NOV. 6, 2009:NWLP
11/3/09
10:21 AM
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For 2009 legislative session
AFL-CIO S ENATE S CORECARD
AFL-CIO rates Oregon lawmakers
BEND — Democratic State Rep.
Tina Kotek of Portland was named the
Oregon AFL-CIO’s “Legislator of the
Year.” The state labor federation re-
leased its ranking of state lawmakers for
the 2008 legislative session prior to its
biennial convention here Oct. 26-27.
Legislator of the Year is awarded to
an Oregon lawmaker who has “gone
above and beyond to stand up for Ore-
gon’s middle class.” Kotek was one of
10 lawmakers in the House and nine in
the Senate to receive “Gold Medal” sta-
tus with the Oregon AFL-CIO’s Com-
mittee on Political Education. Kotek
had the highest point total among them.
The AFL-CIO uses a weighted sys-
tem whereby lawmakers receive
“points” for their votes based on how
important a bill is to the organization.
For example, legislators who supported
the federation’s top bill last session —
the Worker Freedom Act (SB 519) —
received more points than for other bills
labor lobbied for.
Floor votes weren’t the only criteria
used. Lawmakers also earned marks for
co-sponsoring bills, giving bills hear-
ings in committees they chaired, testi-
fying in favor of bills, and even for at-
tending rallies in support of a bill.
In cases where legislators were on
the opposite side of the AFL-CIO,
points were deducted.
Legislators with the highest points
are awarded gold, silver and bronze sta-
tus. Point totals for each lawmaker were
not released, and those receiving nega-
tive point totals were not listed.
In the Senate, nine Democratic law-
makers received Gold Medal status: Di-
ane Rosenbaum and Rod Monroe of
Portland; Alan Bates of Ashland; Presi-
dent Peter Courtney of Salem; Major-
ity Leader Richard Devlin of Tualatin;
Floyd Prozanski and Vicki Walker of
Eugene; Suzanne Bonamici of Beaver-
ton; and Laurie Monnes-Anderson of
Gresham.
Senators voting 100 percent on all
AFL-CIO-backed bills that reached the
floor were Bates, Bonamici, Courtney,
Devlin, Monnes-Anderson, Monroe,
Prozanski, Rosenbaum, Margaret
Carter and Jackie Dingfelder of Port-
land, and Bill Morrisette of Springfield.
Democrat Martha Schrader of
Canby (wife of Congressman Kurt
Schrader) was named “Rookie of the
Year” and was a Silver medalist.
Two Senate Republicans received
“Honorable Mention” status, David
Nelson of Pendleton and Jackie Winters
of Salem.
In the House, the top rankings went
to Kotek and fellow Portland Democ-
rats Michael Dembrow, Speaker Dave
Hunt, and Majority Leader Mary
Nolan; Mike Schaufler of Happy Val-
ley; Arnie Roblan of Coos Bay; Brad
Witt of Clatskanie; Jeff Barker of
Aloha; Paul Holvey of Eugene, and
Greg Matthews of Gresham.
Representatives voting 100 percent
on all AFL-CIO-backed bills were
Kotek, Hunt, Barker, Holvey, Terry
Beyer of Springfield, Chris Garrett of
Lake Oswego, Betty Komp of Wood-
burn, and Judy Stiegler of Bend.
“Rookies of the Year” in the House
went to Dembrow, Matthews, Garrett,
Brent Barton of Clackamas, and Jules
Bailey of Portland. All are Democrats.
Greg Smith of Heppner was rated
the most labor-friendly Republican, re-
ceiving a Bronze Medal.
Among the legislators with the high-
est marks, seven are union members.
They are Senators Rosenbaum and
Monnes-Anderson, and Representatives
Dembrow, Witt, Barker, Holvey, and
Matthews.
Nearly 40 bills were used in evalu-
ating legislators. Space prohibits listing
all of the bills. For more, go to the AFL-
CIO Web site at www.oraflcio.org.
Legislators are listed in order of score
Legislators not listed received negative scores
GOLD MEDAL
Diane Rosenbaum, D
Alan Bates, D
Peter Courtney, D
Richard Devlin, D
Suzanne Bonamici, D
Floyd Prozanski, D
Rod Monroe, D
Laurie Monnes-Anderson, D
Vicki Walker, D
BRONZE MEDAL
Rick Metsger, D
SILVER MEDAL
Jackie Dingfelder, D
Bill Morrisette, D
Margaret Carter, D
Mark Hass, D
Martha Schrader, D
Joanne Verger, D
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Ginny Burdick, D
Betsy Johnson, D
David Nelson, R
Jackie Winters, R
AFL-CIO H OUSE S CORECARD
Legislators are listed in order of score
Legislators not listed received negative scores
GOLD MEDAL
Tina Kotek, D
Mike Schaufler, D
Arnie Roblan, D
Brad Witt, D
Michael Dembrow, D
Jeff Barker, D
Dave Hunt, D
Mary Nolan, D
Paul Holvey, D
Greg Matthews, D
BRONZE MEDAL
Nancy Nathanson, D
Jefferson Smith, D
Debbie Boone, D
Chris Harker, D
Carolyn Tomei, D
Nick Kahl, D
Jean Cowan, D
Suzanne Van Orman, D
Greg Smith, R
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Bob Jenson, R
Bill Garrad, R
Scott Bruun, R
SILVER MEDAL
Chip Shields, D
Larry Galizio, D
Tobias Read, D
Phil Barnhart, D
Jules Bailey, D
Sara Gelser, D
Brent Barton, D
Peter Buckley, D
Chris Garrett, D
Judy Stiegler, D
Mitch Greenlick, D
Chris Edwards, D
Chuck Riley, D
Brian Clem, D
Ben Cannon, D
David Edwards, D
Terry Beyer, D
HONORABLE MENTIONS
John Huffman, R
Andy Olson, R
Cliff Bentz, R
Vickie Berger, R
Sal Esquival, R
Wayne Krieger, R
Bill Kennemer, R
Zachary
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