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Will you Join US?


Will you join me and President Obama in insisting that Congress get busy fixing our jobs crisis—and pay for it by asking millionaires and billionaires like Warren Buffett to pay their fair share?

Tell your lawmakers to start fixing America’s jobs crisis—and let them know you’ll hold them accountable if they won’t.

WWW.AFLCIO.ORG

Jobs are the crisis in America. Our economy will not recover until people get work.

America wants to work. But how hard are you willing to work to create jobs? If you’re willing to go all-out, let your lawmakers know right now.

President Obama understands the severity of America’s jobs crisis. This morning, he called on Congress to get moving on solutions—and to pay for his American Jobs Act by restoring tax fairness. He hit the nail on the head when he said, “Warren Buffett’s secretary shouldn’t pay a higher tax rate than Warren Buffett.”

Thanks to President Obama, our national conversation is moving in the right direction. With the release of the American Jobs Act—and today’s speech—he has come forward with important steps to start addressing our jobs crisis. Now, it’s our job to demand action.

Let Congress know you’re ready to go to the mat in pushing our leaders to create jobs.

Over the coming days and weeks, as part of our America Wants to Work campaign, we’ll be asking for your help to advance a job creation agenda that will:

Rebuild America for the 21st century by investing in the schools, roads, bridges, transit, ports, rail, communications and energy jobs and systems we need to succeed.
Revive U.S. manufacturing and reform our trade policies, so we can export American-made goods and services—and stop exporting good jobs.
Help our cities and states—and the federal government—avoid layoffs that drag down our economy and threaten essential services to communities.
Directly create millions of jobs in local communities, especially hard-hit communities of color. These jobs must pay competitive wages and target distressed communities and must not replace existing jobs.
Solve the massive shortfall of consumer demand by extending unemployment benefits and keeping homeowners in their homes.
Reform Wall Street so it helps Main Street create jobs.

Tell your lawmakers: America wants to work. It’s time to end the distractions and political brinksmanship that have left working families out in the cold and take bold action to create jobs.   WWW.AFLCIO.ORG

We will not reduce our demands or accept failure. And we will not accept any schemes to cut Medicaid or Social Security or Medicare benefits in exchange for getting Americans back to work.

To make our case for jobs, we will flood Congress with calls and e-mails. We will take our demands to the streets—and to the front doors of congressional offices. And we will make it clear to corporations, to elected officials and to the press just how many this crisis hurts in our communities, just how much pain is caused by inaction and just how tireless our pursuit of good jobs will be.

Get started today: Let Congress know you’ll be fighting for jobs, and it’s time for members of Congress to join you.   WWW.AFLCIO.ORG

Our campaign to get America back to work will not stop—it will only grow stronger. We will start by ratcheting up the pressure now. And we will make sure leaders who fail to put jobs first are held accountable in 2012. Because what happens in the coming days and months—and during the next year—will determine the future of America’s working middle class.

Will we work hard enough, starting now and through the next election, to preserve America’s middle class? Or will we fail? It’s up to us.

If you’re ready to work for working people, start by letting Congress know.   WWW.AFLCIO.ORG

This morning, President Obama outlined the choices our country faces:

“Either we ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share in taxes or we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare. We can’t afford to do both. Either we gut education and medical research or we’ve got to reform the tax code so that most profitable corporations have to give up tax loopholes that other companies don’t get. We can’t afford to do both. This is not class warfare; it’s math.”

With your help, we can create jobs in a fair way. And we can pay for it—as President Obama proposed—by requiring millionaires, billionaires and profitable corporations to pay their fair share to get America back on track.

Thank you for standing with us.

In Solidarity,

Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

P.S. Your action today is only the beginning. Because you know as well as I do that getting Congress to take real action to tackle America’s jobs crisis won’t be easy—it will be supremely difficult to overcome the partisanship and political games.

That’s why I need you to stay with us. We’ll ask you to follow up with more actions—and harder actions—and to rise to the challenge for America’s working middle class.

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“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is officially over …Jim Messina, BarackObama.com


Today, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is officially over.

Gay men and lesbians in the military no longer have to hide who they are, and the servicemembers who were discharged under this policy can re-enlist.

This is one of the administration’s signature achievements. Countless Americans fought hard to end this law over the course of nearly two decades, and President Obama is proud to have signed the repeal.

