Blog

August 07, 2017

Trade, Tax Reform and the Federal Budget

Victory In This Round Of Attacks On Our Health Care

Both the US House and US Senate have recessed for the month of August. Thanks to your hard work, we are cautiously enjoying a victory over an effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Alliance members generated over 17,000 patch-through calls to members of the House, Senate and their Governors that helped stop the attacks on our health care for now. More bills and discussions are in the works so we must stay involved in this fight until we win high quality, affordable, universal health care for ALL!

Tax Reform and the Federal Budget

The White House has produced a budget with nearly $1.5 trillion in cuts from Medicaid and House Republicans have developed a budget that cuts $1 trillion from Medicaid and nearly $500 billion from Medicare. All this just so that they can move on their agenda to give tax breaks to the ultra-rich! The Alliance published their latest fact sheet on this budget drafted by Chairwoman Diane Black, R-TN, which passed the House Budget Committee on July 19, 2017.

In addition, Republican congressmen plan to campaign in full force for tax reform over the August recess in an effort to excite voters about their proposals, which are all about slashing taxes, mainly for the wealthy and corporations.

The AFL-CIO has adopted their principles for tax reform, which were recently distributed to all State Federations and Central Labor councils. Read what the AFL-CIO has to say about a much better way to fix our broken tax system.

Trade

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has failed working people, is being renegotiated for the first time since it was passed with the first round scheduled for August 16-20.

 

The AFL-CIO recently produced a document that outlines bottom lines for a new NAFTA and disseminated it to State Federations and Central Labor Councils this week. Any new trade agreement must empower working people and retirees- not corporations!