #213: Motion Rejected 39-59, 7/21/10, McCaskill Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 1/15/16)
In December 2010, McCaskill Voted Against An Amendment That Would Permanently Repeal The Death Tax. (H.R. 4853; Roll Call Vote #274: Motion Rejected 37-63, 12/15/10, McCaskill Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 1/15/16)
In March 2013, McCaskill Voted Against An Amendment That Would Have Created A Deficit-Neutral Fund To Permanently Eliminate The Death Tax. (S. Con. Res. 8, Roll Call Vote #67: Rejected 46-53, 3/22/13, McCaskill Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 1/15/16)
In March 2015, McCaskill Voted Against An Amendment That Would Have Created A Deficit-Neutral Reserve Fund To Allow For Legislation To Eliminate The Death Tax. (S.Amdt. 607 to S.Con.Res. 11, Roll Call Vote #114: Agreed To 54-46, 3/26/15, McCaskill Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 1/15/16)
McCaskill Voted Against Disapproving The EPA’s WOTUS Rule
In November 2015, McCaskill Voted Against The Motion To Proceed To A Joint Resolution That Would Provide Congressional Disapproval For The EPA’s Decision To Redefine “Waters Of The United States.” “Nullifies the rule submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the definition of ‘waters of the United States’ under the Clean Water Act and published on June 29, 2015.” (S.J.Res.22, Roll Call Vote #296: Motion To Proceed Agreed To 55-43, 11/3/15, McCaskill Voted Nay; Congressional Research Service Bill Summary, Accessed 11/3/15)
In November 2015, McCaskill Voted Against Passing A Joint Resolution That Would Provide Congressional Disapproval For The EPA’s Decision To Redefine “Waters Of The United States.” “Nullifies the rule submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the definition of ‘waters of the United States’ under the Clean Water Act and published on June 29, 2015.” (S.J.Res.22, Roll Call Vote #297: Joint Resolution Passed 53-44, 11/4/15, McCaskill Voted Nay; Congressional Research Bill Summary, Accessed 11/4/15)
On January 21, 2016, McCaskill Voted Against Cloture On The Veto Message On The Joint Resolution That Would “Disapprove And Nullify” The Waters Of The United States Rule. “Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the veto message on the joint resolution that would disapprove and nullify the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers’ ‘waters of the United States’ rule, which seeks to clarify the federal government’s authority to regulate interstate water under the Clean Water Act.” (Veto Message To Accompany S.J. Res. 22, Roll Call Vote #5: Cloture Motion Rejected 52-40, 1/21/16, McCaskill Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 1/21/16)
