On Tuesday, July 9, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) announced the introduction of a resolution in both chambers of Congress declaring the climate emergency facing the planet demands a “national, social, industrial, and economic mobilization of the resources and labor of the United States” in order to “restore the climate for future generations.”
The resolution, cosponsored in the Senate by Sens. Merkley (D-Ore.), Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Booker (D-NJ), Gillibrand (D-NY), Warren (D-Mass.), and Harris (D-Calif.), and 19 members of the House, comes in the wake of President Trump’s environmental speech yesterday, in which he avoided any mention of climate change.
The lawmakers note in the resolution that the “United States has a proud history of collaborative, constructive, massive-scale federal mobilizations of resources and labor in order to solve great challenges, such as the Interstate Highway System, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Reconstruction, the New Deal, and World War II,” and that the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that the global community has little more than a decade to stop the worst impacts of climate change.
The lawmakers’ bicameral recognition of the climate emergency stands in sharp contrast to President Trump’s recent misuse of emergency declarations, manufactured in order to seize funds that Congress refused to appropriate to build a wall on the border with Mexico and to sell Saudi Arabia weapons that Congress had blocked. Climate change, an actual emergency, has been described by Trump as a “hoax.”
“Today, as we face the global crisis of climate change, it is imperative that the United States lead the world in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. What we need now is Congressional leadership to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and tell them that their short term profits are not more important than the future of the planet. Climate change is a national emergency, and I am proud to be introducing this resolution with my House and Senate colleagues,” Sanders said.
“To address the climate crisis, we must tell the truth about the nature of this threat,” said Blumenauer. “Congressional Republicans have teetered on the brink of ignorance for far too long and now urgent, massive action is needed. This is an emergency. We must act now.”
“Today we stand in solidarity with tens of millions of people from around the world in calling for a mass mobilization of our social and economic resources. It is time we began a swift transition away from fossil fuels and towards a sustainable renewable energy economy. Climate change represents not only our greatest threat but one of our greatest opportunities. Working to solve the climate crisis will create tens of millions of union jobs, empower communities, and improve the quality of life for people across the globe,” said Ocasio-Cortez.
“The United States is facing a climate crisis. We must speak that truth, and then we must take bold action to confront the existential crisis before us,” said Senator Harris. “In California and across the country, Americans are already seeing the impact of the climate crisis as unprecedented floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and extreme weather events devastate their communities. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this resolution that affirms that the policy of the United States Congress will be based on science fact, not science fiction.”
The resolution is endorsed by 15 independent organizations.
“It’s abundantly clear that climate change has arrived and that we are living in a climate crisis. It’s past time that the federal government recognize this fact and declare a climate emergency. We need bold, comprehensive legislation to move us off fossil fuels and onto a clean energy revolution. This resolution lays out the scope of what we need to do. It’s time to act for the future of our planet,” said Mitch Jones, Climate & Energy Program Director of Food & Water Watch.
“It’s heartening to see members of Congress taking up their authority and calling out the climate crisis as it happens. We are experiencing the effects of a global emergency, right now, in every part of our nation and it demands that we take immediate action that is equitable and to scale. Communities most impacted by this crisis have known for decades that our climate is changing and that it is affecting our health, safety, and the prospects of the next generation. We applaud Sen. Sanders and Reps. Blumenauer and Ocasio-Cortez for this step, and call on their colleagues in the House and Senate to support this resolution and show their commitment to just climate action today to give us a chance at tomorrow,” said Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, North America Director of 350 Action.
“The climate crisis poses a threat unlike any other in history. If we fail to mobilize national resources very soon, with the utmost speed and unprecedented scale, we will face catastrophic harm in the coming decades and possibly existential threats to the nation and human civilization by the end of this century. There is nothing more deserving of the ‘emergency’ designation. Senator Sanders and Reps. Blumenauer and Ocasio-Cortez should be commended for their leadership in calling the climate crisis exactly what it is: a genuine national emergency,” said David Arkush, Managing Director of Public Citizen’s Climate Program.
“We’re in a climate emergency fueled by a democracy emergency — an out-of-control fossil fuel industry is hijacking our government, and it’s time we acted like it and fought back. We the people demand that our government say ‘no’ to Big Oil and ‘yes’ to our futures. This resolution is a critical step toward a system that works for people, not polluters, and we thank Sen. Sanders and Reps. Blumenauer and Ocasio-Cortez for their bold leadership,” said Stephen Kretzmann, Founder & Executive Director of Oil Change U.S.
“Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) applauds Senator Sanders, Representative Blumenauer and Representative Ocasio-Cortez who continue to demonstrate leadership in addressing the climate crisis with this resolution. Logic dictates that we must clearly name the crisis if we are serious about addressing it. The road to a truly just and regenerative economy begins with recognizing and naming the challenge that confronts us. This resolution is a necessary step on the path to doing just that,” said Angela Adrar, Executive Director of Climate Justice Alliance.
Climate and ecological breakdown threatens to destroy human civilization and kill billions of innocent people through mass starvation, wars over declining resources, and in the worst case scenario, a runaway greenhouse effect. This historic national declaration of climate emergency formally acknowledges this unprecedented threat and demands the only sane response: A massive, federal government-led mobilization of all available resources to rapidly halt and reverse global warming through a managed phase out of coal, oil, and gas, a large-scale carbon sequestration effort, and other life-saving measures,” said Ezra Silk, Co-Founder and Director of Strategy & Policy of The Climate Mobilization.
“We are absolutely in a climate emergency, and it’s time all of our elected officials started acting like it. Acknowledging that climate change represents a monumental threat, as this resolution does, is a critical first step. What the American people need to survive this crisis is swift action from our government to end drilling, fracking, and mining for fossil fuels and to invest in a more just, inclusive economy built on renewable energy,” said Janet Redman, Climate Campaign Director, Greenpeace USA.
“For decades our politics has been dominated by fear — fear of fossil fuel corporations, fear of a just transition, and fear of each other. As our leaders have been crippled by fear, we’re now left with only 11 years to rapidly transition off fossil fuels and toward green energy. It’s time to declare a national emergency to stop the crisis and create millions of good-paying jobs in our communities,” said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Senator Klobuchar’s mom taught second grade until she was 70 years and she was also a proud teachers’ union member who walked the picket line in the 1951 teachers’ strike. As the daughter of a teacher and union member, Senator Klobuchar understands that a good education is a basic right of every child and that all Americans should have the educational opportunities they need to succeed in today’s economy.
During the presidential campaign, Senator Klobuchar has announced plans to fully fund education and our schools, make a historic investment in increasing teacher pay, close the opportunity gap, fully fund the IDEA, boost STEM education and apprenticeship opportunities, and rebuild our crumbling school infrastructure.
In addition to her already announced plans, Senator Klobuchar is announcing at the 2019 National Education Association Presidential Forum an additional proposal — new federal-state school “Progress Partnerships” that will allow states to take aggressive action to support our students. These partnerships are designed to elevate the voices of our educators and they will provide additional resources to help states take bold action to fund our public schools, support our teachers, and prioritize learning.
Increase teacher pay: States will agree to a
state-federal partnership with a generous federal match to increase salaries
for all teachers, as well as recommendations that address unique state needs
when it comes to the teacher pipeline, such as recruitment, retention,
diversity of the workforce, and quality of teacher preparation. State educators
should be included in the development of these plans.
Adapt high school curricula to improve workforce
readiness and post-secondary success: State education departments, working
with educators, will evaluate student career and college readiness, including
coursework, curriculum and other policies that prepare students for today’s
workforce and post-secondary success.
Establish an equitable school infrastructure funding
mechanism: In addition to receiving generous direct federal funding for school infrastructure
improvements, states will create a mechanism for distributing
federal school infrastructure funding that addresses disparities in conditions
and resources and ensures equity in funding for construction and repairs of
school buildings across the state.
Submit recommendations to align school services and
schedules with the needs of working families: States will work with
educators to develop and submit recommendations on how schools can meet the
needs of working families, which could include low-cost after-school programs,
alternative programs for students on days when schools are closed, and a
community school model that wraps other community services in the school
building to make schools into community hubs.
Convene a commission to review the state’s existing
funding formula to improve equity: States will review the existing funding
formula to ensure that all students, particularly those with the greatest need,
have access to adequate educational resources. The commission must include
professional educators and develop recommendations for improving state
education funding equity, which will be published biennially along with an
assessment of state progress.
