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Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. headshot

Donald M. Payne Jr. Voting Record & Scorecard | Christian Employers Alliance

US Representative from NJ

District: 10 • Democrat

2024 Alignment:

4.88%

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Lifetime Ratings by Policy Category

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Title

Lawmaker Position

H.C.R. 86House 20242x

Expressing Opposition to a Carbon Tax and its Detriment on Families and Businesses.

Against CEA
This resolution sponsored by Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax is not in the best interest of the country and would be detrimental to families and businesses. The resolution highlighted that the share of energy consumption during 2023 in the United States that was derived from fossil fuels was approximately 80 percent and a carbon tax will increase the cost of every good manufactured in the United States.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Proverbs 29:2 – "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan."
Leadership Insight
Righteous economic leadership creates prosperity that lifts all people; wicked rulers impose taxation, regulation, and cronyism that make the people groan. Economic freedom flourishes under leaders who fear God and protect property rights. When government becomes extractive rather than protective, citizens suffer under the weight of policies designed to benefit the powerful rather than serve the productive.
H.R. 1023House 20242x

Repealing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and other Politicized Environmental Program Harming Economic Growth Through the "Cutting Green Corruption and Taxes Act".

Against CEA
The "Cutting Green Corruption and Taxes Act" sponsored by Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) would rollback climate and environmental justice programs established in the Inflation Reduction Act (IFA) including the repeal of the "Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund". The bill also eliminates an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program which provides incentives for petroleum and natural gas systems to reduce their emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases, as well as a charge placed on certain facilities for their methane emissions.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Isaiah 55:2 – "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Leadership Insight
God challenges wasteful spending and misdirected labor that produces no lasting value. Economic freedom means the liberty to invest resources in Kingdom purposes without government mandates dictating consumption. Leaders who reduce unnecessary taxation and regulation allow individuals to steward earnings toward what truly satisfies - family, faith, and generational wealth rather than bureaucratic waste.
H.R. 1121House 20243x

Preventing Any President from Banning Hydraulic Fracking Through the "Protecting American Energy Production Act".

Against CEA
The "Protecting American Energy Production Act" sponsored by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) would prevent any president from banning hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" and expresses that the states themselves should regulate fracking for oil and natural gas production on state and private lands. Hydraulic fracking is a process to extract oil or gas from a geologic formation by injecting water, a propping agent (e.g., sand), and chemical additives into a well under enough pressure to fracture the formation.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Proverbs 16:12 – "It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness."
Leadership Insight
Righteous governance sustains authority; evil erodes it. Leaders who embrace corruption forfeit moral legitimacy. God establishes thrones through justice, not power. Character determines whether influence endures or collapses.
H.R. 2799House 20243x

Reducing Overreaching Government Regulations in the Financial Sector and Providing More Americans with the Ability to Invest Through the "Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023".

Against CEA
: The "Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023" sponsored by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) is a package of bills which would reduce various financial securities regulations. Under the bill, a number of reporting and registration requirements for companies, brokers, and advisors would be decreased, plus provides an exemption for companies that sell less than $250,000 in securities in a year from having to register the transactions with the SEC. Additionally, the bill relaxes qualifications to become an "accredited investor", giving more people the ability to invest in private markets regardless of their wealth or income levels.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Leviticus 25:10 – "Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan."
Leadership Insight
The Year of Jubilee proclaimed economic liberty - restoration of property, cancellation of debts, and freedom from bondage. Economic freedom follows this biblical pattern: protecting property rights, enabling debt relief through bankruptcy rather than permanent servitude, and ensuring families can rebuild wealth across generations. Government policies that permanently trap families in poverty, extract generational wealth through death taxes, or prevent property ownership contradict Jubilee's vision of economic restoration.
H.R. 2799 (Huizenga Amd. 2)House 20242x

Reducing Unnecessary Business Costs Through the Default "E-Delivery" of Investor Notices Rather than Traditional Mail by Amending the "Expanding Access to Capital Act".

