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National Day of Action for Workers Rights and Fair Wages …NYC


Hello !

Tomorrow, July24th, we will raise our voices together with communities throughout the country to call for an increase in the federal minimum wage. We will launch the  building of a movement that will no longer sit idly by while unscrupulous employers exploit hard-working men and women. We will cry out enough is enough.

Our traditions teach us to stand with the marginalized. On July 24th, we will make a courageous, public stand that we will be ever vigilant in advocating for and organizing with workers at retail stores, car washes,supermarkets, airports, and at other low wage industries throughout the city. We will demand dignity and respect for all workers.

Join us tomorrow from 4:00pm until 8:30pm at Union Square 14 st &Broadway, New York, New York10003

View flyer

Visit facebook event page

Read NY Times article

The Black Institute http://www.theblackinstitute.org/

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate considers S.3369,Disclose Act


the Senate Convenes: 10:00amET July 17, 2012

  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
  • The time until 12:30pm will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes and the Majority controlling the second 30 minutes.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
  • Additionally, the time from 2:15pm until 3:00pm will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or the designees.
  • At 3:00pm, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act, upon reconsideration.

did you know that our members of Congress will take a … State Work Period August 6 -September 7, 2012

By unanimous consent, the Senate passed H.R.205, HEARTH Act of 2012, Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Home ownership Act of 2011.

3:04pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3369, DISCLOSE Act, upon reconsideration; Not Invoked: 53-45

Senator Reid moved to proceed to Calendar #442, S.3364, the Bring Jobs Home Act, and filed cloture on the motion to proceed. Unless an agreement can be reached, the cloture vote will occur at a time to be determined on Thursday

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1)      Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act, upon reconsideration; Not Invoked: 53-45

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Discharged the Indian Affairs Committee and passed H.R.205, the Helping Expedite and Advance Tribal Home ownership (HEARTH) Act of 2011.

Discharged the Judiciary Committee and adopted S.Res.483, commending efforts to promote and enhance public safety on the need for yellow corrugated stainless steel tubing bonding.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.3393, the Middle Class Tax Cut Act.  (Reid)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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 The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on July 17, 2012.

www.Houselive.gov
                    2:12:23 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

CONGRESS: the Republican led House – the Senate proceeds to S.2237,Small biz Jobs/Tax Act


  • Convenes: 9:30amET July 11, 2012
  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2237, the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act, post-cloture.
  • The first hour will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • We hope to begin consideration of S.2237 during Wednesday’s session. By unanimous consent, all time during morning business, adjournment and recess will count post-cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill.

All post-cloture debate time has been yielded back and the Senate adopted the motion to proceed to S.2237, the Small Business Jobs bill. Senator Reid offered the Reid for Landrieu amendment #2521 (substitute) and Reid amendment #2524 (text of H.R.9, Cantor bill), filled the so-called amendment tree, filed cloture on the new Landrieu substitute amendment and the underlying bill, and then moved to proceed to S.3364, a Stabenow bill to provide an incentive for businesses to bring jobs back to America.

He then asked consent to vitiate the cloture motions and that at 2:00pm tomorrow the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the Cantor language, the new substitute, and the underlying bill, as amended, if amended; Further, that the Senate proceed to a free standing bill to extend the 2001, 2003, and 2009 tax cuts for 98% of Americans and 96% of all small businesses as outlined by President Obama, that the only amendment in order be an amendment offered by Senator McConnell or designee, which is identical to the text of Hatch amendment #2491 (tax extension); and that upon the use or yielding back of 4 hours of debate, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the McConnell amendment and on passage of the underlying bill, as amended, if amended.

Senator McConnell objected to the request.

Text of the unanimous consent request, brief summaries of the Cantor bill and the new substitute amendment, and the unofficial transcript of the Reid-McConnell exchange can be found below.

Unanimous Consent Request (McConnell objected)

Reid:   I ask unanimous consent that cloture be vitiated with respect to the substitute amendment and S.2237; that the motion to commit be withdrawn and amendment #s 2525 and 2522 be withdrawn; that at 2:00pm, Thursday, July 12th, the Senate proceed to votes in relation to the following amendments:

Amendment #2524 (Cantor language);

– Reid for Landrieu Substitute amendment #2521;

That there be no other amendments or motions in order to the amendments or the bill prior to the votes other than motions to waive or motions to table; that upon disposition of the two amendments, the Senate proceed to a vote on passage of S.2237, as amended, if amended.

