Blum is a member of the House Freedom Caucus – the most fringe and obstructionist group in the House
One can easily be forgiven for thinking that Congressman Blum’s latest whopper TV ad is about someone completely different than himself. Given Blum’s loose relationship with the truth (i.e. lying about his salary pledge, contents of the controversial FADA, etc.), it’s fair to assume that he knew he was intentionally misleading voters about his record. We’ll take that as a tacit admission that he recognizes his record is so extreme and unpalatable that very few Iowans would vote to reelect him if they knew the truth.
“Congressman Blum’s claim that he supports a bipartisan solution to protect Social Security and Medicare is shamefully false,” said DCCC Spokesman Tyler Law. “The truth is that he supported a plan to slash Social Security that’s so extreme almost half of his Republican colleagues would not touch it. Bottom line: Rod Blum is a rigid partisan Republican who has shown almost zero interest in working across the aisle to solve problems.”
Blum Voted Along Party Lines 94 Percent Of The Time
2015: Blum Voted Along Party Lines 94.3 Percent Of The Time. [CQ Votewatch, accessed 9/26/16]
2015: Blum Voted In Support Of President Obama 7.9 Percent Of The Time. [CQ Votewatch, accessed 9/26/16]
Member of Extremist House Freedom Caucus
Blum A Member Of House Freedom Caucus. “Six months after the House Freedom Caucus was founded, it’s still unclear what exactly it is — or will be — beyond two key characteristics: its commitment to secrecy and to being a thorn in the side of House Speaker John A. Boehner. There is no official roster. Leaders of the hard-line conservative group won’t say exactly how many members are in the caucus, which has already made its mark. The last count, based on conversations with members who are trying to keep track, was 42, but members are being added almost every week; CQ Roll Call has observed 38 attend at least one caucus meeting … OTHER MEMBERS: Brian Babin, R-Texas Rod Blum, R-Iowa …” [Congressional Quarterly, 7/20/15]
House Freedom Caucus Is Threatening The Basic Legislative Priorities. “It is clear, members across the ideological spectrum said this week, that after two months of embarrassing legislative and messaging stumbles, the House Republican Conference is riddled with fundamental and systematic problems. Forget sweeping, ambitious tasks such as tax reform. Even the most basic GOP legislative priorities for the rest of the 114th Congress are now at risk … To be sure, part of the problem is the balkanization of the conference. The group at the center of the most recent dustup, the House Freedom Caucus, formed this year with the explicit intent of pushing Boehner rightward, and has been a relentless headwind against Boehner ever since.” [National Journal, 3/03/15]
House Freedom Caucus Agenda Is To Block Legislation, Make Bills More Conservative. “The three dozen members of the House Freedom Caucus are plotting an agenda over the next year that includes using their growing clout to try to block some initiatives — such as the renewal of the Export-Import Bank and raising spending caps — and, in a shift toward pragmatism, to accept other bills but try to make them more conservative, like a controversial highway funding measure.” [Politico, 7/13/15]
House Freedom Caucus Known As The “Hell No” Caucus. “Long known as the “Hell No” Caucus, the conservatives are looking for ways to turn their chest-thumping opposition into real legislative gains.” [Politico, 7/13/15]
House Freedom Caucus Founder: “We Are Trying To Push The Entire Conference To The Right.” “‘We are trying to push the entire conference to the right, but you can only do that effectively if you do it in a positive way,’ Labrador, the group’s unofficial spokesman, tells National Review Online.” [National Review, 1/26/15]
House Freedom Caucus Nearly Shut Down The Department Of Homeland Security. “Clashes between Republican leaders and their conservative flank brought the Department of Homeland Security to within hours of a partial shutdown earlier this year and resulted in a brief lapse in the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping authorities thanks to procedural maneuvers by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., yet another presidential candidate.” [Associated Press, 7/29/15]
House Freedom Caucus Put Strain On Passing Education Bill. “The caucus made its presence felt last week, when GOP leadership had to struggle to pass a rewrite of a controversial education bill over conservative objections. The No Child Left Behind measure cleared the House, but with no votes to spare.” [Politico, 7/13/15]
