Diane Black has most missed votes in 2018 among Tennessee congressional delegation

With her latest gubernatorial campaign ad, U.S. Rep. Diane Black is calling attention to human trafficking.

In the 30-second spot, which was filmed around Nashville, Black says she is “determined to stop” human trafficking using “every law on the book.”

“We need new tools to prosecute the traffickers and their customers,” Black says in the ad.

But one week before the ad was released, Black was one of 17 members of Congress to not vote on a bill that would allow state attorneys general and victims to sue websites that help facilitate sex trafficking.

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On Feb. 27, the House voted 388-25 in favor of the measure. When the chamber approved the bill around 6 p.m., Black was nowhere to be found: That day she was back home in Tennessee, appearing at a National Religious Broadcasters meeting in Nashville, alongside Vice President Mike Pence.

Black’s absence on the human trafficking bill is hardly isolated. This year, the Gallatin Republican has missed 29 of 101 total votes the chamber has taken, according to the nonpartisan site GovTrack.us. What’s more, since Black launched her gubernatorial campaign in August, she has missed more than 50 votes.

The votes Black missed this year include several perfunctory measures, including on legislative motions. But they also include:

A bill that would allow power plants turning coal waste into energy to be exempt from federal air-quality standards.

A measure amending the Dodd-Frank Act to raise the asset threshold for small and mid-sized banks.

The Mortgage Choice Act of 2017, which would change the Truth in Lending Act — a law designed to protect consumers from inaccurate and unfair credit billing and credit card practices.

Legislation that some say could lead to a scaled back Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

A bill that seeks to encourage cybersecurity collaboration between the United States and Ukraine.

A measure which would provide banks with relief from capital requirements.

Black also was not present for a Feb. 9 vote to reopen the federal government. At the time, she said that her decision to not vote on the bill was due to the inclusion of “hundreds of billions of dollars on inefficient and wasteful government programs.”

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In a statement, Chris Hartline, Black's campaign spokesman, said, "At times, rather than be in D.C. to vote to approve the journal or rename a post office, she has chosen to be in Tennessee talking to voters about her conservative vision for Tennessee’s future and how she will fight to protect Tennessee values."

Hartline pointed out that nine of Black's missed votes came the day she was in Nashville with Pence. But on at least a few occasions, Black did not vote on a bill because she was in Tennessee for events related to her campaign.

On Feb. 5 — the same day she picked up her nominating petitions to officially appear on the ballot — Black did not vote on a bill aimed at bolstering oversight of the Social Security Administration.

On Feb. 26, Black missed votes on separate measures that would increase state and local funding for dental services and fund studies of congenital heart disease. That day, she was in Nashville for a Homebuilders Association event.

Last month, Black asserted that she was continuing to do her job while campaigning.

After a Feb. 23 gubernatorial forum in Williamson County, Black defended her decision to skip previous candidate forums, saying, “Unlike some of the others, I am still working in Congress and doing my job.”

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The number of votes Black has missed this year by far outpaces Tennessee’s congressional delegation.

Tennessee’s second most absent member of Congress in terms of voting is U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, who is running for the U.S. Senate. The Brentwood Republican has missed 11 votes this year.

Blackburn’s missed votes include:

A bill that would fund the military with $659 billion in fiscal year 2018.

Legislation that would increase access to mobile banking.

A bill regarding screening and vetting of passengers.

A measure that would require the federal government to assess threats against the country posed by foreign terrorist fighters.

A resolution supporting the rights of the citizens of Iran to free expression.

Chuck Flint, who serves as Blackburn's chief of staff, did not offer an explanation for the missed votes. Instead, he called Blackburn an effective legislator who will also be an effective senator.

The seven other members of the state’s congressional delegation have cumulatively missed just 12 votes this year.

John Geer, a Vanderbilt University political science professor, said when public officials miss votes while running for office it provides fodder for raising doubts about the "dedication and values" of the candidate.

"By not voting, they are not representing their constituents as debate unfolds over a bill," Geer said. "It is always a balancing act between one's responsibility in elected office and the ambition for higher office."

Flint, who touted the recent passage of Blackburn's bill seeking the reauthorization of the Federal Communications Commission, said, "She takes her responsibility to represent Tennesseans very seriously and she will continue to faithfully represent her constituents while sharing her conservative message with Tennesseans."

Also having to balance running for statewide office while serving as a lawmaker are House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, and House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley, both of whom are running for governor.

But unlike Congress, there is no comprehensive way of tracking the state legislature's voting history. The General Assembly does maintain a journal that contains all votes for the session, but this year's journal has not been posted online yet.

An employee in the clerk's office cited the legislature's move to the Cordell Hull building and staff issues as the reason for the delay. The employee said the journal would likely be posted online later this month.

According to the clerk's records, Harwell has not missed a single day of the 2018 session and Fitzhugh has missed just one.

The clerk's records also indicate the only votes Harwell has not cast this year came on March 1. She did not vote on two bills: one that authorized a privilege tax in Henry County and another that would give counties more time to submit claims against the state.

In the past, Harwell has on occasion skipped out on controversial measures, including in 2015 when she did not vote on a bill that would have granted in-state tuition for students who entered the country illegally as children.

Last year, Harwell did not vote on two amendments to the state budget, which would have provided more funding to infants with neo-natal abstinence syndrome, and for mental health and substance abuse.

The clerk's records indicate Fitzhugh has not cast votes on eight pieces of legislation this year, including one related to sign posting requirements for entities that prohibit weapons on the premises.

Reach Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.

Missed votes in Congress, 2013-2018

Source: GovTrack.us