Release: Callis Delivers Yet Another Strong Performance in Final Debate

NORMAL — Former Chief Judge and Congressional challenger Ann Callis delivered yet another strong performance in the final debate of the general election. Through all three debates, voters have clearly seen that Callis will fight for them in Washington while Congressman Rodney Davis votes against his constituents and then tries to lie about his record. The debate was held on the campus of Illinois State University.
 
“These debates have been a great opportunity to share with voters my positive vision for our district. I’m fighting on behalf of the countless people I’ve met throughout this campaign who have expressed their frustration with a Congress that is only looking out for itself. During each debate, I have held Congressman Davis accountable for his terrible votes and policies, including voting against raising the minimum wage and blocking the Paycheck Fairness Act. I’m confident that voters will support my call for change now that they’ve seen the clear differences between our philosophies of public service,” said Callis.
 
During the debate, Callis again shared her pragmatic approach to public service, which is centered around her willingness to work with leaders of all parties and listen to her constituents. Callis’ strong record as Judge in Madison County is the reason she was retained with 68% of the vote in 2012, was selected out of hundreds of judges across the state to serve on highly selective Illinois Supreme Court Committees, and has been repeatedly recommended by the Illinois State Bar Association.
 
When Congressman Davis tried to lie about his terrible record, as he has done in each debate, Callis again held him accountable for voting against raising the minimum wage and blocking the Paycheck Fairness Act. Congressman Davis continued do point fingers and defend the current “do nothing Congress.”
 
This is the final of three live debates, with previous debates the last two weeks in Champaign and Springfield. Callis has also participated in candidate forums in Edwardsville, Decatur, and at Richland Community College.
 
 
Fact check: 
 
Minimum Wage
 
Congressman Davis Voted Against Increasing the Minimum Wage from $7.25 to $10.10 Over Three Years
In 2013, upon enactment, the measure would have increased the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.20 within three months. A year from this date, the federal minimum wage would increase from $8.20 to $9.15. A year from this date, the federal minimum wage would increase to $10.10.
[HR 803, Vote #74, 3/15/13]
This motion to recommit would have raised the nation’s minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2015.  The vote came as part of a final amendment to a bill that would harm access to job training and education programs for low-income Americans.
[House Committee on Education and the Workforce, 3/15/13]
 

Government Shutdown
 
Davis Said he Could Not Guarantee he would Not Vote for Another Shutdown.  
In October 2013, when asked if he would support another government shutdown Davis said, “We're going to have to see what happens over the next month and a half.”
[The News-Gazette, 10/18/13]

• Headline: Congressman Davis Won't Guarantee Another Government Shutdown Won't Happen [Dewitt Daily News, 10/23/13]

 
2013: Davis Signed the Mark Meadows Letter to Urge Leadership Not to Have a Continuing Resolution Without Defunding Affordable Health Care Act. 
According to Freedom Works, Rodney Davis signed the Mark meadows letter, “affirming that they will refuse to vote for a CR that contains ObamaCare funding.”
[Freedom Works Website, 8/14/13; Meadows Letter, 8/21/13]

• Headline: 80 House Members: Shutdown Better than “Obamacare” [Associated Press, 8/23/13]

 
Davis Voted for a Continuing Resolution that would “Likely Result” In a Government Shutdown. 
In 2013 House Republicans passed a Continuing Resolution that the Associated Press reported would “likely result” in the shutdown of the federal government.
[HJ Res 59, Vote #478, 9/20/13; Associated Press, 8/23/13; New York Times, 9/18/13]
 

 
Congressman Davis Voted Sixteen Times Against Efforts to Re-Open the Government. 
Following the government shutdown, Congressman Davis voted sixteen times against efforts to vote on a clean government funding resolution by allowing consideration of the Senate-passed continuing resolution.
[H Res 370, Vote #509, 10/02/13; HJ Res 70, Vote #512, 10/02/13; HR 3230, Vote #515, 10/03/13; HJ Res 72, Vote #517, 10/03/13; H Res 371, Vote #519, 10/04/13; HJ Res 85, Vote #521, 10/04/13; HJ Res 75, Vote #523, 10/04/13; H J Res 77, Vote #527, 10/7/13; HJ Res 84, Vote #529, 10/08/13; H Res 373, Vote #531, 10/08/13; HR 3273, Vote #533, 10/08/13; HJ Res 90, Vote #536, 10/09/13; HJ Res 79, Vote #539, 10/10/13; HJ Res 76, Vote #541, 10/11/13; HJ Res 380, Vote #543, 10/11/13; HJ Res 80, Vote #547, 10/14/13; New York Times, 10/07/13]
 

 
…And Because of Congressman Davis’ Government Shutdown:
 1,300 Illinois National Guard Employees Were Furloughed. In 2013 during the government shutdown, “About 1,300 Illinois National Guard employees also are off the job, as are dozens of state employees,” according to Associated Press. 
[Associated Press, 10/1/13]
 

 
Approximately 3,500 Civilian Employees at Scott Air Force Base Were Furloughed. In 2013 during the government shutdown, “Some 3,500 civilian employees - about two-thirds of the non-military staff at 13,000-worker Scott Air Force Base - reported for work but were later sent home after completing paperwork to wait out the federal shutdown,” according to the Associated Press.
[Associated Press, 10/1/13]
 

 
Illinois Scaled Back Inspections on Hospitals and Nursing Homes. In 2013 the Associated Press reported that “Illinois officials are scaling back on certain hospital and nursing home inspections because of the partial federal government shutdown.”
[Associated Press, 10/11/13]

• Headline: Shutdown Impacts Some Illinois Hospital Inspections [Associated Press, 10/11/13]

Paycheck Fairness Act

Congressman Davis Voted Against Considering the Paycheck Fairness Act
In 2013, Congressman Davis voted against considering the Paycheck Fairness Act. The previous question was ordered so the bill was not considered. The Huffington Post reported: “Recent Census Bureau data shows that full-time working women make 77 cents for every dollar men make per year. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which DeLauro has introduced in eight consecutive Congresses, would expand the Equal Pay Act to close certain loopholes and allow employees to share salary information with their coworkers. It would also require employers to show that pay disparities between their male and female employees are related to job performance, not gender.”
[H Res 198, Vote #132, 5/07/13; Huffington Post, 4/11/13]