Further, that at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate proceed to the consideration of a bill to be introduced by Senator Reid, or designee, extending the 2001, 2003 and 2009 tax cuts for 98% of Americans and 96% of all small businesses as outlined by President Obama; that the only amendment in order to the bill be an amendment offered by Senator McConnell, or designee, which is identical to the text of amendment #2491, as filed by Senator Hatch, that the amendment not be divisible; that there be 4 hours of debate on the amendment and the bill equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to a vote in relation to the McConnell, or designee, amendment; that upon disposition of the amendment, the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended; that there be no motions or points of order to the amendment or the bill.

Amendment summaries

The Reid amendment #2524, (text of H.R.9) creates a temporary 20% deduction from taxable income for businesses with fewer than 500 employees.  Cost = $46 billion over ten years.

The Reid for Landrieu substitute amendment #2521:.

Landrieu (tax only):  extends five tax benefits for small businesses (Cost = $4.4 billion over ten years):

  • 0% capital gains tax for certain small business stock
  • Expanded carryback of credits to recover prior taxes
  • Relief for corporations switching to Subchapter S corporations
  • Expanded expensing for certain capital investments
  • Higher deductions for start-up costs

In addition to several bipartisan measures aimed at strengthening the SBA, improving small business export promotion, and increasing transparency and oversight, Senator Landrieu’s amendment achieves the following:

Capital

  • Small Business Investment Company Program – Expands the SBIC program authority from $3 billion to $4 billion and raises the amount funds under common control can borrow from $225 to $350.
  • 504 Refinancing – Extends for one year the SBA’s authority to refinance short-term commercial real estate debt into long-term fixed rate loans.

Contracting

  • Permanently increases the SBA surety bond guarantee from $2 million $5 million
  • Creates parity in contracting by eliminating the caps on contracts awarded under the SBA’s women-owned business program and allows contracting officers to award sole source contracts to women-owned businesses.
  • Provides additional tools for the SBA Inspector General to combat contracting fraud, a measure previously passed by Unanimous Consent in the Senate.

Counseling

  • Reauthorizes the Small Business Development Center program at level funding through FY15.
  • Reauthorizes the Women’s Business Center program through FY15.

As a result of Senator Reid filing cloture on the Reid for Landrieu amendment #2251 (substitute) and S.2237, Small Business Jobs, the filing deadline for first degree amendments to the substitute and underlying bill is 1:00pm tomorrow, Thursday, July 12.

Unless an agreement can be reached, the cloture vote would occur 1 hour after the Senate convenes on Friday, July 13.

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed H.R.3001, To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Raoul Wallenberg, in recognition of his achievements and heroic actions during the Holocaust.

Passed H.R.4155, the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act.

Completed the Rule 14 proceed of S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act of 2012. (Whitehouse and others)

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The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on July 11, 2012.

www.Houselive.gov

Senator Patty Murray: Working for the People in the Other Washington


June 29th – Senator Murray Secures Major Victory for Washington State Ferries

Republican Senators began a filibuster to block a bill that will prevent student loan interest rates… read more

AFL – CIO



A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when shared with others. That’s why we wanted you to be the first to see and share this new image about devastating policies that reward corporations for shipping good jobs offshore.

Click here now to share this picture with your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

50,000 manufacturing facilities gone. 6 million jobs lost. Chronic trade deficits. Record cash hoarding by the largest U.S. non-financial companies. These are all results of the troubling economic policies some of our lawmakers have passed and defended.

These policies have outsourced jobs and rewarded corporations with taxpayers’ money while they ship production, jobs and innovation overseas. Wall Street bankers and CEOs have filled their pockets while the rest of us have picked up the pieces.

This month and beyond, working families across the country will call on lawmakers and corporations to bring good jobs home and invest in America again, instead of shipping away our future.

We will tell you about events and actions during the weeks ahead. But right now, you can help by sharing the above graphic on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

It’s time we brought good jobs home and made new our commitment to Made in America. Do your part by sharing this image at the link below:

http://bit.ly/KYaSUt

In Solidarity,
Nicole Aro
AFL-CIO Digital Strategies