Seniors' group issues congressional report card

RENO, Nev. - A seniors' group gave U.S. Sen. Harry Reid glowing marks on Wednesday for his votes in Congress on issues important to senior citizens, but was less complimentary to other members of Nevada's congressional delegation.

Republican Rep. John Ensign, who is challenging Reid for his Senate seat in this year's election, said the report by the National Council of Senior Citizens is skewed and called the group a "Democratic front."

"This group has never supported a Republican," he said.

Ensign said the report shows "Harry Reid standing with the Washington liberals, and the rest of the delegation not."

"We're standing with Nevadans," he said.

The voting records of all four members of Nevada's congressional delegation were released during a news conference held here by the Nevada Council of Senior Citizens.

The group monitored 10 Senate votes taken in 1997 on issues or motions pertaining to Social Security, Medicaid, oversight of medical devices, senior programs, and balanced budget legislation.

Of those, Reid's votes reflected the group's position 100 percent of the time, the report said.

Sen. Richard Bryan, a fellow Democrat, scored a 50 percent approval rating.

Votes in the House were monitored on similar issues, but not necessarily on the same bills or motions. The votes of Ensign and fellow Republican Rep. Jim Gibbons, coincided with the groups' stance only 40 percent of the time.

Scott Watts, president of the Nevada council, said the report is not meant as an endorsement, adding that the council will make endorsements after the September primary.

Watts also denied that the council, with about 2,400 members in the state, shuns Republicans.

"We're not picking on Republicans. We're not picking on Democrats," he said. "We're picking on their records.

Ensign, however, said votes on legislation that was scored in the House were not scored in the Senate.

The report also criticized Ensign's support of a measure that would have required a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate to raise taxes.

Ensign noted that Nevada voters twice approved a constitutional amendment that imposes a similar restriction on the state legislature.

"We're standing with Nevadans and the way they feel," Ensign said.

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