But today’s news isn’t just a policy promise kept — it’s a personal promise kept to the thousands of people who needed and deserved this change.

I want to share a video the campaign put together about some of the people affected by this law: four stories from men and women who served in the military during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

You should watch the video and share it with everyone who cares about fairness and equality in America.

Before my current job, I was in the White House working on getting this done, and I can honestly say that repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is one of the greatest things I have ever been or ever will be a part of. I think about it every time I walk into my office, where I keep one of the pens the President used to sign the bill.

It’s a reminder that — as broken as Washington is and as long as change can take — people and organizations can do amazing things when they work together and never waver from the vision that unites them.

Watch four people say what today means to them — and let us know what it means to you:

http://my.barackobama.com/dadtvid

There’s a lot more to do in the months ahead. But today is one to savor.

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

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a message from Madeleine K. Albright …


Since taking office, President Obama and Democrats in Congress have been focused on supporting the President’s vision for America as an architect of peace, a champion of justice, a defender of international law and a leading economic power.

Republican leadership, on the other hand, wants to obstruct this progress and set President Obama up for failure. As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told a reporter last year, his highest priority is to make President Obama a one-term President. We cannot sit back and allow the Republican strategy of delay and obstructionism to succeed.

Now is the time for us to step forward.

House Democrats have set a $1 million fundraising goal by the September 30th Federal Election Commission fundraising deadline.

WWW.DCCC.ORG

Contribute $3 or more before Midnight September 30th and your support will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a group of House Democrats.

The amount of money Democrats raise will demonstrate to the world our commitment to President Obama’s leadership and provide momentum for our Party.

With your support, Democrats will continue to put Americans back to work, strengthen our economy, invest in education and restore America’s leadership around the world.

WWW.DCCC.ORG

Contribute $3 or more before Midnight September 30th and your support will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a group of House Democrats.

You can help the President achieve his goals by supporting the DCCC’s Million Dollar Match campaign right now.

Thank you,

Madeleine Albright

P.S. Support the Million Dollar Match before September 30th. Remember, for every dollar you give, your support will be matched by generous Democrats with one dollar of their own. Contribute today >>

Black History

Congress: – the Republican led House – the Senate considers HR2832,GSP Act:vehicle for Trade Adj Assistance


Tell Congress to #PasstheBill #theAmericansJOBsACT …NOW!

the Senate Convened at 10:00amET September 20, 2011

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning
    business for one hour with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10
    minutes each with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority
    controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will adopt the motion to proceed to
    H.R.2832, the Generalized System of Preferences Act and the vehicle for Trade
    Adjustment Assistance and begin consideration of the bill.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm to 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus
    meetings.
  • At 2:30pm, Senator Heller will be recognized for up to 20 minutes as if in
    morning business in order to deliver his maiden speech to the Senate.
  • The Senate will begin consideration of H.R.2832 Tuesday morning.  We will
    work on amendments to the bill and notify Senators when votes are scheduled.

The following amendments are pending to H.R.2832, the Generalized System of
Preferences Act:

  • Casey-Brown (OH)-Baucus amendment #633 (Trade Adjustment Assistance)
  • Hatch amendment #641 (Trade Adjustment Assistance enactment dependent upon
    Free Trade Agreements enactment) to Casey amendment #633

6:14PMET

There will be no further roll call votes during today’s session of the Senate.

5:48pm

The Senate began a roll call vote on the McConnell amendment #626, as modified (Trade Promotion Authority; preventing extraneous provisions in free trade agreements) to Casey amendment #633 (TAA) to H.R.2832, the GSP Act

5:20pm

The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Timothy M. Cain to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina; Confirmed: 99-0

5:08pmET

The Hatch amendment #641 (Trade Adjustment Assistance enactment dependent upon
Free Trade Agreements enactment) to the Casey amendment #633 (TAA) to H.R.2832,
the GSP Act.

5:04pmET 

At 5:15pm, Executive Calendar #169, John Andrew Ross to be United States
District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri will be confirmed by
unanimous consent.

At approximately 5:15pm, there will be 2 roll call votes in relation to the
following:

–         Confirmation of Executive Calendar #170, Timothy M.
Cain to be United States District Judge for the District of South
Carolina.

