FROM PRINTING INDUSTRIES OF AMERICA
Health care reform took a step forward on Capitol Hill this week as the Senate Finance Committee passed its bill on Tuesday. Sen. Snowe (R-ME) joined all 13 committee Democrats in voting favorably on what is considered the more moderate of the two major health care bills passed by Senate committees. Efforts now turn toward Majority Leader Reid's (D-NV) effort to meld both the Senate Finance Committee and Senate HELP Committee bills into one legislative package that could be considered by the full Senate. Cost concerns still abound, and a new Congressional Budget Office score will be issued prior to a full vote on the Senate floor. Key components of the health reform bill, such as whether or not a public option will be included and what "shared responsibility" (employer role) will be included, are still in flux. No formal deadline for bill consideration has been set, although Senate leadership is pushing for consideration prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) is reportedly seeking to "freeze the design" of a final House bill to put forth for a vote. So far, progressive and centrist factions of the House Democratic caucus have been unable to agree on how the three committee bills passed in the lower chamber this summer should be melded into a final package. House Majority Leader Hoyer (D-MD) stated this week that a full House vote could be pushed back to December.
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The Coalition for a Democratic Workforce Fall Toolkit is now available! The grassroots toolkit includes recent news articles, talking points, and opportunities to take action to communicate to Capitol Hill on this issue. Printing Industries of America is a steering committee member of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, which is a coalition of workers, employers, associations, and organizations who are fighting to protect the right to a federally supervised private ballot when workers are deciding whether or not to join a union. The coalition also works to block the so-called Employee Free Choice Act.
PrintPAC this week joined Jim Cunningham of Printing Industries of Ohio & N. Kentucky along with Ohio members, including: Jim Basch, Fine Line Graphics; Ed Evans, West Camp; David Middleton, Xerox; Eric Michel, Millcraft Paper; David Olberding, Phototype; and Stan Ritter, AGS Custom Graphics to honor Rep. Patrick Tiberi (R). Rep. Tiberi is a key member on the House Ways & Means Committee and has been a PrintPAC-endorsed candidate since 2000.
Printing Industries continues working to inject the voice of small business into the current health care debate on Capitol Hill. In a letter sent in conjunction with the Small Business Coalition for Affordable Health Care, Printing Industries restated its commitment to health care reform and illustrated concerns regarding an employer-mandate provision. Printing Industries and its allies urged Congress to consider "policies that restrain costs, insurance market reform that increases access to private health insurance, and tax reform that provides equity for the purchase of healthcare" as "common sense and economically sound reforms" that will achieve more access to affordable health insurance for more Americans.
Printing Industries joined allied associations in calling upon leaders of the Senate HELP Committee to hold hearings on the nomination of Professor David Michaels to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. In a letter, Printing Industries stated its commitment to workplace safety and urged that the committee "thoroughly explore Professor Michaels' views on key areas of OSHA operations, the direction the agency will take, and how his professional career might influence the decisions he would make in this position." Michaels has been critical of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical, which is the case establishing that a certain level of scientific evidence must be admitted as part of the litigation process in workplace safety cases. While nominees to head OSHA are not required to undergo nomination hearings, it is traditionally the case that nominees appear before the committee prior to Senate confirmation.
U.S. Senate: DE
Rep. Mike Castle (R-At Large) announced he will run for Delaware's open Senate seat in 2010. State Attorney General Beau Biden (D) is also weighing a bid for his father's former Senate seat.
U.S. Senate: NV
Former Republican Party Chairwomen Sue Lowden announced her candidacy for Senate against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D).
U.S. House: FL-19
Rep. Robert Wexler (D) announced he will resign his Congressional seat in January 2010 to begin a new job as president of the nonprofit Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation on January 2. Florida State Sen. Ted Deutch (D) has already announced his candidacy for the special election. Gov. Charlie Crist (R) has not set a date for the election.
If you have a question about any of the issues above or other government affairs-related concerns please feel free to contact us at govtaffairs@printing.org or (202) 730-7970.
