PEP, February 2007: Fast start for Dems and labor

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

The battle has begun.

In January, Democratic legislators in the House of Representatives fulfilled their pledge to pass their “100 Hour” legislative package, which cuts interest rates on tuition loans, ends some taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil, and hikes the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years.

Now grassroots supporters will focus on pressing the Senate and ultimately the White House to accept the huge change the voters demanded in the November election and pass the legislation.

“The House Democrats’ agenda shows there is a greater concern for working people in Washington now,” said Ed Jayne, associate director ofDC 37’s parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. “These developments prove the importance of our union’s work to elect people to the House and Senate.”

The Democratic-led House moved more working family legislation in its first 100 hours than the previous Republican Congress did in 12 years. The “100 Hours” agenda included six bills:

National security: Would implement many recommendations of the Sept. 11 Commission, including anti-terrorism grants to high-risk places like New York City.
Minimum wage: Would raise the national pay floor from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour over three years. The White House may support the increase, but trouble-making Republicans in the Senate are talking about adding more tax breaks for businesses.
Stem cell research: Would support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research to help discover medical cures, reversing President Bush’s ban.
Prescription drugs: Would let Medicare cut drug prices by negotiating with pharmaceutical companies. The bill would reverse the current prohibition on negotiations, which was designed by drug industry lobbyists and Republican legislators.
Student loans: Would reduce interest rates on federally subsidized student loans. Of the six bills making up the “100 Hours” agenda, this one enjoyed the greatest bipartisan support.
Energy: Would repeal $14 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for the oil industry to fund renewable energy projects and technologies for conserving energy.

“Now we face an uphill battle,” said DC 37 Political Director Wanda Williams. In the months ahead, she said, DC 37 and other AFSCME affiliates will be working with a coalition of more than 40 unions and advocacy groups nationwide to lobby legislators to support the “100 Hours” agenda.