FranPAC Favorite: Scott Brown

By BEN HEINEMANN According to the International Franchise Association, FranPAC “crates an opportunity for IFA members to provide financial support to candidates for federal office, and a robust PAC means more contributions to candidates who understand franchising and who will promote a legislative and regulatory climate favorable to franchising.” In the following days, we will highlight the politicians that have received the most donations from FranPAC. Scott Brown - $10,000 from FranPAC Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, a member of the Republican Party, was elected into office on January 19, 2010. Brown began his political career as an assessor and a selectman in Wrentham, MA, before serving for five years as the State Representative. He was then elected three times to the Massachusetts Senate. Brown joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard when he was 19. In 1994, he joined the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), and has been constantly active in the Guard for 32 years, rising to the rank of Colonel in JAG. Brown serves on the Senate Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, something that is certainly appealing to IFA members and advocates of small business. In fact, Brown created his own coalition, called Small Businesses for Brown Coalition, which bills itself as “a coalition of individuals who own and operate all kinds of small businesses across Massachusetts.” The Facebook group for the coalition currently has 473 members. According to Brown’s own website, he is an advocate “for lower taxes, less government spending, and pro-growth policies that will put people back to work.” Key Votes Since becoming a senator in 2010, Brown has voted along the lines of the IFA on many of the association’s key issues making him a favorite of FranPAC. In 2011 and 2012, Brown voted with the IFA on the following:

• Senate Amendment 13, The Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act
• H.R. 4, The Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011
• Senate Amendment 392 on Debit Swipe Fees
• Senate Amendment 927, The 3 Percent Withholding Repeal and Job Creation Act
• Senate Amendment 1465, The Reid-McConnell Amendment to the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012
• S.J. Resolution 36, the Congressional Nullification of the NLRB’s Rule Related to Representation Election Procedures

He did not vote with the IFA on Senate Amendment 28 to Amendment 223, The Repeal of the 1099 Requirement in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Overall, Brown received an 87.5 percent score on votes that align with the IFA’s mission. For more information and details on what each of these amendments and resolutions, visit the IFA’s Federal Vote Scorecard website by clicking here.