Against CEA
The Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) amendment #2 to the "Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023" would direct the SEC to create rules allowing electronic delivery to become the default communication method for investment companies with their investors. According to the sponsor, "the amendment aims to modernize the policy, with investors opting in to paper disclosures instead of opting out while ensuring that paper will always be an option."
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Leviticus 25:10 – "Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan."
Leadership Insight
The Year of Jubilee proclaimed economic liberty - restoration of property, cancellation of debts, and freedom from bondage. Economic freedom follows this biblical pattern: protecting property rights, enabling debt relief through bankruptcy rather than permanent servitude, and ensuring families can rebuild wealth across generations. Government policies that permanently trap families in poverty, extract generational wealth through death taxes, or prevent property ownership contradict Jubilee's vision of economic restoration.
H.R. 2799 (Lawler Amd. 1)House 20241x

Reducing a Regulatory Barrier to Expanding Investment Opportunities for Small Businesses by Amending the "Expanding Access to Capital Act".

Against CEA
The Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) amendment #1 to the "Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023" would insert language from the "Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act" into the underlying bill which would eliminate a regulatory barrier and make it easier for startup businesses to attract investors. Specifically, the bill clarifies the definition of "general solicitation" and "angel investor" under federal securities law so startups can discuss their products and business plans at "demo days" or other events in which no specific investment solicitation is made. Current rules effectively bar this type of communication between startups and angel investors. According to the sponsor, this measure will allow businesses "to engage with a wider audience of investors and spread word of the products and services that they can offer to help develop a thriving and diverse economy".
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Leviticus 25:10 – "Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan."
Leadership Insight
The Year of Jubilee proclaimed economic liberty - restoration of property, cancellation of debts, and freedom from bondage. Economic freedom follows this biblical pattern: protecting property rights, enabling debt relief through bankruptcy rather than permanent servitude, and ensuring families can rebuild wealth across generations. Government policies that permanently trap families in poverty, extract generational wealth through death taxes, or prevent property ownership contradict Jubilee's vision of economic restoration.
H.R. 2799 (Tlaib Amd. 7)House 20241x

Undermining the Regulatory Relief within the "Expanding Access to Capital Act" by Inserting a Poison Pill Provision Concerning "Junk Fees".

Against CEA
The Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) amendment #7 to the "Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023" would require the exemptions or benefits provided by the bill only apply to companies that do not impose "junk fees" on customers. However, the amendment, nor the SEC provide any definition of "junk fees". According to the sponsor, "If you want your child to sit next to you on the airplane, expect a fee. If you cancel your cable early, expect a fee. If you pay your credit card late, in Michigan, average credit card late fees from big banks are more than $20. Sadly, even the medical industry imposes hidden costs and surprise bills. Collectively, these junk fees cost our residents billions of dollars each year."
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
Proverbs 16:12 – "It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness."
Leadership Insight
Righteous governance sustains authority; evil erodes it. Leaders who embrace corruption forfeit moral legitimacy. God establishes thrones through justice, not power. Character determines whether influence endures or collapses.
H.R. 2799 (Waters Amd. 9)House 20244x

Advancing DEI Through a Politicized Mandate Forcing Private Companies to Disclose their Investments into Minority, LGBTQ and Women-owned Businesses.

Against CEA
The Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) amendment #9 to the "Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023" would require any investment adviser, private fund, or an investment company that is subject to the bill to annually and publicly disclose their investments into women-owned, minority-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and other businesses. According to the sponsor, the measure "provides needed transparency into the opaque world of private equity and venture capital funds" considering "Black-founded companies receive less than 1 percent of venture capital funding annually, while women-founded businesses receive just about 2 percent".
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
Galatians 3:28 – "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Leadership Insight
Paul declares that social distinctions - including the slave/free distinction - do not determine value in Christ. Workforce freedom applies this truth: every worker deserves the right to negotiate freely, to keep their wages, and to be free from coercive systems that treat them as collective property rather than individual image-bearers. Forced union membership contradicts this gospel vision by treating workers as categories to be controlled rather than individuals to be respected.
H.R. 2872House 20242x

Maintaining Fiscal Irresponsibility through the "Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024" that Fails to Include a Critical Border Security Provision.

