100 Hour Congressional Drive Support Effort
12/19/2006
USAction, AFSCME and Americans United to Launch Change America Now (CAN) Campaign as Part of Major National Effort to Pass 100 Hour Agenda in New CongressCampaign to Call On incoming U.S. Reps. Ellison, Walz and Bachmann to Support CAN 100 Hour Agenda, including Raising the Minimum Wage, Making College Affordable, Repealing Big Oil Tax Breaks/Investing in Alternative Energy, and Allowing Medicare to Negotiate Lower Rx Drug Costs for Seniors
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St. Paul, MN – On Wednesday, December 20th at 11 am at the State Capitol, USAction, AFSCME and Americans United will launch a new campaign in Minnesota called Change America Now (CAN). Change America Now is a national campaign effort being mounted by nearly 40 organizations in 31 states to pass through Congress the economic elements of the 100 Hour legislative agenda as outlined by incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Those elements, which comprise the CAN 100 Hour Agenda, are:
The Change America Now campaign is seeking to pass these priorities with large bipartisan majorities in the House of Representatives in effort to build momentum for them in a closely divided U.S. Senate and to apply sufficient pressure to have President Bush sign them into law. In addition, the Change America Now campaign is uniting progressive voices from across America to champion these issues and pass them into law as a down payment on advancing a broader agenda for American families in a number of areas including jobs and wages, healthcare, the environment and education. The CAN campaign will call on incoming Members of Congress, including Keith Ellison, TimWalz and Michele Bachmann to support CAN’s 100 Hour Agenda and which are to be voted on in the House in the first 100 legislative hours of the 110th Congress in early January.
Under President Bush and conservative rule in Washington, a reverse Robin Hood effect has dramatically shifted the distribution of wealth and power in America from the poor and the middle class to the wealthiest of Americans and corporate America. Recent polls show the American public supports efforts to reverse those policies which have harmed the poor and the middle class and to advance new initiatives to return the nation to the type of broad economic prosperity that gave rise to the concept of the ‘American Dream.’ CAN will utilize high intensity ‘grass roots’ campaign tactics to convince Members of Congress to support the progressive agenda, including: aggressive press events at Members’ offices, town hall meetings, demonstrations, petition drives, phone banking, and Op-Eds/Letters to the Editor in local markets.
Who: USAction, AFSCME and Americans United
What: MN Launch of Change America Now Campaign as Part of National Effort to Advance the Progressive Agenda in 110th Congress
When: Wednesday at 11:00 A.M. – Dec. 20, 2006
Where: MN State Capitol Room 181, State Office Building, St. Paul, MN