As part of her plan for her first 100 days as President,
Senator Klobuchar will also:
Reduce racial disparities in disciplining students.
Senator Klobuchar will re-issue guidance directing schools to reduce racial
disparities in how they discipline students, which prompted more than 50 of
America’s largest school districts to institute discipline reform.
Fully fund the IDEA and reinstate the guidance protecting
the rights of students with disabilities. Senator Klobuchar’s budget will
fully fund IDEA to support students with disabilities. In addition, Senator
Klobuchar will reinstate documents protecting the rights of students with
disabilities after Secretary DeVos rescinded 72 guidance documents outlining
those rights.
Prevent the expansion of private school vouchers.
Senator Klobuchar will stand firmly with our public schools and end discussions
of Secretary Betsy DeVos’s $50 billion proposal to fund private school
vouchers.
Restore protections for the LGBTQ community. Senator
Klobuchar will reverse the harmful anti-LGBTQ administrative actions taken by
the Trump Administration when it comes to education, health care and civil
rights, and she will work to pass the Equality Act in year one of her
presidency.
Vice President Joe Biden campaigning for the Democratic nomination for President in Iowa.
Celebrating the Fourth of July with Iowans in Marshalltown, Vice President Joe Biden, campaigning for the Democratic nomination for President, expressed what the holiday is really about and how Donald Trump doesn’t get it. Here is his speech, as prepared for delivery, with segments highlighted:
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s great to be back in Iowa celebrating the independence of our country and the incredible promise of the American future.
243 years ago, a group of rebels in Philadelphia pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to a revolutionary idea—to the self-evident truth that all men—and women—are created equal.
And ever since then presidents and patriots have gathered together on the 4th, as we are gathered today, to reflect on the greater meaning of our American experiment.
In 1821, just decades after revolution, John Quincy Adams proclaimed: “[America’s] glory is not dominion, but liberty. Her march is the march of the mind.”
In 1861, Abraham Lincoln invoked the Declaration to make the case for the Civil War, reminding Congress that it would be: “a struggle for maintaining in the world that form and substance of government whose leading object is to elevate the condition of men; to lift artificial weights from all shoulders; to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all.”
In 1962, deep in the grip of the Cold War, Kennedy made the pilgrimage to Independence Hall to declare that: “this Nation—conceived in revolution, nurtured in liberty, maturing in independence—has no intention of abdicating its leadership in that worldwide movement for independence to any nation or society committed to systematic human oppression.”
Three different presidents, of three vastly different eras, united by their faith in the power of the idea that is America. Constant in their dedication to the pursuit of humankind’s highest ideal—liberty.
What, I wonder, will Donald Trump say this evening when he speaks to the nation at an event designed more to stroke his ego than celebrate American ideals?
Will he speak to the example America must set to inspire the world? Will he offer a robust defense of the democratic values that have always been our strength in times of crisis?
We all know the answer to that. Donald Trump is incapable of celebrating what makes America great—because he doesn’t get it.
He cannot distinguish between our Allies and our adversaries—because he does not grasp that America is the “march of the mind” toward greater openness, greater understanding, greater human freedom to pursue lives of meaning and fulfillment.
And if we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation. We can’t let that happen.
Trump’s embrace of dictators and strongmen is a fundamental rejection of everything our founders wrote into their Declaration.
Vladimir Putin in Russia, Kim Jong Un in North Korea, Mohamad bin Salman in Saudi Arabia—their drive to concentrate greater and greater power in their own hands and to silence their opposition, including through brutal assassinations—that is the death of liberty.
Last week, Putin gave an interview where he crowed: “the liberal idea has become obsolete.”
Trump thought he was talking about Democrats in California. Not a joke.
Our president does not understand the difference between liberal as opposed to conservative politics, and liberal as opposed to autocratic systems of government.
Well, I’m here to tell Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump, and anyone who needs to hear it:the liberal idea is the American idea. And it will never be obsolete—not as long as there remain patriots committed to the higher ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The liberal idea is what drives innovation and entrepreneurship. The liberal idea is what inspires art and exploration and human curiosity. And—critically—the liberal idea is what built the Free World.
The Free World is an American design. We created it, together with our democratic allies in Europe and in Asia after World War II, to hold in check the abuse of power by any one nation, and to affirm a collective defense, open economies, and human rights.
The Free World drove the march of democracy, prevented a third great war, protected the territorial integrity and sovereignty of small states, allowed unprecedented economic growth and development, and advanced basic human rights and fundamental freedoms in every corner of the world.
Ours is a community of values that stands in opposition to all who seek to profit by the oppression of others.
That’s why Putin wants to see it destroyed. That’s why he’s actively working to tear apart our democracy.
Ladies and gentlemen – America is the heart of the Free World—and we must defend it.
That is how the Fourth of July is best honored – by remembering that our Declaration is first and foremost a call to arms, in defense of liberty.
But we must also remember, as JFK put it, that ours is: “not the individual liberty of one but the indivisible liberty of all.”
Donald Trump doesn’t get that either.
My liberty, depends on yours. Our liberty as a nation rests on our ability to ensure equal access, equal opportunity – not just for our own children, but all our children.
We have to take on the inequalities in our system that are causing too many today— in America and around the world—to question their faith in the ability of democracy to deliver for them.
It’s not enough to be for political equality—we have to be for economic fairness as well.
It’s not enough to be against the way Donald Trump conducts himself—the way he assaults the dignity of women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ individuals—we have to be against his policies that are further entrenching economic inequality in this nation.
That are rigging the system against the middle class.
That too is an attack on our democracy—on our liberty.
That’s the message I’ve been taking all across this nation.
And it’s all the more clear today – on the day we celebrate our independence—this country wasn’t built by Wall Street bankers and CEOs and hedge fund managers.
It was built by you. By ordinary Americans – given half a chance – doing extraordinary things. That’s the history of the journey of America.
My dad used to have an expression. He’d say a job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It’s about dignity. It’s about respect. It’s about one’s place in the community. It’s about being able to look your child in the eye and say everything is going to be ok. And mean it.
But today so many people can’t do that. That’s what we have to change. That is my north star.
The moral obligation of our time is to rebuild the middle class. And this time, everybody comes along – no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, religion,who they love or where they live or whether they have a disability.
For me, it’s all about restoring the dignity of work – being able to provide security and joy for your family.
But how can a person’s dignity be maintained if they can’t afford to care for a sick child or a family member because of a pre-existing condition – or because they’ve reached a point where their health insurer says “no more?”
I can’t imagine what Jill and I would have done with Beau if we couldn’t get the best care to ease his pain and suffering while dealing with an incurable disease.
How can a parent maintain their dignity if their talented and qualified child wants to go beyond high school to trade school or community college or college, but they can’t afford to get them there?
I remember how my father felt when he told me the bank wouldn’t give him a loan to help me go to college. He said, “I’m so ashamed.” I got there – but I’ll never forget that look on his face.
Today’s corporate culture and this Administration don’t care about your dignity. They don’t care about economic fairness.
They’re squeezing the life out of workers. They’re making it harder for you to bargain for your personal worth as well.
40% of workers have to sign non-compete clauses at some point in their careers.
These non-compete agreements have one purpose: to hold down the ability of workers to bargain for themselves and to keep their wages low.
And why do companies classify so many low-wage workers as managers?
So they can get out of paying overtime and take more in profits for themselves. That cost more than 4 million hourly workers $1.2 billion in lost wages last year.
And speaking of overtime – it’s long past time we make a $15 minimum wage at the federal level.
It’s time we started to reward work over wealth in this country.
Let me ask you something.
The stock market is roaring. Do you feel it?
Or how about that big tax cut passed by Trump and the Republicans? Did you feel it?
That tax cut exploded the deficit by some $2 trillion – and now the Republicans are using it as an excuse to go after the social safety net.
Let’s not kid one another. If Trump and the Republicans win in 2020 – they’re coming after Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security.
They’ve already said it. And we can’t let that happen.
So, we need to reverse the Trump tax cuts on the super wealthy. And then we need to get rid of the capital gains loophole.
A just economy—an economy that advances liberty for all—isn’t one where the super wealthy pay lower tax rates than teachers and firefighters.
The Fourth is also a reminder of an important lesson we learned early in this county.
As Benjamin Franklin supposedly said at the signing: “We must all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”
Folks, we need to unify this country. We have to overcome this status quo of division—that’s the only way we’ll be able to get anything done.
