AFL – CIO


Congress is back, but House Republicans are saying no to creating jobs.Instead, they are rushing to pass legislation that would let the Boeing Co. off the hook for its alleged violations of labor law. They’ve combined this get-out-of-jail-free card for Boeing with vicious attacks on workers’ rights.Hurry: A vote is expected as early as Thursday.
Pop quiz: What would happen if H.R. 2587—a bill that House Republicans plan to bring up for a vote as early as this Thursday—became law?
A. It would eliminate any remedy for alleged law-breaking by the Boeing Co.—which is accused of moving aircraft production away from its Washington Statefacility in retaliation for workers exercising their legal rights—before an ongoing trial can finish.B.It would gut our labor laws, so a company can never again face meaningful punishment for moving jobs to retaliate against workers who engage in perfectly legal behavior.C.It would show that a company with the right politician friends is above the law.D. All of the above.
If you answered D, you’re correct.Please help us stop these attacks on workers—combined with a get-out-of-jail-free card for Boeing—now. Click here to take action.Back in April, the general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)—the federal agency tasked with protecting workers’ rights—took a routine step: enforcing a law that’s been on the books for more than 70 years.In America, no company is above the law.And on some things, the law is clear. For example, a company cannot retaliate against workers for exercising their legal rights by moving their jobs.When Boeing moved aircraft production away from its Washington State facility after workers exercised their legal right to strike, the board did its job: it investigated. And after examining the facts, the NLRB’s general counsel charged that Boeing illegally retaliated against its workers.

Rather than let the NLRB do its job, House Republicans are trying to let Boeing off the hook before their trial even finishes. They’ve already tried to interfere with the NLRB’s investigation and even threatened the agency’s general counsel. Now, they’re trying to pass a bill that both lets Boeing off the hook for alleged violations of workers’ rights and makes sweeping changes to the National Labor Relations Act that would result in serious, harmful changes to jobs and workers’ rights throughout the country.

Urge your representative to stop the partisan attacks on workers’ rights and create jobs for America.

Congress should be finding ways to work with the president to create jobs. But partisanship, led by tea party Republicans, has so dominated our national debate that many of our elected leaders are willing to ruin our economy to grab headlines and attention.

Instead of taking up bills that create jobs, House Republicans are once again pursuing a destructive political agenda. Of the many casualties, workers’ rights have climbed to the top of the list. It’s time for this to stop.

In Solidarity,

Manny Herrmann
Online Mobilization Coordinator, AFL-CIO

P.S. Here are just two examples of what life would look like for workers under the Republicans’ plan:

  • If a group of workers walked out of a plant because of unsafe working conditions, the company could decide to move the work and the jobs rather than fix the problem, and the NLRB would be powerless to protect the workers or their jobs.
  • If a group of women or African Americans joined together to protest race or sex discrimination by their employer, the company could simply transfer the work somewhere else, and the NLRB would be powerless to protect the workers.

Who is Bob Dold? …Michael Langenmayr, Democracy for America


Bob Dold is the weakest Republican running for reelection in 2012.

He’s from Illinois‘s tenth congressional district — the most Democratic district in the country represented by a Republican.

He’s a right-winger trying to sell himself as a moderate. He says he’s pro-choice, but voted to defund Planned Parenthood. He voted for Paul Ryan‘s plan to kill Medicare. He’s voted lockstep with John Boehner and the Tea Party majority to tear down the middle class and empower big corporations.

Karl Rove, the Koch brothers — they’re going to spend millions to keep Dold in office because they need rubber stamp congressmen like Dold to ram their big corporate agenda through Congress.

But their money can’t stand up to real people power and we can win with grassroots candidate Ilya Sheyman.

Please contribute $10 right now to help Ilya win in IL-10.

Ilya’s one of us. He’s a fighter. He’s a truth-teller. He’s a longtime DFA member.

He is a grassroots progressive and he’s putting together the sort of campaign that can beat a corporate rubber stamp like Dold — one fueled by volunteers on the ground, going door-to-door and making calls to voters across the district.

Ilya isn’t afraid to take on special interests and speak truth to power — and that’s the sort of Democrat we need more of in Washington.

 Contribute $10 now to elect Ilya in Illinois.

Thank you for all that you do.

-Michael

Michael Langenmayr, Deputy Political Director
Democracy for America

Weekly Address: Passing the American Jobs Act


Sep 17, 2011 by

President Obama discusses the need for Congress to pass the American Jobs Act to put more people back to work, and more money back in the pockets of people who are working.

Read the JOBs Bill below

http://www.whitehouse.gov/jobsact#overview

Time’s Running Out! Help Us Make Sure ALL Women Can Get Birth Control without a Co-pay


Submit Comments to HHS – All Women Need Access to Contraception without Co-pays

When we make progress in women’s health, ALL women deserve to be part of that success, don’t they? But you’d be surprised by what some opponents to birth control think.

Recently we told you about a momentous step forward for women’s health: the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expanded the list of preventive health services required to be offered by health insurers without a co-pay to include the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives. Unfortunately, HHS intends to exempt some religious employers from providing contraceptive services and is asking for comments on this decision.

The reality is that nearly 99% of sexually active women, regardless of their religious beliefs, use contraception at some point in their lives. It’s crucial that women have access to affordable birth control to prevent unintended pregnancies, plan the timing and size of their families, and protect their health.

We need your help to protect this important step for women’s health and ensure that all women have access to affordable contraception — tell HHS that all women, regardless of who they work for, should have access to contraception without co-pays.

Note: The comments you submit will be processed by the appropriate agency and then made publicly availble on Regulations.gov.

Personalizing this message will add to its impact.
Please take the time to add your thoughts or share a personal story.

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate debates HR2832,a vehicle for Trade Adj Asst.


the Senate Convenes at 2:00pmET September 19, 2011

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until
    4:30pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the
    motion to proceed to H.R.2832, the Generalized System of Preferences Act, which
    will be the vehicle for Trade Adjustment Assistance with the time until 5:30pm
    equally divided and controlled between Senators Baucus and Hatch, or their
    designees.
  • At approximately 5:30pm, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to
    invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.2832.  We hope to get consent to
    proceed to the bill on Mon5:31pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on
    the motion to proceed to H.R.2832, GSP and the vehicle for TAA; Invoked:84-8

Adopted S.Res.271, a resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable
Charles H. Percy, former Senator for the State of Illinois.

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CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

12:13 P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on September 20, 2011.

12:05 P.M. –  The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting a plan for economic growth and deficit reduction entitled “Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future” – referred to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, House Administration, the Judiciary, Natural Resources, Oversight and Government Reform, Rules, Science, Space, and Technology, Small Business, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Ways and Means and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 112-55).

12:04 P.M. –  The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a sealed envelope from the White House on September 19, 2011, at 11:35 a.m. containing a message from the President whereby he submits the fiscal plan entitled “Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future”, the President’s Plan for Economic Growth and Deficit Reduction.

12:03 P.M. –  The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on September 16, 2011 at 9:07 a.m. stating that that body had passedH.R. 2887. The message also stated that the Senate had agreed to S.Res. 268.The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on September 15, 2011 at 5:50 p.m. stating that that body had passed H.J.Res. 66.

12:02 P.M. –  PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.The Speaker announced approval of the Journal.  Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

12:01 P.M. –  Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.The Speaker designated the Honorable Michael K. Simpson to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

12:00 P.M. –  The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

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