Tell Congress to Pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act

From the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Take Action Now:
Call 202-224-3121 and urge Congress to support the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act.

During these tough economic times, every penny counts. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 11) and the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 12) restore legal standards to sue for discriminatory pay, and advance fair and equal pay for all. Both of these bills could be voted on as early as this Wednesday, January 7. Call 202-224-3121 today and tell Congress to support H.R. 11 and H.R. 12 and ensure pay equity for workers.

Last year, people around the country worked tirelessly to urge Congress to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. However, it was filibustered in the Senate, thereby preventing a full vote in that chamber.

With the start of the 111th Congress, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act can provide American workers their day in court by fixing the Supreme Court ruling on workplace discrimination and reaffirming that civil rights have legally enforceable remedies.

The Paycheck Fairness Act is designed to close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act, and narrow the wage gap between men and women in the United States. This bill is an important step toward advancing gender equality in the workplace and can play a critical role in stimulating the economy and ensuring self-sufficiency for workers and their families.

Urge members of Congress (202-224-3121) to support H.R. 11 and H.R. 12 and make pay equity a reality.

C-SPAN Discussion of HR 676 Tuesday Night

John Conyers and other Members of Congress will take to the floor of the House of Representatives Tuesday evening, June 10, to lead a discussion of HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation. HR 676 now has 90 co-sponsors in the House, more than any other health care bill.

Conyers has reserved the time under House Rules known as “Special Orders.” Special Orders provide the opportunity for discussion on a specific topic to occur after the last floor vote of the day. Other congressional representatives who will participate in the discussion are Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Nancy Boyda (KS), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX) and Diane Watson (CA).

The TUESDAY, June 10, session will be covered on C-SPAN, beginning at approximately 9:00 p.m. eastern standard time (EST).

Video: Interviews at the Founding of the ITUC

This video is produced by PA contributing writer Vittorio Longhi

House Committee to Initiate Hearings on Abuse of Presidential Power

From AfterDowningStreet.org:

(Washington, DC)- Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. announced that he will be holding a full committee hearing next week titled, “The Use and Misuse of Presidential Clemency Power for Executive Branch Officials.” The hearing will be held next Wednesday, July 11, at 10:15 am in the committee’s hearing room, 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.

“In light of yesterday’s announcement by the President that he was commuting the prison sentence for Scooter Libby, it is imperative that Congress look into presidential authority to grant clemency, and how such power may be abused,” Conyers said. “Taken to its extreme, the use of such authority could completely circumvent the law enforcement process and prevent credible efforts to investigate wrongdoing in the executive branch.”

Who: The House Judiciary Committee

Witnesses, TBA

What: “The Use and Misuse of Presidential Clemency Power for Executive Branch Officials”

When: Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 10:15 am

Where: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building

See statements on the commuting of Scooter Libby’s sentence from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, and Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter: http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=547