And we can do it without compromising our principles. Marshalltown knows that better than anyone—what do you do when disaster strikes? You come together.
Mr. Mayor, how did you begin rebuilding after that God-awful tornado? By working together with the city council and the local businesses.
It didn’t matter whether folks were Democrats or Republicans then—all that mattered was getting Marshalltown back up and running.
You made that happen—you’re still making that happen.
It goes to show that all that stands in our way is a broken political system.
Folks, for all our problems, I’m more optimistic today than when I got elected to the United States Senate as a 29-year old kid.
And here’s why: We’re better positioned than any nation in the world to lead the 21st Century.
We have the strongest military in the world. We have led not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. The most productive workers among major world economies. North America is energy independent. We have the world’s greatest research universities.
No other nation in the world can match us. The only thing that can tear America apart is America itself.
The only thing that would make the liberal idea obsolete is if Americans walked away from liberty itself.
Everybody knows who Donald Trump is.
This July 4th, let’s remind the world who we are.
This is the United States of America.
This is the nation that willed ourselves into existence with nothing but faith in ourselves and in the power of an idea.
There’s not a single thing we can’t do – together.
Charlestown, MA – Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, Democratic US
Senator from Massachusetts, released her plan to make voting easy and
convenient and secure our elections from threats both foreign and domestic:
Elections are the foundation of our democracy, but in the United
States – the greatest democracy in the world – our government treats voting
like it’s one of the least important things we do. We have around 8,000
election jurisdictions all doing their own thing. They are overstretched,
under-resourced, and their technology is often laughably out of date.
Voting should be easy. But instead, many states make it hard for
people to vote. We have all heard stories about polling places running
out of ballots, computer problems causing delays, ballot designs confusing voters, and
extremely long
lines preventing
working people from voting. And on top of these administrative issues, racist
and partisan officials often deliberately seek to stop citizens from exercising
the right to vote. States have purged names from the voter rolls, limited
same-day registration, closed polling places
in communities of color, used
voter ID laws to try to disenfranchise
Native Americans, and even placed restrictions and
criminal penalties on efforts to
register new voters.
Our elections should be as secure as Fort Knox. But instead,
they’re less secure than your Amazon account. State and local
officials take their jobs seriously, but they often don’t have the resources to
secure their elections. Even then, it’s hard for local officials to defend
against attacks from foreign governments. In the 2016 election, the Russian
government tried to infiltrate at
least39
state election systems and at least one election equipment company. They
tried to spear-phish more
than 100 local election officials’ email accounts. They even successfully broke into several
voter registration databases.
The harsh truth is that our elections are extremely vulnerable
to attack: Forty-two states use voter registration databases that are more than
a decade old. Laughably, in 2019, some still use Windows
2000 and Windows XP. Twelve
states still use paperless machines, meaning there’s no paper trail to
verify vote counts. Some states don’t require post-election audits.
And ten
states don’t
train election officials to deal with cybersecurity threats. This is a national
security threat, and three years after a hostile foreign power literally
attacked our democracy, we’ve done far too little to address it.
We need a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to
vote. But the moral necessity of this amendment shouldn’t stop us from acting
now. The federal government already has the power to regulate federal elections,
secure our democracy, and put a stop to racist voter suppression.
Under our Constitution, Congress can regulate the “Times,
Places, and Manner,” of federal elections. This power is so broad that
even Justice
Scalia believed
this provision gives Congress “authority to provide a complete code for
congressional elections.” Congress also has the power to enforce the 14th and
15th Amendments to prevent voting discrimination, and the power of the purse to
grant money to the states to meet federal standards. It’s time to draw on these
constitutional powers to strengthen our democracy.
Enough is enough. It is time to make high-quality voting in the
greatest democracy in the world easy, convenient, and professional. It’s time
to secure our elections from all threats, foreign and domestic. It’s time to
address election security, administration problems, and voter suppression.
Here’s how my plan will work:
Federal elections get state-of-the-art federal machines, federal
ballots, and federal security. Right now some jurisdictions use dated
machines that are easily hackable with no paper trail. Ballot design is all
over the place. No more. The federal government will replace every voting
machine in the country with state-of-the-art equipment and require adoption of
a uniform federal ballot. And we will lock all federal voting technology
systems behind a security firewall like it’s Fort Knox.
Federal standards for federal elections. We have 8,000
election jurisdictions running elections. Problems with resources, malfeasance,
and errors are rampant. No more. We will have federal standards to ensure
everyone can vote, including mandating automatic and same-day registration,
early voting, and vote by mail. My plan will mean no more arbitrary voter
purges. No more registration issues. And no more gerrymandering. We will also
make Election Day a holiday to make it easier for people to get to the polls.
Enforce the law and expand access – through incentives where
possible, and with federal authority where necessary. My plan will give
states cutting-edge voting equipment and election security protocols, all paid
for by the federal government, and states will be required to follow all
federal standards for federal elections. States who also choose to meet these
requirements in their state elections can work through federal-state
partnership agreements to have those elections fully funded by the federal
government, too – and we’ll give them a bonus for achieving high voter turnout
rates. And where racist or corrupt politicians refuse to follow the law, the
federal government will temporarily take over the administration of their
federal elections to guarantee the fundamental right to vote.
Securing Our Elections
Under my plan, federal elections will get state-of-the-art
federal machines, federal ballots, and federal security. The federal
government will replace insecure and outdated systems with hand-marked,
voter-verified paper ballot machines. To prevent
hanging-chads and other confusing ballot designs, we’ll have uniform federal
ballots all across the country that are based on easy-to-use design principles.
The federal government will also provide every polling location with accessible
ballot machines for people with disabilities and conduct research into how to
improve voting security and accessibility for all people, including those with
disabilities and people for whom English isn’t their primary language.
Through a new independent Secure Democracy Administration, which
will replace the Election Assistance Commission and be staffed by civil
servants, the federal government will manage the cybersecurity aspects of
elections and develop additional security procedures for election
administration and the end-to-end handling of ballots. States will implement
these additional security measures, and will receive technical assistance and
training from the Secure Democracy Administration. In addition, states will be
required to conduct risk-limiting audits prior to certifying elections – and
we’ll have independent oversight of those audits.
Establishing Binding Federal Standards for Federal Elections
Our elections are never going to be secure, fair, or workable
with so many jurisdictions each making their own rules — especially when some
officials deliberately manipulate those rules to stop people from voting. Under
my plan, we’ll have a uniform set of federal election standards that achieve four
goals:
No more registration problems. My plan will mandate
automatic voter registration and same-day registration for federal elections.
State and federal government agencies will automatically register voters and
transfer that information to state elections officials, and voters can opt-out,
if they choose. Every state will also be required to offer same-day
registration, which acts as a fail-safe for anyone who is mistakenly left off
the rolls.
No more voter purges. Under my plan,
states will be banned from removing voters from the election rolls unless the
voter affirmatively requests to be removed or there is objective evidence of a
legitimate reason to remove them, like death, change of address, or loss of
eligibility to vote. We will also re-enfranchise those who have served their
time and left prison.
No more difficulties voting. We will make
Election Day a national holiday, and all federal elections will have a minimum
of 15 days of early voting, expanded voting hours, the option to vote with a sworn
statement of identity instead of an ID, convenient polling locations, and
voting by mail. And we will pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and the
Native American Voting Rights Act to shut down a host of festering
discriminatory practices.
No more gerrymandering.Under my plan,
states will be required to use independent redistricting commissions to draw
federal congressional districts to prevent gerrymandering. Both parties should
compete on a level playing field; not in a rigged game designed to suppress the
will of the people.
Enforcing the law and expanding access – through incentives
where possible, and with federal authority where necessary
Our democracy shouldn’t be about keeping people out – it should
strive to bring everyone to the polls. Under my plan, states will receive new
state-of-the-art machines and federal election security, all paid for by the
federal government, and they will also be obligated to comply with the federal
standards for federal elections. But we should make voting easier in all
elections – federal, state, and local. I’m
proposing a federal-state partnership so that states will have a strong
financial incentive to follow these rules in their state and local elections as
well — and to maximize voter turnout.