House Freedom Caucus Supports Bill To Allow Employers To Fire Single Pregnant Women. “Members are also expanding their agenda to include social issues after spending the five months since the caucus’ creation focusing mostly on economics. On Thursday, the caucus backed a provision from Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho) that would block the federal government from denying tax exemptions to groups that refuse to serve gays if the decision is based on religious beliefs.” [Politico, 7/13/15]
Blum Supported Legislation To Allow Employers To Fire Single Women For Being Pregnant, Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples. “As evidence, they point to Blum’s support for legislation known as the First Amendment Defense Act, a bill that would allow employers to fire single women for getting pregnant and open the door for discrimination against same-sex couples along with gay and lesbian people.” [Iowa Daily Democrat, 7/28/15]
Vocal Tea Party Enthusiast
Called Himself A Tea Party Republican. “Blum calls himself a Tea Party Republican and professes a strong belief in citizen legislators.” [Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 11/18/11]
Blum: “The Tea Party Is The Greatest Grassroots Movement I Have Seen In My Lifetime.” “The Tea Party is the greatest grassroots movement I have seen in my lifetime. I think the Republican Party over the years has gotten away from its platform, gotten away from its roots, gotten away from its principles. And most people that I speak to in the 1st District over the last seven months on the road agree with that. The Tea Party is what the Republican Party should have always been.” [Telegraph Herald, 5/25/12]
Blum: “The Tea Party Is What The Republican Party Should Have Always Been.” “I think the Republican Party over the years has gotten away from its platform, gotten away from its roots, gotten away from its principles. And most people that I speak to in the 1st District over the last seven months on the road agree with that. The Tea Party is what the Republican Party should have always been.” [Telegraph Herald, 5/25/12]
Endorsed By The Tea Party Express. “The Tea Party Express has endorsed U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, R-Iowa, because he has ‘earned the ire of beltway insiders,’ the political action committee announced last week. The first-term Blum will have the group ‘standing firmly behind’ him in 2016. The group pledges to ‘stand ready and able to fight any and every beltway-led campaign’ against Blum. While Blum is a member of the Republican majority, he’s also a member of the House Freedom Caucus, an anti-establishment group that shook up the recent speaker election. He has yet to receive a pledge of support this cycle from the National Republican Congressional Committee.” [Telegraph Herald, 11/15/15]
Voting Against Major Bipartisan Legislation
Blum Voted To Shut Down The Government Over Planned Parenthood Funding. In September 2015, Blum voted to shut down the government because the bill would not defund Planned Parenthood. “Rep. Rod Blum, R-1st District, joined with a majority of his Republican colleagues in opposing a continuing resolution to keep government open through Dec. 11. The measure passed 277 to 151. Democrats unanimously joined with 91 Republicans to support the measure to keep government open and avoid a shutdown that would have gone into effect at the end of the day Wednesday without passage.” [HR 719, Vote #528, 9/30/15; Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 10/01/15]
Blum Voted Against Bipartisan Budget Agreement. In October 2015, Blum voted against a bipartisan budget deal that would raise federal spending levels and expand the government’s borrowing authority, avoiding a default. “House lawmakers in both parties joined forces Wednesday to pass a sweeping budget deal … The final vote was 266 to 167, with 79 Republicans joining every Democrat in sealing passage.” [HR 1314, Vote #579, 10/28/15; The Hill, 10/28/15]
Blum Voted Against Bipartisan Reauthorization Of The Export-Import Bank. In October 2015, Blum voted against the bipartisan reauthorization of the job creating Export-Import Bank. “A majority of House Republicans joined all but one Democrat Tuesday in voting to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, whose charter expired in June. After a rare procedural move brought Export-Import to the House floor against the wishes of GOP leaders, the bank saw surprising support in the 313-118 vote to renew, including from 127 Republicans.” [HR 597, Vote #576, 10/27/15; The Hill, 10/27/15]