-full disclosure…Jo Ann is kind of a hometown weasel, she represents where 90% of my family lives and her former husband (God rest his soul) was near legendary among working folks in SEMO-
Jo Ann Emerson (born September 16, 1950) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Missouri currently serving her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She represents Missouri's 8th congressional district which consists of Southeast and South Central Missouri and includes the Missouri part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area, the Bootheel, the Lead Belt and the Ozarks. The largest cities in the district are Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff, Farmington, Rolla, Kennett, and West Plains. Emerson is a member of the Republican Party.
Emerson was born in Bethesda, Maryland and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University. She married then-lobbyist and future U.S. Representative Bill Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau) on June 22, 1975. He was 12 years her senior. …Bill was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1980 from Missouri's 10th Congressional District and, subsequent to redistricting, was reelected in 1982 from the 8th District. He handily retained his seat through 1994, his final election, before succumbing to cancer on June 22, 1996. The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, which links Missouri to Illinois across the Mississippi River, was dedicated to commemorate his efforts to obtain federal funding for its construction.
Emerson's voting record has been mostly conservative, though it has become more centrist in recent years. She has a lifetime rating of 83 from the American Conservative Union. During the 110th Congress, Emerson voted with the Democrats on several issues including Medicare prescription-drug negotiations, raising the minimum wage, funding stem cell research and on new budget rules during the Democrats' 100-Hour Plan
- Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
- Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
- Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
- Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 80% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)
- Voted YES on regulating the subprime mortgage industry. (Nov 2007)
- Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation. (Nov 2007)
- Rated 21% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
- Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
- Rated 47% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action. (Dec 2006)
- Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage. (Jun 2008)
- Voted YES on allowing stockholder voting on executive compensation. (Apr 2007)
- Rated 92% by the US COC, indicating a pro-business voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 30% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes. (Dec 2000)
- Voted Yes to a Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing. (Mar 2001)
- Voted YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism. (Sep 2001)
- Rated -30 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance. (Dec 2006)
- Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes. (Dec 2003)
- Voted NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore. (Jun 2006)
- Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels. (Aug 2001)
- Rated 17% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence. (Dec 2006)
- Rated 0% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
- Voted YES on establishing nationwide AMBER alert system for missing kids. (Apr 2003)
- Rated 90% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues. (Dec 2002)
- Voted YES on granting Washington DC an Electoral vote & vote in Congress. (Apr 2007)
- Voted YES on requiring photo ID for voting in federal elections. (Sep 2006)
- Voted YES on limiting attorney's fees in class action lawsuits. (Feb 2005)
- No lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jan 2001)
- Rated “A” by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Voted YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids. (Jan 2008)
- Voted YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay. (Feb 2006)
- Rated 33% by APHA, indicating a mixed record on public health issues. (Dec 2003)
- Voted YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses. (Feb 2005)
- Voted YES on permitting commercial airline pilots to carry guns. (Jul 2002)
- Rated 11% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
- Voted YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project. (Jun 2006)
- Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment. (May 2004)
- Voted NO on more immigrant visas for skilled workers. (Sep 1998)
- Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance. (Dec 2006)
- Declare English as the official language of the US. (Feb 2007)
- Voted NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Mar 2007)
- Voted YES on zero-funding OSHA's Ergonomics Rules instead of $4.5B. (Mar 2001)
- Rated 31% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-union voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 38% by the ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 54% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation. (Dec 2006)
- Voted NO on establishing "network neutrality" (non-tiered Internet). (Jun 2006)
- Promote internet via Congressional Internet Caucus. (Jan 2001)
- Voted NO on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq. (Jun 2008)
- Voted NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days. (May 2007)
- Voted YES on approving removal of Saddam & valiant service of US troops. (Mar 2004)
- Voted YES on authorizing military force in Iraq. (Oct 2002)
- Voted YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks. (Jul 2001)
- Voted YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations. (Nov 1999)
Jo Ann, you are pro gun, pro life, pro national security, against “spreading the wealth around” via oppressive taxation, you seem to be for a secure border although you have a vote or two I would question, and even though you helped increase democratic control with the vote for DC’s electoral representation, you are pro-farmer and Pro-free internet. Helping the liberals in their 100 hr plan is a cause for concern but even though I do not agree with you on every issue, and would caution you not to become “moderate” , or a “follower”, you have done far better than the average weasel, and so you get an
A