Here’s how it will work: the federal government will pay the
entirety of a state’s election administration costs, as long as the state meets
federal standards in its state and local elections and works to make voting
more convenient. States will create state implementation plans, describing how
they will adhere to federal law and increase access to voting (e.g. location of
polling places). The Secure Democracy Administration will review state
implementation plans for compliance with federal law, election security protocols,
potentially racially discriminatory impacts, and efforts to make voting more
convenient. States that achieve high percentage voter turnout, including across
racial, gender, and age groups, will be awarded additional bonus payments. All
plans will be finalized well in advance of Election Day, and states will
provide data on their election activities. If a state does not participate in
the federal-state partnership, but a local jurisdiction within the state wishes
to do so, the local jurisdiction can work with the federal government to create
a local implementation plan and it will get access to federal funds to cover
its election administration costs.
States can choose to follow their own rules for their state and
local elections. But if they do, they won’t receive new funding for
administering state elections beyond election security measures, and they will
still have to administer federal elections in accordance with federal law –
including preclearance for any changes that might have a discriminatory impact
under the Voting Rights Advancement Act.
If state or local election officials choose to ignore these
federal rules and instead move to violate them, my plan will give the Secure
Democracy Administration the authority to seek a court order to step in and
guarantee that every voter has access to the polls unless or until the state
shows its intent to fully comply with federal law. The right to vote is a fundamental
right, and we will not let racist and corrupt politicians undermine it or our
democracy.
Our democracy is too important for it to be under-resourced and
insecure. We need to do everything we can to make sure our elections are
convenient, professional, and secure — and we should be willing to pay for it.
Based on estimates of national
election administration expenses, recentstateefforts to upgrade their election systems, and
assessments of the costs of newmachines and audits, to cover these
costs, we would allocate around $20 billion over ten years, which includes
around $15 billion for election administration and around $5 billion for
election security. This investment can be fully paid for with revenue generated
from the Ultra-Millionaire
Tax.
Democracy hangs on the idea that whoever gets the most votes
wins. Politicians are supposed to compete over how many voters they can
persuade, not how many they can disqualify or demoralize. And we have a solemn
obligation to secure our elections from those who would try to undermine them.
That’s why the Constitution gives Congress the tools to regulate the administration
of federal elections. It’s time to pick up those tools and use them.
What a difference 50 years makes – from the
Stonewall Uprising when the forces of government were marshaled against the gay
and lesbian community, to today, when government officials and even members of
New York City’s Police Department, flocked to take part in WorldPride NYC 2019,
the largest Pride event in history.
US State Senator Charles Schumer, with his familiar
bullhorn, declared,, “I was the first US Senator to march, and I won’t be the
last.”
New York State officials were there in force,
including Governor Andrew Cuomo, who appropriately crowed about the gains a
progressive legislature accomplished, NYS’s first black woman Attorney General
Leticia James, Comptroller Thom DiNapoli, and a score of state senators and
assemblymembers..
Governor Cuomo did not come empty-handed:
he used the occasion to sign into law legislation banning the gay
and trans panic legal defense (S3293/A2707), fulfilling his pledge
to ensure nobody uses this abhorrent legal defense strategy in the State
of New York. The Governor signed the measure, a key component of his 2019
Justice Agenda, on WorldPride and the 50th anniversary of the
Stonewall uprising. The Governor also vowed to double down next legislative
session on his campaign to legalize gestational surrogacy, which the Assembly
failed to take up this year.
“The gay
and trans panic defense is essentially a codification of homophobia
and transphobia, and it is repugnant to our values of equality and
inclusion,” Governor Cuomo said at a press
conference on the street before joining the parade. “This defense strategy
isn’t just offensive – it also sends a dangerous message that violence toward
LGBTQ people is somehow OK. It’s not, and today we’re sending this noxious
legal tool to the dustbin of history where it belongs.”
NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio, who is running for the
Democratic Nomination for president, marched with the city’s First Lady Chirlane McCray.There were also the
NYC Comptroller Scott M. Stringer with his family, Public Advocate Jumaane D.
Williams, members of the City Council including Speaker Corey Johnson,
There were contingents from just about every city agency, from Sanitation to Transportation, the Department of Social Services, to the Bar Association and teachers.
“In the month of June,
we celebrated 50 years of Pride here in New York State and around the
world,” stated New York’s Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul. “We marched in
parades from Buffalo to Albany, and finished the month with World Pride in New
York City this past weekend.
“We celebrated how far
the LGBTQ+ community has come since the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, and
reflected on the progress we still have to make.
“Throughout this
legislative session over the last six months, we made history. GENDA is now the
law of the land, ensuring permanent protections for transgender New Yorkers.
Young people are now protected from the barbaric practice of conversion
therapy. Finally, with the stroke of a pen, we ended the legalized hatred that
was once allowed by the gay and trans ‘panic’ defense.
“I am always proud to
stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and continue the fight for
equality.”
They came together in celebration, not anger or fear. The common thread among the 150,000 who marched, coming from around the world and across the country, and the estimated 2.5 million who watched along the WorldPride NYC 2019 parade route: Free to be me.
The parade, which took eight hours to complete and was
estimated to be the largest Pride event in history, was particularly poignant,
honoring the 50th anniversary since the Stonewall Uprising, which
are considered the trigger to the modern LGBTQ movement.
Jim Foray, among the Grand Marshals at the parade, was there
that night. He was living just a block away and recalled the Stonewall as a
“sleazy bar where we were grateful and exploited.” The bar, reputedly owned by
the Mafia, was regularly raided by the police.
What a difference 50 years has made, noted Julian Sanjivan,
NYC Pride March Director. “They had no way of knowing what the next 50 years
would bring, no way to know they were starting a global movement, changing
hearts and minds everywhere.” And who could have expected an openly gay and
married man, a mayor from South Bend, Indiana, Peter Buttigieg, running for
President.
Five Grand Marshals lead both the 50th NYC Pride March: the cast of POSE, represented by Dominique Jackson (Elektra), Indya Moore (Angel), and MJ Rodriguez (Blanca); Phyll Opoku-Gyimah; Gay Liberation Front; The Trevor Project and Monica Helms.
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is the nucleus of the award-winning
celebration and protest that is UK Black Pride. Widely known as Lady Phyll –
partly due to her decision to reject an MBE in the New Year’s Honours’ list, to
protest Britain’s role in formulating anti-LGBTQ+ penal codes across its empire
– she is a senior official at the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) trade
union as the Head of Equality and Learning. She’s a community builder and
organizer; a Kaleidoscope Trust Trustee; an Albert Kennedy Trust patron; Diva
Magazine columnist, and public speaker focusing on race, gender, sexuality and
class.
Gay Liberation Front was the very first LGBTQ activist
organization formed after the Stonewall Rebellion. The courageous members of
GLF fought to give political shape and direction to a whole new generation of
LGBTQ militancy that spread with unprecedented vigor and impact across the
nation and the world.
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention
and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The organization works to save
young lives by providing support through free and confidential programs,
including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat. They also run
TrevorSpace, the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ
youth, and operate innovative education, research, and advocacy programs.
Monica Helms is a transgender activist, author, and veteran
of the United States Navy, having served on two submarines. She is also the
creator of the Transgender Pride Flag, in 1999, and subsequently donated the
original flag to the Smithsonian Institution in 2014.
It was indeed a demonstration of world pride – there were
marchers from Copenhagen, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Portugal,
Australia, Holland, and so many other places.
American cities and states were represented as well, from
coast to coast and in between – from Palm Beach and Orlando to Palm Springs,
San Francisco and Venice (California), Austin to Washington DC, Brooklyn,
Boston, even Native American tribes.
A clear sign of the changing times was the outpouring of
elected and government officials who joined the march. New York State Governor
Andrew Cuomo used the occasion to sign into law legislation banning the gay
and trans panic legal defense, a key component of his 2019 Justice
Agenda,.
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo did
not come empty-handed to the WorldPride NYC 2019 parade, perhaps the largest
LGBTQIA+ Pride event in history: Cuomo used the occasion to sign into law legislation banning the gay
and trans panic legal defense (S3293/A2707), fulfilling his pledge
to ensure nobody uses this abhorrent legal defense strategy in the State
of New York. The Governor signed the measure, a key component of his 2019
Justice Agenda, on WorldPride and the 50th anniversary of the
Stonewall uprising. The Governor also vowed to double down next legislative
session on his campaign to legalize gestational surrogacy, which the Assembly
failed to take up this year.
“The gay and trans panic defense is essentially a
codification of homophobia and transphobia, and it is repugnant to our values
of equality and inclusion,” Governor Cuomo said at a press
conference on the street before joining the parade. “This
defense strategy isn’t just offensive – it also sends a dangerous message that
violence toward LGBTQ people is somehow OK. It’s not, and today we’re sending
this noxious legal tool to the dustbin of history where it belongs.”
