Save one, Utah's congressmen receive failing grades from NAACP

The voting habits of Utah's congressional delegation during the first half of the 109th session have placed them low on the NAACP's grading scale for issues affecting the African-American population and civil rights.

Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, both R-Utah, along with Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon, also R-Utah, are among the more than 50 percent of members of Congress who received failing grades. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, scored a 70 percent, giving him a C grade.

Jeanetta Williams, president of the Salt Lake NAACP branch, said the failing grades for most of Utah's elected officials should breed concern in voters.

"They represent everybody and not just a portion of the population," she said. "When the state representatives and U.S. representatives are getting F's in everything pertaining to civil rights issues and initiatives, we all need to be concerned."

The NAACP's Legislative Report Card, issued twice during each two-year session of Congress, grades the votes of all the members of the Senate and House on civil rights initiatives. The latest report, which can be found online at www.naacp.org, covers the voting period of Jan. 4, 2005, to Dec. 22, 2005.

The grading system is designed to provide insight into the general voting patterns of congressional members. Matheson voted in favor of more items on the agenda of the NAACP and therefore scored higher, but according to Williams, he "could still use some work."

She said the scores aren't a direct result of party affiliation and all elected officials should be called on to be more understanding of the issues facing citizens.

"If Republicans are truly interested in making inroads within the African-American community, they should work to enact policies to uplift not only African-Americans but all working people, and make it easier for all Americans to exercise their most fundamental right — their right to vote," Utah Democratic Party chairman Wayne Holland said in a statement released Friday.

Overall, Democrats scored higher than Republicans in voting on issues such as increasing the minimum wage, low-income assistance, education funding, equal employment opportunities, discrimination and hate crimes legislation, judicial nominations and environmental issues.

Williams said she'd like to see more of these items supported by Utah lawmakers.

"They should look at civil rights issues in a fair and positive way just like other issues affecting the country," she said.

The NAACP, she said, takes the report card results very seriously.

"We don't want Utah's U.S. representatives helping the country turn back the hands on civil rights issues," Williams said.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com