Against CEA
The "Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024" would avoid a shutdown by extending government funding through either March 1 or March 8, 2024 depending upon agency. Notably, the bill does not contain border security provisions advocated by conservatives.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
Luke 14:28-30 – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Leadership Insight
Vision must meet calculation. God honors leaders who count costs before claiming promises. Stewardship without foresight breeds collapse.
H.R. 2882House 20242x

Reauthorizing the Udall Foundation an Unnecessary Politicized Entity Advancing DEI and Climate Change Agendas.

Against CEA
The "Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2023" sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) would reauthorize through FY 2028 the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, which is an independent executive branch agency. The Foundation engages in public policy pertaining to environmental policy and climate change, as well as funds scholarships for individuals who identify as Native American. The Foundation lists diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as one of its strategic objectives in its strategic plan.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
Luke 14:28-30 – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Leadership Insight
Vision must meet calculation. God honors leaders who count costs before claiming promises. Stewardship without foresight breeds collapse.
H.R. 6009House 20242x

Overturning Biden Administration Rules which Limit Oil and Gas Production on Federal Lands Through the "Restoring American Energy Dominance Act".

Against CEA
The "Restoring American Energy Dominance Act" sponsored by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) would nullify the Bureau of Land Management's proposed rule entitled "Fluid Mineral Leases and Leasing Process." This rule would (1) increases bonding rates for oil and gas production on federal lands, (2) introduces new "preference criteria" for onshore oil and gas leasing that would limit areas available for production, (3) prevent leasing outside of currently producing areas.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Proverbs 16:12 – "It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness."
Leadership Insight
Righteous governance sustains authority; evil erodes it. Leaders who embrace corruption forfeit moral legitimacy. God establishes thrones through justice, not power. Character determines whether influence endures or collapses.
H.R. 6544House 20242x

Expanding U.S. Energy Production by Streamlining Permitting for Nuclear Energy through the "Atomic Energy Advancement Act".

With CEA
The "Atomic Energy Advancement Act" sponsored by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) would accelerate the deployment of nuclear energy technologies, such as advanced nuclear reactors. Most notably, the bill makes reforms within the Department of Energy to help expedite permits and environmental reviews as well as reduce regulatory costs for nuclear energy companies. Furthermore, the bill reduces certain licensing fees charged by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for advanced nuclear reactors.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
1 Timothy 5:8 – “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Leadership Insight
Providing for family is not optional - it's a spiritual mandate. Leaders champion policies that enable work, strengthen families, and protect parental authority. Dependency on government undermines the biblical call to provide. Personal responsibility precedes public assistance.
H.R. 6914House 20242x

Encouraging Pregnant College Students to Choose Life over Abortion by Providing them a List of Available Resources through the "Pregnant Students' Rights Act".

Against CEA
The "Pregnant Students' Rights Act" sponsored by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) would require colleges and universities to inform pregnant students of their rights and of the resources available on campus to help pregnant students carry a baby to term. This includes a list of community and on-campus resources that exist and information about accommodations available for pregnant students leading up to and after birth.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Psalm 139:13-16 – "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Leadership Insight
David's declaration that God forms life in the womb is foundational to healthcare freedom. Medical professionals who believe life is sacred from conception must be free to practice medicine without being forced to participate in abortion or life-ending procedures. Healthcare freedom protects providers, hospitals, and insurers from government mandates that require complicity in ending the lives God is authoring. Conscience protection is healthcare freedom.
H.R. 7023House 20243x

Cutting Overreaching Environmental Regulations through the "Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act".

Against CEA
The "Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act" sponsored by Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) is comprised of five standalone bills previously introduced in the U.S. House and would reform the Clean Water Act (CWA) to reduce regulatory barriers. Firstly, the bill reforms procedures pertaining to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and places limits on litigation. Secondly, the bill limits EPA veto authority and the judicial review timelines for CWA Section 404 dredge and fill permits.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Isaiah 10:1-2 – "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless."
Leadership Insight
God pronounces woe on lawmakers who craft economic policies that oppress the poor through excessive taxation, regulatory barriers to entry, and cronyism that favors the connected over the capable. Economic freedom is justice for the poor - when the working class keeps more of their earnings, when small businesses can compete without crushing compliance costs, and when families can build wealth without government extraction. Unjust economic laws always hit the poor hardest.
H.R. 7176House 20242x

Boosting American Energy Dominance by Circumventing a Biden Administration Ban on Liquid Natural Gas through the "Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act".