At a press conference before joining the parade, Governor Cuomo said, “What a great, great day
this is. New York is so proud. New York is so, so, so proud to
host WorldPride.
“New Yorkers are just
New Yorkers. Look, all New Yorkers should be very proud because New York has
always been the home of the LGBTQ equality movement, always. It all started
here. It started at Stonewall, it started when we hosted the first Pride Day
ever. And we’ve kept that legacy alive. This is the leading State in the United
States of America for LGBTQ equality. And we don’t just say it, we do it. We
prove it here in New York.
“What was the first
state to address AIDS and announce the goal of ending AIDS as an epidemic? New
York. What was the first state to end discrimination against transgender
people? New York. What was the first big state to pass marriage equality
and send a message across the nation? New York. What was the first state
to pass GENDA and end discrimination against transgender people? New York.
What was the first state to ban conversion therapy? New York.
“And today, we’re going
to sign a bill that ends the codification of homophobia. Because we have now as
a law in this state, something called the gay and trans panic
defense. That a person can argue – they were so emotionally disturbed when they
found out a person was gay or trans that that is actually a
justification or an excuse for murder. Not in this state. We are going to – not
in this state. Not in this state. Not in this state. Not in this state. Not in
this state. And we are going to end the gay and transpanic defense and we
are going to do it right now. I will sign this now and end this law. It is now
over.
“Congratulations, New
York. Let’s lead once again.”
The gay and trans panic defenses allow those accused of violent
crimes against LGBTQ people to receive a lesser sentence, and in some cases,
avoid conviction, by placing the blame on a victim’s sexual orientation or
gender identity. The passage of this bill would close a loophole in state law
that currently allows individuals to use the gay and trans panic
defenses after attacking another person based upon a perception, or discovery
of, that victim’s gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Senator
Brad Hoylman said,”By banning the so-called gay and trans
panic defense, New York is sending a message to prosecutors, defense attorneys,
juries and judges that a victim’s LGBTQ identity shouldn’t be weaponized
against them. I’m proud to be a member of a legislature that protects the
rights of LGBTQ New Yorkers and thank Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins
and Assemblymember O’Donnell for their leadership on this critical
issue. As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, I am extremely
grateful to Governor Cuomo for signing this critical piece of legislation into
law and look forward to continuing to work with him to make New York a more
inclusive, equitable home for the LGBTQ community.”
Delores
Nettles said,
“In 2013, my daughter Islan was killed in Harlem for being who she was.
Her attacker used the discriminatory ‘trans panic’ defense. I am so grateful
that New York is banning this legislation so that no mother has to go through
this again. We must keep fighting so that all trans people
can live free from violence and discrimination. Thank you to Governor
Cuomo for advocating tirelessly for this bill and for signing it into law
today.”
“Banning the “gay
and trans panic” defense in New York is an important and long
overdue step toward treating the LGBTQ community equitably,” Ethan Rice, Senior Attorney,
Fair Courts Project at Lambda Legal. “LGBTQ people in New York should never have to experience
violence. When it happens, LGBTQ people certainly should not be faced with
blame for this violence. These “defenses” have no place in our
justice system. Lambda Legal commends the Governor for signing this bill
today and for his ongoing advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ community.”
Glennda Testone,
Executive Director of NYC’s LGBT Community Center said, “New York State government has
taken another great step in the right direction, legally halting some enduring
elements of homophobia and transphobia ingrained in our society. After
establishing marriage equality, passing GENDA and ending conversion therapy in
our state, Governor Cuomo showed that he is not done fighting for LGBTQ
equality, and neither are we. We thank him for taking the gay
and trans panic defense out of New York’s court system and for his
commitment to equal rights for all people.”
“Using an
individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender as a defense for
violent behavior is abhorrent and will not stand in the State of New York,” Harlem Pride and The NYC Black and Latino
LGBTQ Coalition said. “We applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership and
dedication to protecting the LGBTQ community and closing the legal loophole
keeping this archaic practice in place.”
Guillermo
Chacon, president of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of Hispanic
Health Network said,”As we celebrate LGBT Pride and the
50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising we recognize that outlawing the
gay and trans panic defense is long overdue in New York. We
appreciate that this legislation will be signed to ensure this can never happen
again and that people impacted by homophobia and transphobia are no longer
taking the blame for this antiquated loophole. We thank Governor Cuomo for
advancing this important issue and I look forward to him signing this law to
increase protections for the LGBTQ community.”
Rod Townsend, Community Leader said, “A person’s gender identity or sexual orientation is never a justifiable reason for violent attack, and Governor Cuomo closes the loophole in state law that allowed for it in cases of first degree murder today. We look forward to seeing justice for individuals impacted by these crime and will fight to further limit the use of this appalling “blame the victim” strategy in cases of violence against LGBTQ people everywhere.”
Amanda
Babine, Director of Policy & Programs at the New York Transgender
Advocacy Group said,”Banning the ‘gay
and trans panic’ defense was a huge win for the LGBTQI community,
especially for our Transgender, Gender-Non-Conforming, & Non-Binary
siblings. This year alone, ten Transgender women of color have been found
dead, one right here in New York. The New York Transgender Advocacy Group
stands with pride next to Governor Cuomo as he continues to be a champion for
the LGBTQI community here in New York State.”
Brooke
Malloy, Executive Director, Rockland County Pride Center said, “New Yorkers do not tolerate hate. We are
a state of love and inclusion, and hold firm to our belief in equality for
every person. The fact that there ever was a legal defense for crimes committed
against the LGBTQ community, specifically based on their actual or perceived
gender identity or sexual orientation is disgusting. Thank you to Governor
Cuomo for his leadership in ending this abhorrent law, and for always speaking
up and protecting LGBTQ New Yorkers.”
Kelly Metzgar,
Executive Director, Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance said,”New York State prides itself on being an inclusive,
progressive state, where every person can feel safe and welcome. With
his work to end the gay and trans panic defense, Governor Cuomo
continues to ensure that everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or
gender identity, receives equal protection under New York
State law. I wish to personally thank Governor Cuomo, on behalf
of residents in the Adirondack North Country for
his relentless work to defend the rights of all who call this
beautiful state our home.”
Christopher Goodwin, Supervisor of The MOCHA Center Rochester said, “We at The MOCHA Center and Trillium Health applaud Governor Cuomo for taking swift, progressive action to protect and uphold the rights of LGBTQ New Yorkers. Thanks to his efforts, a dangerous loophole rooted in hate has been erased from our criminal justice system. The gay and trans panic defense should never have been allowed. LGBTQ New Yorkers are grateful that we can now feel safer knowing that we are one step closer to having our lives equally valued and represented under the law.”
Jeff Rindler, Executive Director, Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center said, “This revision to our legal system has been long overdue. The human rights of LGBTQ New Yorkers are non-negotiable, and now this hateful excuse will no longer be a permissible defense for homophobic and transphobic hate crimes, which are on the rise. For transgender women of color who experience higher rates of violence, this law is the next step in solidifying protections for our community. I applaud and thankGovernor Cuomo and all the advocates and legislators who worked tirelessly to pass this legislation.”
Kelsey Louie,
CEO, GMHC said, “The beginning of the Stonewall rebellion was in New York
City and it was in reaction to hate-fueled actions. Fifty years have passed
since the beginning of our LGBT rights movement and New York has been a model
for LGBT equality, setting a national standard that the rest of the country
must follow. We thank Governor Cuomo for closing a loophole which permitted the
murder of gay and trans New Yorkers due to their perceived sexual
orientation or gender identity. This ensures that justice will be served for LGBTQ
New Yorkers who are the victims of homophobia and transphobia.”
Kristen Prata Browde,
Board President, LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York and
Co-Chair Board of Directors, National Trans Bar Association said,”This shows the kind of change that good government can and
should bring. Banning the trans and gay panic defense is a huge step
towards equality for LGBTQ New Yorkers. Governor Cuomo not only recognized the
absurdity of giving someone a lesser sentence or even a pass after murdering
someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, he fought hard
for the ban. As the Governor signs the bill he is once again showing that New
York truly is a beacon to the world and to every LGBTQ person.”
The Governor also released a new video for social media featuring
Delores Nettles, the mother of Islan Nettles, a transgender woman who
was brutally murdered in Harlem in 2013 and whose assailant used the gay
and trans panic legal defense in court. Watch the video here.
