Paul Ryan’s Republican Budget Passes The House, Despite Threats Posed To Seniors

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass GOP Congressman Paul Ryan’s Republican Budget for Fiscal Year 2014 on Thursday by a vote of 221-to-207. It was a mostly Party-Line Vote, with only 10 Republicans voting against it and no Democrats voting for it.  For a full tally, go to http://tinyurl.com/atg588r.  Ryan’s Plan would fast-track Cuts to Social Security, gut Medicaid and dismantle the Medicare Program - all while giving $5.7 trillion in New Tax Cuts for the Wealthy and Corporations.  To see the Alliance’s Letter to House Members listing the ways in which the budget would hurt seniors, go to http://tinyurl.com/buazaea. If you have not done so already, please sign the Petition expressing your disapproval of the Paul Ryan Budget here: http://bit.ly/YdAmr6.  Diane Fleming, a Retired Member of the International Association of Machinists (IAM), who, along with her 92-year-old Mother, is a Medicare Beneficiary, spoke at a Capitol Hill Press Conference on Wednesday that drew attention to the many problems with the Republican Budget. Because Ryan’s Plan also calls for the Repeal of Health Care Reform, Fleming highlighted the imminent Three-Year Anniversary (today, March 23rd) of the Affordable Care Act.  In separate action, the House and Senate reached agreement on Thursday to fund the Federal Government through September, avoiding a Government Shutdown. However, the Bill leaves in place the Machinery of Sequestration Cuts that took effect on March 1st. The Bill does not add funding that many Democrats wanted to implement Health Care and Wall Street Reforms.

Wednesday, March 20th: A Day of Action Against the Sequester

Wednesday was a National Day of Action to Protest the Effects of Sequestration – including a Growing Backlog for New Claims, headed toward 1,000,000 - for the Social Security Administration.  Alliance Members were out in full force, and the evidence was found at State Capitols, in Print and on Television Screens.  The day was Senior Day at the Capitol in Denver for Colorado State Alliance President Frank Lay, State Chapter Members and their Allies.  Joining the Colorado Alliance were the Central Presbyterian Church, the Colorado Commission on Aging and others.  See video from the Pennsylvania Alliance’s presence in Lebanon, Pennsylvania at http://tinyurl.com/blfz7dz.  In addition, Arizona Alliance President Doug Hart was interviewed by the Phoenix ABC Affiliate on Wednesday.  The New Mexico Alliance joined up with the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the Sierra Club and other coalition partners to protest both Sequestration and the Ryan Budget in Albuquerque.  In Omaha, Fox's Channel 42 and ABC's Channel 7 covered the Nebraska Alliance's Protest.  In Dallas, Texas Alliance President Gene Lantz was interviewed by the local CBS affiliate.  Go tohttp://youtu.be/46RohY1nVf0 to see video from Dallas.  Go to http://tinyurl.com/cqxoeah for more.   “So many of our States were active on Wednesday – this list is not meant to be exhaustive,” Alliance President Barbara Easterling said.  “I want to ‘thank’ everyone who joined together to make such a strong statement about sequestration, the Paul Ryan Budget and the impact that combination will have on Seniors.”

Alliance Supports Nomination Of Thomas E. Perez For Labor Secretary

President Barack Obama has announced he is nominating Buffalo-born Thomas Perez to be his next Secretary of the Department of Labor.  Perez, currently the head of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, is a Long-Time Champion of Labor Causes.  During his time as head of the Maryland Department of Labor, he championed Legislation that stopped Bosses from Cheating their Workers out of Full Pay and Benefits by classifying them as Independent Contractors.  The Bill was signed into law in 2009, earning Perez high praise from Union Leaders.  Perez has also been an Advocate for many other Causes, including Protecting the Rights of Domestic Workers and Fighting Back against Restrictive Voter ID Laws.  For more, go to Mother Jones’s take on the nomination at http://tinyurl.com/atlej28.  “Thomas Perez’s record clearly shows that he will Promote Policies that help Workers achieve Stable Retirements,” Alliance Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Burks said.  “We are also encouraged by his strong opposition to Voter ID Laws, which Discriminate against Seniors.”