Against CEA
The "Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024" sponsored by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) would eliminate duplication in the permitting process for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) exports and bypasses the "pause" the Biden administration imposed on LNG exports on January 26, 2024. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement for the Department of Energy to authorize LNG exports and instead give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sole authority over the approval process. As a result, the bill bypasses the specific provision used by the Biden administration to pause approvals of LNG exports.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
1 Timothy 5:8 – “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Leadership Insight
Providing for family is not optional - it's a spiritual mandate. Leaders champion policies that enable work, strengthen families, and protect parental authority. Dependency on government undermines the biblical call to provide. Personal responsibility precedes public assistance.
H.R. 7463House 20242x

Advancing a Fiscally Irresponsible Budget by Kicking the Can Down the Road through the "Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024".

Against CEA
The "Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024" sponsored by Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) would avert a partial government shutdown by extending government funding by a week (March 8) for six agencies and March 22 for others. The extension serves as a stopgap as the final details on a broader extension are finalized. According to bill opponents, the broader bill will not provide any substantial spending reductions at a time the nation is facing $1 trillion in annual interest payment on the debt.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
Luke 14:28-30 – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Leadership Insight
Vision must meet calculation. God honors leaders who count costs before claiming promises. Stewardship without foresight breeds collapse.
H.R. 7511House 20243x

Strengthening National Security by Ensuring the Detention of Illegal Immigrants Accused of Theft, Burglary and Serious Crimes Under the "Laken Riley Act".

Against CEA
The "Laken Riley Act" sponsored by Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) would require the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury. The Laken Riley Act is named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed by an illegal Venezuelan immigrant who had previously been arrested and paroled into the United States.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Psalm 82:3-4 – "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
Leadership Insight
God commands leaders to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Justice is not passive - it requires intervention. Leaders who ignore the vulnerable betray their calling. Advocacy for the powerless is not optional; it's obedience.
H.RES. 1061House 20243x

Fueling Out-of-Control Spending Through a Budget Bill Filled with Waste and Funding Earmarked for Pet Projects of Lawmakers.

Against CEA
The "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024" sponsored by Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) is a $460 billion minibus funding several government agencies through Fiscal Year 2024. Overall spending levels are generally flat compared to the prior year with increases for some agencies and decreases for others. For example, the bill provides a 10% cut to the EPA, 7% cut to ATF, and a 6% cut to the FBI. However, the bill continues to fund the Essential Air Service program and contains countless earmarks which fund pet projects of lawmakers, especially at the Army Corps of Engineers where spending is increased 7-fold. The bill also provides increased spending for a number of welfare programs such as WIC, plus $3.3 billion for community development block grants. Furthermore, hundreds of millions of dollars are directed to fight climate change through carbon capture. Note: two Democratic lawmakers who opposed the bill were marked as "X" due to the fact their opposition was not the spending but rather minor provisions pertaining to gun control.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
1 Samuel 8:10-18 – "Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, 'This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots... He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants... and you yourselves will become his slaves'"
Leadership Insight
Centralized power always demands sacrifice from the people. God warned Israel that human kings would grow government at the expense of liberty. Limited government protects freedom; expansive government enslaves. Leaders must resist the temptation to control what they should serve.
H.R. 8070 (Van Duyne Amd. 55)House 20242x

Protecting the Sanctity of Life by Prohibiting Taxpayer Funds for PTO, Lodging or Travel Expenses for Elective Abortions.

Neutral
The Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) amendment #55 to the "Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025" would prohibit the Secretary of Defense from paying for or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services. According to the sponsor, "in 2022, President Biden issued new Department of Defense policy using taxpayer dollars to fund time off, lodging, and travel expenses for elective abortions" and this amendment "will stop this unlawful practice and return to the Hyde protections codified in law".
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
Psalm 139:13-16 – "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Leadership Insight
David declares that God forms every person in the womb - a truth that shapes First Freedom's protection of religious pro-life conviction. Believers who hold that life begins at conception must be free to operate hospitals, businesses, and ministries according to this conviction. First Freedom protects religious organizations from being forced to fund, perform, or participate in abortion against their sincere belief that God is the Author of life from conception.
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