New York State Governor
Andrew M. Cuomo took a deserved bow in announcing historic progressive
accomplishments during this year’s Legislative Session, delivering on his 2019
Justice Agenda first laid out in December, and calling it “the most productive
in modern political history.”
“These sweeping reforms
will ensure social and economic justice for all New Yorkers, address the
devastating impact of climate change, support New York’s ongoing commitment to
workers’ rights, modernize transportation systems across the state, and
enhance the Empire State’s nation-leading commitment to gender equity and LGBTQ
rights. All of this was done while enacting fiscally responsible policies
including holding spending growth to 2 percent for the ninth consecutive year,
enacting a permanent property tax cap and cutting taxes for the middle class,”
the governor’s office stated.
“Six months ago we
laid out our 2019 Justice Agenda – an aggressive blueprint to move New York
forward – and today I’m proud to say we got it done,” Governor Cuomo said. “At
the end of the day, the only thing that matters is what you accomplish, and
this was the most progressively productive legislative session in modern
history. The product was extraordinary, and we maintained our two pillars –
fiscal responsibility and economic growth paired with social progress on an
unprecedented and nation-leading scale.”
Here’s a synopsis:
Climate Leadership and
Community Protection Act: This
legislation enacts the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act,
creating the most aggressive climate change program in the nation with goals
to: reach zero carbon emissions in the electricity sector by 2040; install
9 GW of offshore wind by 2035; 6GW of solar by 2025;
3 GW of energy storage by 2030; and directs state entities to work
toward a goal of investing 40 percent of clean energy and energy efficiency
resources to benefit disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the law creates
the Climate Action Council comprised of the leaders of various state agencies
and authorities as well as legislative appointments to develop a plan outlining
how the state will achieve an 85% reduction in GHG emissions from
1990 levels by 2050, and eventually net zero emissions in all sectors of the
economy.
Permanent Property Tax
Cap: Made permanent the 2%
property tax cap, building upon the approximate $25 billion in taxpayer savings
since it was implemented in 2012.
MTA Money and
Management: Funded the MTA
with an estimated $25 billion raised through Central Business District tolling,
a new progressive mansion tax, and the elimination of the internet tax
advantage. Implemented overdue MTA reforms including the developing a
reorganization plan, modifying MTA Board appointments to align with appointing
authority, requiring the MTA to undergo an independent forensic audit and
efficiency review, and calling for a major construction review unit made up of
outside experts to review major projects.
Advancing LGBTQ
Rights: Governor Cuomo is
enacting transformative legislation in support of LGBTQ rights, including the
elimination of the gay and trans panic defense—closing a loophole in
state law that allowed individuals to use the gay and trans panic defenses
after attacking another based upon that victim’s gender, gender identity, or
sexual orientation. The Governor also enacted into law the Gender Expression
Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and a ban on LGBTQ conversion therapy.
Establish a Farmworkers
Bill of Rights: This legislation
established a farmworkers bill of rights, granting overtime pay, a rest day and
the right to unionize.
Enact Additional Sexual
Harassment Protections: This
package of reforms will lower the high bar set for employees to hold employers
accountable under the New York Human Rights Law for sexual harassment by
amending the requirement that conduct be “severe or pervasive” to
constitute actionable conduct; extend the statute of limitations for employment
sexual harassment claims filed with the Division of Human Rights from one year
to three years; and protect employees’ rights to pursue complaints by mandating
that all non-disclosure agreements in employment contracts
include language stating that employees may still participate in
government investigations conducted by local, state, and federal
anti-discrimination agencies
Expand Statutes of
Limitations for Rape: Statutes
of limitations on rape cases impose a ticking clock on how long victims are
able to come forward if they want to seek charges. Over the last year, victims who
have suffered in silence for decades have bravely spoken about their abuse, and
also have laid bare the state’s limited ability to prosecute their abusers due
to the passage of time. In recognition of this fact, states across the country
are lengthening or eliminating the statutes of limitations on crimes of sexual
violence. This legislation extends the statute of limitations for
Rape in the Second Degree and Third Degree, and expand the civil statute of
limitations for claims related to these offenses, allowing
victims greater opportunity to obtain justice.
Closing the Gender Wage
Gap: Since taking office,
Governor Cuomo has fought aggressively to increase safeguards for women in the
workplace and close the gender pay gap in New York. This package of reforms
includes legislation to expand the definition of “equal pay for equal
work” to prohibit unequal pay on the basis of a protected class for all
substantially similar work and to close any loopholes employers try to use to
pay people less on the basis of their gender, race or other protected classes;
as well as a salary history ban, which prohibits employers from asking or
relying on salary history of applicants and employees in making job offers or
determining wages.
Reauthorize and Expand
the MWBE Program: The Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise program has been
highly successful since its inception, establishing the highest goals
for MWBE participation in the entire nation and awarding thousands of
state contracts to minority-owned and women-owned businesses. This legislation
reauthorizes the MWBE program and extends the provisions of law
relating to the participation of MWBEs in state contracts to ensure
this effective program continues.
Tenant
Protections: This package of reforms,
known as Housing Stability and Tenant Protection act of 2019, enacts the most
sweeping, aggressive tenant protections in state history, safeguarding
affordable housing for millions of New Yorkers.
Remove the Non-Medical
Exemptions for Vaccines: The United States is currently experiencing the worst outbreak of
measles in more than 25 years, with outbreaks in pockets of New York primarily
driving the crisis. As a result of non-medical vaccination exemptions, many
communities across New York have unacceptably low rates of vaccination, and
those unvaccinated children can often attend school where they may spread the
disease to other unvaccinated students. This new law will remove non-medical
exemptions from school vaccination requirements for children and help protect
the public amid this ongoing outbreak.
Ensuring Quality
Education: School aid increased by
over $1 billion, bringing total school aid to a record $27.9 billion. In
addition, new reporting requirements will address imbalances in the
distribution of resources by prioritizing funding at the individual school
level in order to advance a more transparent, equitable education system.
Makes the Jose R.
Peralta DREAM Act a Reality: Finally opens the doors of higher education to
thousands of New Yorkers by giving undocumented New York students the same
advantages given to their citizen peers, including access to the
Tuition Assistance Program and state administered scholarships such
as Excelsior.
Expands Eligibility for
the Excelsior Scholarship Free Tuition Program: As the state’s successful free tuition
program enters its third year, students whose families make up to $125,000
annually will now be eligible to apply for the program, allowing more than 55
percent of full-time, in-state SUNY and CUNY students—or more than
210,000 New York residents—to attend college tuition-free when combined with
TAP assistance.
Criminal Justice
Reform: Sweeping criminal
justice reform was delivered by eliminating cash bail for misdemeanors and
non-violent offenses, ensuring the right to a speedy trial, and transforming
the discovery process.
Continued Investment in
Infrastructure: Builds upon the
Governor’s unprecedented commitment to invest $150 billion in infrastructure
projects over the next five years.
Delivering on the
Gateway Tunnel Project: This legislation establishes the Gateway Development Commission
and creates a comprehensive rail investment program for purposes of the
project. This bi-state effort, in cooperation with New Jersey,
represents significant progress on a crucial project for our nation’s
economy and security while restoring our role as a global leader in
infrastructure.
Protecting the
Environment: The launch of the Green
New Deal—the most aggressive environmental protection initiative in the nation,
the ban of single-use plastic bags, launch of the food waste recycling program
and investment of an additional $500 million in clean water infrastructure,
increasing the State’s historic investment to $3 billion, all of which serves
to protect New Yorkers while combatting some of the most pressing threats to
the environment.
Keeping New Yorkers
Healthy: By codifying
provisions of the Affordable Care Act, New Yorkers can rest assured that their
health needs will be covered, regardless of Washington’s actions.
Supporting Workers’
Rights: Extended Janus
protections to all local governments and guaranteed the right to organize and
collectively bargain.
Promoting the Democracy
Agenda: To boost New York’s
voter turnout and ensure that New York’s elections remain fair and transparent,
the following initiatives were enacted this year: synchronized federal and
state elections, pre-registration for minors, early voting, universal transfer
of registration, and the advancement of no-excuse absentee voting, and same-day
registration.
Common Sense Gun
Reform: Building upon the SAFE
Act—the strongest gun control legislation in the country—additional measures
were enacted this year to ensure guns were kept out of the wrong hands,
including the Red Flag Bill, ban on bump stocks, and extending the background
check waiting period.
