Braley supports Republican bill to extend tax cut

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement after voting to support a Republican-written bill to extend the middle class payroll tax cut for a full year:

"The middle class tax cut extension passed today will keep $1,000 in the pocket of the average Iowa family.  Extending the tax cut for the rest of the year is a common sense step that will help strengthen the momentum of the economy.

"I'm disappointed that Speaker Boehner brought the tax cut up for a vote without finding a way to pay for it.  I've now voted twice for bills that would extend the middle class tax cut without adding to the deficit.  I wish I could have vote that way a third time.

"I'm encouraged that partisan politics didn't stop this tax cut extension from getting done.  Congress now must immediately turn its focus to working in a bipartisan way on other measures to help create jobs and grow the economy."

Braley has consistently worked across party lines to pass a yearlong middle class tax cut extension.  In December, he was one of only 10 Democrats to support a Republican bill to couple a yearlong extension of the middle class tax cut with other provisions.  Later that month, Braley also supported the compromise Senate bill that extended the middle class tax cut for two months.

WASHINGTON D.C. -The Communications Workers of America (CWA) today announced their thanks to Reps. Braley and Loebsack for not yielding to extremists' union busting demands by standing up for Iowa's working families and voting against the FAA Reauthorization bill and its damaging impact on working families.

Despite the efforts of Reps. Braley and Loebsack, the FAA legislation passed both chambers of Congress last week.  CWA members had been engaged for over a year in the fight for the passage of a clean FAA bill, calling for FAA legislation that would advance the important infrastructure and modernization components, but not include unrelated and unfair provisions dealing with union organizing and elections.  However, a backroom "compromise" in name only moved the legislation forward while including completely unrelated provisions damaging to union elections and working families in Iowa and throughout the country.

Now that the legislation has passed, CWA members and allies are reaching out to their members of Congress to thank them, or to express their displeasure at their vote.  CWA members in Iowa and across the nation will make sure their voices are heard by visiting district offices, sending letters, and making phone calls directly to their members of Congress.

Unfortunately, the FAA legislation creates new roadblocks for employees seeking union representation, takes away secret ballot rights, increases the threshold needed to call for a union election, makes collective bargaining more difficult, and limits the safeguards provided by the National Mediation Board (NMB). It also sets a dangerous precedent for those who prefer to hold critical transportation jobs and projects hostage rather than allow democracy on the job.

The bill passed despite strong opposition by organized labor.  Eighteen international unions, representing over 10 million members, signed a letter calling for passage of a clean FAA Reauthorization bill and the United Steelworkers, Service Employees International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) and National Education Association sent individual letters of opposition to Congress.

CWA also released a full-page ad in the Washington paper POLITICO noting that Reps. Braley and Loebsack were two of 157 House members and 15 Senators who stood with workers and said no to the egregious union-busting in the FAA bill.

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Washington, DC - February 16, 2012 - In case you missed it, Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives this morning in support of the Building Better Business Partnerships Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced last week with Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-32).  This bill will streamline the process for small businesses to participate in mentor-protégé programs which pair new businesses looking to increase their government contracts with more experienced businesses.  To view Schilling's floor statement, click here or on the image below.

As part of the Small Business Committee's contracting initiative, two other bipartisan pieces of legislation were introduced last week with the goal of creating protections to fight contracting fraud and empowering advocates who fight for small business during the federal acquisition process.  More information on the Committee's initiative can be found here on the Committee's website.

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- As Chinese Vice President Xi embarks on a five-day tour of the United States, which includes trips to the District of Columbia, Iowa, and California, Generation Opportunity is highlighting results from its national poll demonstrating how America's young adults view threats to America, American national security, and its relationship to federal spending. The poll focuses specifically on young Americans ages 18-29 and reveals the opinions of young Americans on issues such as indebtedness to China, U.S. debt, and a variety of economic challenges.

Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to assume control of the Chinese Communist Party later this year and to then become president of China in 2013.

The poll reveals that 76 percent of young American adults view China as either an economic or military threat, 62 percent believe the top American national security issue is the U.S. debt -- followed by energy dependency and indebtedness to foreign powers -- and over 70 percent indicated very big concerns about America's deficit.

"Young Americans are very strong in their belief that America is an exceptional nation, but they believe that our growing debt, our indebtedness to foreign powers, like communist China, and our dependency on foreign sources of energy pose a threat to our national security. As vice president Xi tours America, he should understand that the overwhelming majority of young Americans view the Chinese government as an economic or military threat and that they are committed to increasing American economic and energy independence so that the United States remains a global leader.

"It is hard for Americans, especially young adults, to be impressed by foreign leaders who deny their citizens the basic human freedoms of speech and religious expression, especially in the age of social media and global commerce," said Paul T. Conway, president of Generation Opportunity and the former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Labor under Secretary Elaine L. Chao. Conway has also served as an official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is an alumnus of the Senior Executives in National and International Security program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

To reduce these vulnerabilities and manage America's national security challenges, young Americans believe elected officials in Washington, D.C. need to get the country on more stable economic footing by cutting federal spending rather than raising taxes. They also believe the U.S. needs to increase the production of domestic energy sources such as oil, natural gas, and coal.

Generation Opportunity commissioned a poll with the polling company, inc./WomanTrend (April 16 - 22, 2011, +/- 4 percent margin of error) and highlights some of the results below.

The China Threat:

• 76 percent of Young Americans view China as a danger:
  
  • 48 percent as an economic threat
  • 28 percent as both an economic and military threat.

American National Security:

• Top 3 greatest threats to American National Security: National Debt (62 percent), Energy Dependency (61 percent) and Indebtedness to Foreign Powers (50 percent). The threat of terrorism at (39 percent) followed as the fourth major national security concern.
• 71 percent indicated very big concerns about America's "deficit."
• 70 percent (net) would increase production of domestic energy sources like oil, natural gas and coal.

American Exceptionalism:

• 56 percent -- more than half -- indicated their agreement with "American Exceptionalism" -- described as an ideal of freedom and democracy exclusive and unique to the United States.

Young Americans Views on Washington Leaders and the Economy:

• 69 percent say political leaders do NOT reflect the interests of young Americans.
• Only 31 percent approve of President Obama's handling of American youth unemployment.
• 76 percent of overall Millennials would favor a decrease over an increase in federal spending from its current level if given the chance to set America's fiscal priorities.
• 69 percent prefer reducing federal spending over raising taxes on individuals in order to balance the federal budget.
• 59 percent of overall Millennials agree the economy grows best when individuals are allowed to create businesses without government interference.
• 53 percent of overall Millennials agree if taxes on business profits were reduced, companies would be more likely to hire.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY
Generation Opportunity is a non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(4) organization that seeks to engage everyone from young adults, to early career professionals, college students, young mothers and fathers, construction workers, current service men and women, veterans, entrepreneurs, and all Americans who find themselves dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to create a better tomorrow.

Generation Opportunity operates on a strategy that combines advanced social media tactics with proven field tactics to reach Americans 18-29. The organization's social media platforms -- "Being American by GO" on Facebook and "The Constitution by GO" on Facebook -- have amassed a total fan base of more than 2.3 million. Both pages post links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal General Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.

Read about Generation Opportunity here; visit "Being American by GO" on Facebook here and "The Constitution by GO" on Facebook here.

For our Spanish-language page -- Generación Oportunidad -- click here.