–         McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion
Authority), as modified with the text of the DeMint
language, which is at the desk (preventing extraneous provisions in
free trade agreements) (60-vote threshold)

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session with the time until
5:15pm equally divided between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
There will be 2 minutes of debate prior to each vote.

At 5:15pm, Executive Calendar #169, John Andrew Ross to be United States
District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri will be confirmed by
unanimous consent.

At approximately 5:15pm, there will be 2 roll call votes in relation to the
following:

–         Confirmation of Executive Calendar #170, Timothy M.
Cain to be United States District Judge for the District of South
Carolina.

–         McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion
Authority), as modified with the text of the DeMint
language, which is at the desk (preventing extraneous provisions in
free trade agreements) (60-vote threshold)

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session with the time until
5:15pm equally divided between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
There will be 2 minutes of debate prior to each vote.

5pmET

The following amendments to H.R.2832 have been considered:

  • McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion Authority), as modified
    (preventing extraneous provisions in free trade agreements) to Casey amendment
    #633; Not Agreed to: 45-55 (60-vote threshold)

12:49pmET

Senator Menendez asked consent the Senate take up and pass Calendar #163, S.1094, the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act.

Senator DeMint then objected to Senator Menendez’s request on behalf of himself and others (Senator Coburn spoke of his objections on the floor).

Senator Coburn then asked consent the Senate take up and pass S.1094 with a Coburn amendment at the desk (to require the Secretary of HHS to identify and consolidate duplicative and overlapping autism funding throughout the Federal Government).

Senator Menendez then objected to Senator Coburn’s request.

11:38amET

The Casey-Brown (OH)-Baucus amendment #633 (Trade Adjustment Assistance) and the McConnell 2nd degree amendment #626 (Trade Promotion Authority) are now pending to H.R.2832, the Generalized System of Preferences Act.

11:38amET

The following amendments are pending to H.R.2832, the Generalized System of Preferences Act:

* Casey-Brown (OH)-Baucus amendment #633 (Trade Adjustment Assistance)

* McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion Authority)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Issues on the House Flr today … Vets Children and Parolees

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION


7:25  P.M. –  SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

7:13  P.M. –  ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

H.R. 2646:
to authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects and leases, to extend certain expiring provisions of law, and to modify certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes 

7:08  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 – 3(Roll no. 714).

7:02  P.M. –  Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 2189:
to encourage States to report to the Attorney General certain information regarding the deaths of individuals in the custody of law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes 

7:01  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 398 – 18(Roll no. 713).

6:54  P.M. –  Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 2944:
to provide for the continued performance of the functions of the United States Parole Commission, and for other purposes 

6:53  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 – 0(Roll no. 712).

6:31  P.M. –  Considered as unfinished business.

6:30  P.M. –  UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

4:27  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for  6:30 P.M. today.

H.R. 1852:
to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize support for graduate medical education programs in children’s hospitals 

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.

4:20  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 1852.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Pitts moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

H.R. 2005:
to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act of 2006 

4:19  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.

3:54  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2005.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Pitts moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

3:48  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

H.R. 2646:
to authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects and leases, to extend certain expiring provisions of law, and to modify certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes 

3:46  P.M. –  At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

3:33  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2646.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Johnson (OH) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

2:25  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 3:30 p.m. today.

H.R. 2189:
to encourage States to report to the Attorney General certain information regarding the deaths of individuals in the custody of law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes 

2:24  P.M. –  At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Smith (TX) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

2:18  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2189.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

H.R. 2944:
to provide for the continued performance of the functions of the United States Parole Commission, and for other purposes 

2:17  P.M. –  At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Smith (TX) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

2:11  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2944.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

2:10  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. today.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 20, 2011, at 11:18 a.m., stating that that body had agreed to S.Res. 271.

2:09  P.M. –  The House received a communication from the Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Ms. Wasserman Schultz submitted her resignation from the Committee on the Judiciary. The resignation was accepted without objection.

2:02  P.M. –  ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

2:01  P.M. –  PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Wilson of SC to lead the Members 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.

2:00  P.M. –  Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

12:25 P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for  2:00 P.M. today.

12:01 P.M. –  MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.The Speaker designated the Honorable Andy Harris to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

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

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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.

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