Progressive Breakfast: Government Sweatshops: A Time for the President to Act

MORNING MESSAGE

This week in Washington, hundreds of low wage federal government contract workers walked off their jobs, demonstrating for a living wage and a union. They included Senate janitors and food service workers – the workers who serve the senators their food and clean up the messes they leave. Carrying a sign reading “Hiring: A President who will sign a $15 +Union Executive Order,” these workers are calling on President Obama to lead and put government on the side of workers. They want an executive order that would give preference in government procurement and licensing to companies that pay a living wage with benefits, and respect their workers’ right to organize ... Obama has claimed that his trade policies are focused on enforcing labor rights in our trading partners. That might gain more credibility were he to act to enforce them at home.

Fast Track Heads To Senate Floor

Senate Finance Committee passes fast track bill. The Hill: “The panel approved, on an 20-6 vote, a long-awaited trade promotion authority (TPA) measure with the support of seven Democrats … Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) lost their bid — on an 11-15 vote — to [require] enforceable currency manipulation provisions … [House] Ways and Means Committee is slated to mark up the bill Thursday.”
Currency amendment on separate legislation passes committee. Politico: “[It] would require the Commerce Department to [determine] whether countries that undervalue their currency are providing an illegal trade subsidy. That could lead to hefty duties on steel and certain other Chinese manufactured goods. The administration also opposes that idea on the grounds it would invite trade retaliation and potentially violate World Trade Organization rules.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren responds to Obama’s case for TPP during MSNBC interview with Rachel Maddow: “We want to see this deal before you grease the skids, not afterwards … My view is when the process is rigged, the outcome is likely to be rigged too.”
Tougher road in Congress for TPP than NAFTA. W. Post: “Of the Democratic votes for NAFTA, 72 came from members who represented Southern and border states. About half those seats, almost entirely in the South, are now held by conservative Republicans … reluctant to give Obama any additional authority … Clinton’s whip team, led at the time by Rahm Emanuel, then the White House political director, could trade earmarks to secure votes. Obama has no such leverage.”
Democrats also fight Obama over aid to workers displaced by trade. HuffPost: “During a markup hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced that Obama endorsed providing $450 million a year to the Trade Adjustment Assistance program — a cut of more than 20 percent … Wyden had agreed to the $450 million figure in talks with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), a staunch opponent of the TAA program. Wyden was the only Democrat on the Finance Committee to oppose an amendment from Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) that would have restored the $575 million funding level.”
Congressional Democrats pressure Hillary Clinton to fight TPP. Politico: “‘I think now that she’s officially declared for president, she should share with people how she feels about it,’ said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) … Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democratic populist who is leading the charge to kill the measure, said Clinton could help galvanize opposition in Congress.”
While Jeb Bush pressures Hillary to support it. W. Post: “I haven’t changed in my view even though Hillary Clinton has. It is time to move forward as even recent Democratic presidents have recognized — and Sec. Clinton shouldn’t stand in the way for political gain.”
Obama tries to activate base. The Hill: “The president will use a Thursday speech at an Organizing for America summit in Washington to sell liberals on supporting [the] fast-track trade bill …”

Dems Aim For $12 Minimum

Congressional Dems ready $12 minimum wage bill. NYT: “Senator Murray’s forthcoming bill, and a companion measure by Representative Robert C. Scott in the House, have considerable support within the party … ‘The politics, substance and morality coincide to make it a winner issue for us in 2016,’ Senator Schumer said. ‘It appeals not just to the people who would benefit,’ he added. ‘Polling data shows it appeals to middle-class people, people of high income.'”
Underpaid Senate worker homeless. W. Post: “For a week’s work at the Senate cafeteria — sweeping floors, mopping bathrooms, cleaning dishes, composting leftovers, transporting laundry — he says his take-home pay is about $360 … after Congress privatized its dining services, [Charles] Gladden says, his new employer, Restaurant Associates, shrank the employee head count and worsened hours … Sometimes he panhandles, on the weekends and when he effectively gets laid off for weeks because the Senate is in recess.”

Breakfast Sides

House Appropriations Committee proposes 2016 spending cuts. The Hill: “House Republican appropriators on Wednesday approved spending preliminary allocations for fiscal 2016 that stick to the overall $1.017 trillion cap under sequestration by slashing billions from government agencies … The figures point to a brewing conflict between the GOP-led Congress and the White House that could lead to another government shutdown fight in October.”
Renewed optimism for high-speed rail. McClatchy: “[Supporters] point to tangible progress. California’s $68 billion system broke ground in January. Efforts are under way to bring high-speed rail projects to Texas, Florida, Minnesota and North Carolina …
Utility industry argues EPA climate regs may cause temporary blackouts. NYT: “… officials from … electric utilities say that they do expect to meet the requirements of the regulation by 2030. The hard part, they say, will be maintaining reliable power during the transition. In particular, they note that the E.P.A.’s draft proposal requires states to start demonstrating significant emissions cuts as early as 2020 … ‘There is no way that E.P.A. is going to finalize this rule without being assured that the system will be reliable and cost-effective,’ said Gina McCarthy, the E.P.A. administrator. ‘We are working with utilities on what needs to be tweaked.'”
Progressive Breakfast is a daily morning email highlighting news stories of interest to activists. Progressive Breakfast is a project of the Campaign for America's Future. more »