NEW CONGRESS MAKES SWEEPING PROGRESS ON DOMESTIC FRONT
Americans United for Change Applauds Sweeping Progress on the Domestic Front Thanks to the Extraordinary New Leadership in Congress
Democratic-led Congress signals a new direction in America and passes meaningful legislation to raise the minimum wage, clean up the culture of corruption in Washington, and take better care of our nation's veterans and children
May 25, 2007 (Washington D.C.) - Americans United for Change lauded the extraordinary new leadership in Washington today as the Democratic-led Congress made huge strides on domestic front by passing meaningful legislation to raise the minimum wage for the first time in a decade, to provide the largest single increase to the veterans' health care system in its 77-year history, and to clean up Washington through sweeping ethics reform. Last night, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives agreed to FY07 Supplemental Appropriations legislation that included a significant boost to the minimum wage, long overdue Gulf Coast hurricane recovery assistance, and to veterans' and children's health care benefits; in addition, the U.S. House passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, which opens Washington to far-reaching ethics and lobbying reform.
On May 24, 2007, the Democratic-led Congress passed meaningful legislation to:
Increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years - a long overdue raise for working Americans and their families.
- Provide long overdue assistance to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
- Boost to veterans' health care and benefits programs by nearly $12 billion - the largest single increase to the VA health care system in its 77-year history.
- Establish comprehensive lobbying reform, including the regulation of the bundling of campaign contributions by lobbyists; requiring improved disclosure of contributions to members' charities or entities; and establishing a public database of member travel and personal financial disclosure forms.
- Provide $393 million for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
"The American public grew sourly pessimistic of our system of government after12 years of Republican leadership that embodied the clichéd notions of a 'do-nothing Congress' and a 'culture of corruption' in Washington," said Jeremy Funk, of Americans United for Change. "Leadership that invited and encouraged the kind of Jack Abramoff-style corruption that quickly became 'business as usual.' Leadership that offered a lot big talk about supporting our troops, but then voted time and again to leave the VA Healthcare system in shambles for the soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Leadership that talked a big game about putting more money in the pockets of ordinary Americans, but then denied a livable wage to the people who needed it most while shelling out billions of dollars in tax breaks to the people who needed it least."
"Now, thanks to the extraordinary new leadership and a new direction in Washington, we're seeing real progress on all these critical domestic fronts. Veterans are one step closer to getting the proper care they deserve when they come home. After 10 years, working families living in borderline poverty are finally going to get a raise. And a disgraceful era of power and influence being sold on the open market in the halls of Congress is finally coming to an end."
Americans United for Change has been on the front lines in the ongoing fight to advance the middle class agenda and to clean up the culture of corruption in Washington. In January 2006, Americans United ran the first national ad on political corruption (Click here to view Americans United ad ‘Time') and the Jack Abramoff scandal calling for the lobbying and congressional reforms included in the Honest Leadership Act. In January 2007, Americans United spearheaded a massive, national campaign effort called Change America Now! that includes nearly 40 organizations in 31 states working together to pass the economic elements of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's ' 100 Hour' legislative agenda, including raising the minimum wage.
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