Engel Gets 100% for Supporting Middle Class

Congressman Elliot Engel (D) N.Y.

WASHINGTON, DC — For the fifth consecutive year, U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel received a 100 percent rating from the non-partisan Drum Major Institute for Public Policy (DMI) for his votes on legislation supporting the middle class.

Since 2003, the DMI has issued annual scorecards analyzing the impact of domestic legislation on America’s current and aspiring middle class, and evaluating members of Congress based on their votes on this legislation. For each of those years Rep. Engel has received 100 percent for his voting record.

Rep. Engel said, “This is an achievement to be proud of. The middle class is the backbone of any society but lately, in the United States, this vital segment of society has been losing ground. Tax relief for the rich coupled with wage stagnation means that every year more of the middle class migrates down, while the wealthiest grow even wealthier.

“That is why I have consistently voted for legislation that supports the middle class; for laws such as the Paycheck Fairness Act (enforce prohibitions against sex discrimination), the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (health care for 4 million children without coverage), and the Emergency Extended Unemployment Act (extending unemployment benefits).*

“Of the 20 pieces of legislation that the DMI used as a measure, I voted with the DMI on all 20.”

The DMI established a website, theMiddleClass.org, to analyze bills it considers would have a significant impact on the middle class, as well as on the aspirations of low-income Americans who want to work their way into the middle class.

By DMI definition, the middle class standard of living in the United States has come to mean having a secure job, the opportunity to own a home, access to health care, retirement security, time off for vacation, illness and the birth or adoption of a child, opportunities to save for the future and the ability to provide a good education, including a college education, for one’s children. When these middle-class fundamentals are within the reach of most Americans, the nation is stronger economically, culturally and democratically.