Signing the Child
Victims Act: The signing of this
long-awaited legislation provided necessary relief to child victims of sexual
abuse by amending New York’s antiquated laws to ensure that perpetrators are
held accountable for their actions, regardless of when the crime occurred.
Closing the LLC
Loophole: Closed the LLC loophole
by limiting political spending by an LLC to a total of $5,000 annually, which
is the same limit as corporations. The new law also requires the disclosure of
direct and indirect membership interests in the LLC making a contribution, and
for the contribution to be attributed to that individual.
2019 Women’s Justice
Agenda Accomplishments: With the passage of the Reproductive Health Act, Comprehensive
Coverage Contraceptive Act, and the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, as
well as the ban on revenge porn, and strengthened protections for breastfeeding
in the workplace, Governor Cuomo continued his commitment to ensuring fairness
and equality for women across New York State.
New capital funding
investments this year include:
Full
Funding for Extreme Winter Recovery: $65 million in State funding for the
Extreme WINTER Recovery program. Provides enhanced assistance to local
governments for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of local highways and
roads impacted by New York State’s harsh winter weather. This unprecedented
infrastructure investment in local roads and bridges is in addition to the $478
million in State funding provided through the CHIPS
and Marchiselli programs, and $200 million for PAVE-NY and Bridge NY.
$120
Million Public Housing Investment: Building on the State’s unprecedented $550 million investment in
the New York City Housing Authority, the Governor and Legislature are providing
an additional $100 million in capital funding to help support its ongoing
transformation while providing $20 million to support housing
authorities and other housingoutside of New York City.
$100
Million for the Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative: The Governor and Legislature are providing
$100 million in capital funding to support the State’s up to $300 million
commitment to communities impacted by Lake Ontario Flooding. Launched last
month, the REDI Commission is working with localities along the
shoreline to identify and support projects that will reduce the flooding risk
to infrastructure while strengthening the region’s local economies.
$20
Million for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority: A $20 million capital appropriation is provided
to support the first year of a five-year $100 million commitment from the
Governor and Legislature to theNFTA to fund a five-year capital plan for
maintenance and improvements of Metro Rail.
Penn
Station 33rd Street Entrance: $425 million in capital funding will support the Penn Station
33rd Street Entrance project, and others associated with improvements to
the Long Island Railroad. Just last month, the Governor unveiled final design
renderings for the new main entrance to Penn Station located at
33rd street and 7th Avenue, which will provide much needed direct
access to the LIRR Main Concourse and the New York City Subway.
$20 Million
Investment in Public Libraries: A $20 million capital appropriation to public libraries will
help libraries across New York State as they continue to transform into
21st century community hubs.
$30
Million for Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program: A $30 million capital appropriation will support
the Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program, which under the Governor’s
leadership is enabling independent colleges across the state to make critical
investments in their infrastructure and equipment by providing matching capital
grants.
$25
million Security Investment to Protect Against Hate Crimes: A $25 million capital appropriation is
included for security projects at nonpublic schools, community centers,
residential camps, and day care facilities at risk of hate crimes because of
their ideology, beliefs, or mission.
Prior
to her appearance at the NALEO Presidential Candidate Forum, Elizabeth Warren
released her plan to root out the profit incentives standing in the way of real
reform of our criminal and immigration systems. Her plan would ban private
prisons and detention facilities, stop contractors from charging service fees
for essential services, and hold contractors accountable by expanding
oversight, transparency and enforcement.
“Last
month Caliburn International — a for-profit company whose subsidiary operates
Homestead, the largest detention center for unaccompanied migrant children
— hired John Kelly,
Trump’s former chief of staff. Caliburn has profited directly off of the Trump
administration’s inhumane immigration policies — while children at Homestead are
reportedly kept in unsanitary, prison-like conditions, often for months. Now
John Kelly is cashing in, too,” Warren stated.
“Rep.
Pramila Jayapal and I have demanded answers. But
this is just the latest example of private prison companies wringing billions
out of federal taxpayers. I’ve been after these
companies to come clean about their practices and human rights abuses. Every answer
just raises more questions.
“We
didn’t get here by chance. Washington works hand-in-hand with private prison
companies, who spend millions on
lobbyists, campaign contributions, and revolving-door hires — all to
turn our criminal and immigration policies into ones that prioritize making
them rich instead of keeping us safe. From 2000 to 2016, the private prison
population grew five times as quickly as the overall prison population. And the
profiteers multiplied, too: today, nearly 4,000corporations make
money off mass incarceration.
“President
Obama took steps to lower
the incarceration rate and wind down private prisons, but these companies got
their biggest break yet when Donald Trump landed in the White House. With
Trump, private prison companies saw their chance to run the same playbook for
our immigration system. They poured money into
lobbying for “alternatives” to ICE detention centers. And boy, did it pay off.
Private detention centers have made millions implementing Trump’s cruel
immigration policies, as the number of detained children quintupled in just
a single year. Today 73% of detained
immigrants are held in private detention facilities.
“The
companies running prisons and detention centers regularly sacrifice safety to
boost their bottom line. Private facilities have higher rates of
assaults than federal prisons. They violate federal
rules by putting incarcerated people into solitary confinement to fit more
bodies in the building. They impose forced laboron
immigrants just to make a buck. Multiple detainees have committed suicide. And now, under
Trump, babies are getting sick and dying from their
detention centers.
“The
government has also stood silently by while private contractors providing
services in both public and private centers come up with extortive schemes to
make millions off of the backs of incarcerated people. Prison phone
companies charge as much as
$25 for a 15-minute call, forcing families into debt just to stay
connected to loved ones. Commissary contractors mark up prices, and
companies coerce detainees to
work for as little as a dollar a day just to afford basic necessities like
toothpaste.
“While
contractors getting paid taxpayer dollars cut corners to maximize margins, the
government has turned a blind eye. Food companies make millions but serve bug-infested food
to save cash. An investigation into a prison transport company that allowed at
least five deaths and a sexual assault to occur under their watch has
gone nowhere.
“And
today, the exploitation doesn’t end when individuals emerge from prison or
detention. Current law pushes money into
the hands of for-profit supervision companies, many of which are run by the
same private prison corporations. These companies get rich by making people
just getting out of prison — often with huge debts — pay outrageous fees for
monitoring and supervision services like ankle monitors. Some have gone so far
as to threaten individuals with reincarceration.
“This
is exploitation, plain and simple. Our criminal and immigration systems
are tearing apart communities
of color and devastating the
poor, including children. Women — especially
women of color — are particularly saddled with the financial burden. We need
significant reform in both criminal justice and in immigration, to end mass
incarceration and all of the unnecessary, cruel, and punitive forms of
immigration detention that have taken root in the Trump Administration.
“The
first step is to end this private profiteering off cruelty.
“The government has a basic responsibility to keep the people in
its care safe — not to use their punishment as an opportunity for profit.
That’s why today, I’m proposing my plan to root out once and for all the profit
incentives perverting our criminal and immigration systems.
“Here’s
what I’ll do:”
Ban private prisons and detention facilities. There should be no place in America for profiting off
putting more people behind bars or in detention. That’s why I will shut
down the use of federal private detention facilities by ending all
contracts that the Bureau of Prisons, ICE, and the U.S. Marshals Service
have with private detention providers. And I will extend these bans to
states and localities by conditioning their receipt of federal public
safety funding on their use of public facilities.
Stop contractors from charging service fees for
essential services. Companies
shouldn’t be able to treat incarcerated individuals as captive profit
centers. We should prohibit contractors from charging incarcerated and
detained people for basic services they need, like phone calls, bank
transfers, and healthcare. I’ll also keep contractors from imposing
exploitative price markups on other services they provide, like commissary or package services.
And I’ll prohibit companies from charging for re-entry, supervision, and
probation services, too — because no one should have to pay for their own
incarceration, whether it’s inside a facility or outside of one.
Hold contractors accountable by expanding oversight,
transparency and enforcement. It’s
time to shine sunlight on the black box of private services that receive
taxpayer dollars. I’ll close the ridiculous FOIA loophole that
lets private prison subcontractors operate in the shadows. I will put in
place an independent Prison Conditions Monitor within the Department of
Justice’s Office of the Inspector General. The Monitor will keep
contractors from cutting corners to make a quick buck by setting
enforceable quality standards, regularly auditing and investigating
contractors, and terminating their contracts if they fall short. I’ll
direct the Department of Justice to prosecute companies that blatantly
violate the law. And I’ll make sure companies are held accountable no
matter who’s in the White House by allowing people to bring a lawsuit
against abusive contractors who violate their rights.
