Clips: 2007 01 05 Gongwer
Groups Back Congressional Action
Gongwer News Service| 1/5/07
As the 110th Congress convened Thursday under Democratic control, a coalition of organizations said in Lansing they were calling on their members to help get passed an agenda that included an increase in the minimum wage and cuts in the interest rate charged for student loans.
At a press conference, representatives of Michigan Citizen Action said they were encouraging their members to contact their members of Congress and urge them to support the so-called 100-Hour agenda outline by the new U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California).
"On November 7, the American people sent a clear, unmistakable message" by their electing Democrats as the congressional majority, Linda Teeter said. But while Americans have soured on conservative actions, "they have little idea what progressives stand for," she said.
Adoption of the 100-Hour agenda will be the start of an effort "to reverse the policies that have hurt the poor and middle class," Ms. Teeter said.
The groups are all part of a nationwide group called Change America Now. That umbrella organization consists of 40 groups working in more that 30 states, Ms. Teeter said.
Critically important is adoption of a new federal minimum wage, as well as cuts in the interest rate on student loans and allowing the government to negotiate prescription drug prices as part of Medicare Part D, she and others said.
While the Michigan minimum wage was raised last year, and 28 other states have adopted minimum wages higher than the federal $5.15 an hour, Shannon Faust of ACORN said Congress should think of the working families in the nation trying to scrape by on minimum wage.
And Brandon White of the United States Student Association said that cutting the interest rate on student loans in half would save the average student $5,600 in loan costs, and help make college more affordable to more people.
Iris Salters, president of the Michigan Education Association, said that with Democratic control of the Congress the nation should lead towards an investment in the nation's children.
"I call on Michigan's congressional delegation to help lead the change," she said.
With Democratic control of the Congress seeming to imply passage of the agenda, the group was asked if it wouldn't be more productive to try to convince President George W. Bush not to veto the measures, Ms. Teeter said that would be the focus once the bills are passed.
