The Ironworkers Political Action League (IPAL) serves the Iron Worker membership in two crucial capacities. The first is the raising of funds to be used in efforts to elect pro-union and pro-worker candidates to public office. The second is to lobby critical legislation, keep legislatively informed, and review legislative matters that affect the livelihood of Ironworkers and their families. Both of these functions serve to achieve the same objective: increasing the political and legislative clout of the Ironworkers.
The success of these efforts absolutely depends on the Iron Workers membership contributions. It is clear that the battle for work, wages, safety and retirement will be waged not only at the collective bargaining table, but in the political arena as well. The combined challenge of the new economy and the increasing practice of anti-union politics must be recognized as a grave threat. If the Ironworkers are to excel in the Twenty-First Century they must continue to build political power and be prepared to wield it. Building this power will be accomplished through organizing to increase membership, raising funds via the IPAL contribution checkoff, and becoming – and staying – politically active. Our livelihood depends on it.
Please use the following link to the new Ironworkers Legislative Action Center. The new website makes fighting for ironworkers and their families easier and more effective than ever.
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The AFL-CIO has officially launched its "McCain Revealed" campaign, an effort to expose Sen. John McCain's record and his allegiance to the failed policies of President George W. Bush. The campaign will reach out to union households through worksite leaflets, door knocking, mail, union meetings, and more.
Please visit the "McCain Revealed" website at http://www.mccainrevealed.com for an interactive briefing book on Sen. McCain's positions and statements.
This will be a tremendously useful tool for union members throughout the country so please let your family, friends and co-workers know about this website.
Dear Local Union Officers & Members:
We have an incredible opportunity to change the direction this nation is headed in by electing leaders who will fight for working families instead of big corporations. The issues at stake in the 2008 elections impact all working Americans: skyrocketing job loss, healthcare costs and gas prices, plus the decimation of pensions and worker safety protections.
We can win these elections by mobilizing union members to vote – we cannot afford to let anyone sit these elections out.
I am counting on you to work with the membership of our union to focus on the issues, highlight candidate differences and mobilize members and their families to turn out to vote. The AFL-CIO Labor 2008 Campaign is underway and our locals need to join in, specifically, I need you to:
If you have any questions, please contact Dave Kolbe at 202-383-4805. Never has more been at stake for our union. I hope you will join the fight for a better economy and a more secure future for our brothers and sisters.
Fraternally yours,
Joseph J. Hunt
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Water Resources Subcommittee Approves Three Water Quality Bills
January 31, 2007
By Mary Kerr The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment held its first markup in the 110th Congress today and approved by voice vote three bills aimed at investing in our nation’s wastewater infrastructure and improving water quality. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (Tex.), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee, presided over the markup of the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 (H.R. 720), the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 (H.R. 700), and the Water Quality Investment Act of 2007 (H.R. 569).
The Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 reauthorizes the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which would provide $20 billion over five years for loans to water-pollution-abatement projects. The bill also offer states increased flexibility in the financing packages they can offer to cities and local communities, including principal forgiveness, negative interest loans, and other financing mechanisms that may be necessary to assist communities in meeting their water quality infrastructure goals.
"The EPA and others estimate a shortfall of between $300 to $400 billion over the next 20 years for necessary wastewater infrastructure improvements, with an annual funding gap of between $3 billion and $11 billion over current expenditures. This shortfall is significant, because without considerable improvements to the wastewater treatment infrastructure, much of the progress made in cleaning up the nation’s waters since the passage of the Clean Water Act is at risk,” said Chairwoman Johnson. “This legislation encourages communities to consider innovative and alternative technologies that may result in greater, long-term environmental benefits. Congress should act quickly to enact this important legislation, because it will go a long way in helping many of our communities that are least able to afford necessary improvements to their water infrastructure systems."
Democrats defeated an effort by Rep. Richard Baker (La.), the Subcommittee’s Ranking Republican, and Rep. Thelma Drake (Va.) to strip language renewing Davis-Bacon prevailing wage protections for construction projects funded under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
"Since 1931, the Davis-Bacon Act has provided a living wage for America’s workers,” Chairwoman Johnson stated. “Today, more and more families are struggling to make ends meet. The Federal government has a responsibility to protect working Americans by requiring employers to pay an honest wage for an honest days work."
The panel also approved by voice vote an amendment to H.R. 720 offered by Rep. Charles Boustany (La.) that requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of other potential funding and investment mechanisms and revenue sources for meeting the nation’s water infrastructure needs.
The Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 reauthorizes $125 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) alternative water source grants program. Eligible projects include those designed to conserve, manage, reclaim, or reuse water or wastewater, or treat wastewater to meet critical municipal, industrial, and agricultural water supply needs.
"Rapid population growth and development in certain areas of the country have taxed the ability of localities to meet the drinking water needs of their communities. This, coupled with an increased awareness of the environmental impact of massive water withdrawals from freshwater supplies and the growing threat of global climate change on regional precipitation patterns, has forced many local communities to explore alternative sources of water,” Chairwoman Johnson explained. “This program is vitally important to ensure the availability of sufficient drinking water sources to meet current and future needs."
The Water Quality Investment Act of 2007 reauthorizes appropriations to municipalities to control combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). CSOs and SSOs are overflows of untreated waste that can occur during wet weather events as a result of poor maintenance, deteriorating infrastructure, or inadequate capacity.
"These overflows are significant concerns for public health and safety, because they often result in discharges of raw sewage into neighboring rivers, streets, beaches, and basements,” said Chairwoman Johnson. “To eliminate combined sewer overflows, communities must redesign their sewer systems to separate sewage flows from stormwater flows or provide significant additional capacity to eliminate the possibility that combined flows will exceed the limits of the infrastructure. Either way, this will be a massive undertaking – estimated by the EPA to cost more than $50 billion."
Chairwoman Johnson offered a manager's amendment to conform the text of H.R. 569 to previous actions of the Subcommittee related to the distribution process for the grants. The manager’s amendment, which passed by a voice vote, also authorizes the appropriations at $1.8 billion over the next five years.