“Washington
hands billions over to corporations profiting off of inhumane detention and incarceration
policies while ignoring the families that are destroyed in the process. We need
to call that out for what it is: corruption. Incarcerating and detaining
millions for profit doesn’t keep us safe. It’s time to do better,” Warren
stated.
Read
more about Warren’s plan to end private prisons here.
US Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is seeking
the Democratic nomination for President, released a plan outlining the
more than 100 concrete steps she would take in her first 100 days as President
of the United States to take on the biggest challenges we face at home and
abroad.
“The problems Americans are facing every single day require
urgent action. That’s why Senator Klobuchar has a plan to get to work and
deliver results on Day One,” the campaign stated.
Through executive action, Senator Klobuchar will begin to immediately deliver
on her ambitious, optimistic agenda that will build a safer world, a stronger
democracy, and a fairer economy while taking much-needed action on health care,
climate change, and immigration.
“After four years of Donald Trump, a new President can’t wait for a
bunch of congressional hearings to act,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar. “The urgent problems our country is facing
require immediate action. That’s why in my first 100 days as President I will
enact an ambitious, optimistic agenda to improve our health care, combat
climate change, pursue economic justice and shared prosperity, and build a
stronger democracy and safer world. With these concrete steps, we will put our
country back on a path of progress where people have an opportunity to get
ahead.”
During the first 100 days of Senator Klobuchar’s presidency, she
will:
Get the United States back in the International Climate
Agreement on day one. On day one of Senator Klobuchar’s presidency she will
get us back into the International Climate Change Agreement, working so that
the United States maintains global leadership to address the climate crisis.
Immediately suspend the Trump Administration’s efforts to
eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s protections for people with pre-existing
conditions. Senator Klobuchar will immediately suspend all Trump
Administration efforts — both in federal court and at the Department of Health
and Human Services — that would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to
people with pre-existing conditions.
Rebuild our relationship with our allies and restore
America’s standing in the world. To rebuild the relationship with our
allies that President Trump has undermined, Senator Klobuchar’s first
international trips as President will be to Canada and Europe to begin
restoring trust with our most important allies.
Immediately allow for the safe importation of
prescription drugs from countries like Canada. Americans pay double what
Canadians do for some prescription drugs, which is why Senator Klobuchar will
use existing Food and Drug Administration authority to grant a waiver that
allows people to import safe prescription drugs for personal use from countries
like Canada to decrease drug costs for seniors and all Americans.
Fill judicial vacancies by nominating well-qualified
judges on day one. Senator Klobuchar will waste no time in working
with the Senate and the American Bar Association to nominate a full slate of
well-qualified judges who will follow the law to fill judicial vacancies on
federal courts on day one of her presidency.
Revive the aggressive protection of voting rights.
Senator Klobuchar will restore the federal government’s longstanding position
of challenging intentionally racially discriminatory voting laws. And while
Congress works to restore the Voting Rights Act (VRA), Senator Klobuchar will
direct the Department of Justice to use Section 3 of the VRA to “bail-in”
jurisdictions to its preclearance requirements, allowing federal courts to
place jurisdictions under the oversight requirement of the VRA.
Prioritize cybersecurity and protect our elections and
other American infrastructure from cyber attack. As President, Senator
Klobuchar will make cybersecurity an immediate priority. She will issue an
Executive Order launching government-wide cybersecurity initiatives, fast-tracking
and streamlining procurement of modern information technology across agencies.
She will also launch a cabinet-level taskforce on election cybersecurity to
coordinate across agencies, including the intelligence community, on how the
federal government can work with state and local governments to address cyber
threats to our democracy and infrastructure. She will also introduce
legislation that provides election security funding, requires backup paper
ballots, and requires campaigns to report contacts from foreign nationals
seeking to interfere in an election to federal authorities.
Update the standards for reviewing both horizontal and
vertical mergers to ensure vigorous antitrust enforcement. To tackle
unprecedented consolidation and monopoly power, Senator Klobuchar will direct
the Department of Justice to update its guidelines to ensure vigorous and
aggressive enforcement of our antitrust laws.
Undertake aggressive retrospective review of mergers.
To tackle corporate consolidation in what she has called “the new gilded age,”
Senator Klobuchar will direct her Attorney General to have DOJ’s Antitrust
Division undertake aggressive retrospective reviews of mergers. She will
introduce legislation to increase funding for antitrust enforcement efforts by
adjusting merger filing fees and she will change the legal standards to promote
competition and prevent consolidation.
Raise the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15.
In line with her goal of increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour,
Senator Klobuchar will increase the minimum wage for federal contractors to
that threshold.
Expand VA health benefits for women veterans and their
babies. The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2008 gave
the VA the authority to provide care for newborn babies born to women veterans,
but a narrow interpretation of the law is preventing access to care. Senator
Klobuchar will direct the VA to expand covering the costs of
medically-necessary emergency services for newborn babies of veterans.
Jump-start legislative negotiations for comprehensive
immigration reform with the stated goal of passing it in the first year.
Senator Klobuchar will jump-start negotiations for comprehensive immigration
reform — which includes a pathway to citizenship, the DREAM Act and border
security — with the stated goal of passing it in the first year of her
presidency. Comprehensive immigration could reduce the deficit by $158 billion.
Protect DACA and TPS and Deferred Enforcement Departure
designations. While she jump-starts negotiations for comprehensive
immigration reform with the stated goal of passing it within the first year,
Senator Klobuchar will undo attempts by the Trump Administration – many of
which have been blocked by courts – to deport DREAMers and immigrants who are
living, working and succeeding here under Temporary Protected Status and
Deferred Enforcement Departure.
Shine a light on the corporate dark money spending.
Senator Klobuchar will shine a light on the dark money by requiring publicly
traded companies to disclose all political spending over $10,000 to their
shareholders.
Bring transparency to dark money issue advocacy.
Senator Klobuchar will direct the IRS to institute the requirement that
tax-exempt organizations that engage in issue advocacy disclose to the IRS the
names of individual donors who contribute more than $5,000 per year.
Propose landmark legislation that drives our changing
economy forward and provides opportunity to all Americans. Our laws and our
policies have not kept pace with our changing economy and the digital
revolution. That’s why Senator Klobuchar will propose landmark legislation to
take on monopoly power, empower our workers, and protect consumers’ privacy and
health data privacy. She will also invest in quality child care, raise the
minimum wage, provide paid family leave, support small business owners and
entrepreneurs, as well as establish portable, worker-owned UP Accounts for
retirement savings. She will also allow students to refinance their loans at
lower interest rates, provide tuition-free community college and technical
certifications, and expand Pell Grant eligibility and award amounts. To pay for
these policies and reduce the debt, Senator Klobuchar will repeal the
regressive portions of 2017 Republican tax reform, equalize tax rates for
capital gains and ordinary income, put the Buffet rule in place, and close the
carried interest and big oil loopholes.
Immediately close the “boyfriend loophole.” Senator
Klobuchar leads legislation in the Senate to close the ‘boyfriend loophole’ by
preventing people who have abused dating partners from buying or owning
firearms, and she will take executive action to get it done immediately.
Introduce gun violence legislation. Senator Klobuchar
will introduce gun violence legislation including putting universal background
checks in place, closing the gun show loophole, and banning bump stocks,
assault weapons and high capacity magazines.
Consider gun violence as a public health issue in CDC
studies. Senator Klobuchar will direct the CDC to study gun violence as a
public health issue and help identify approaches to reduce gun violence and
save lives.
Propose a historic investment in public education.
Senator Klobuchar will propose a historic investment in America’s education
system that will fully fund education, increase teacher pay, and rebuild our
crumbling school infrastructure.
End the misguided overuse of secret RFS small refinery
waivers that have been granted to big oil companies at the expense of farmers.
Senator Klobuchar will completely overhaul the EPA’s small refinery waivers and
greatly increase transparency, ensuring that RFS waivers meant for small
refiners do not go to big oil companies like Chevron and ExxonMobil and that
these secret waivers do not line the pockets of big oil companies at the
expense of farmers.
Protect federal employee labor rights. Senator
Klobuchar will immediately rescind Executive Orders signed by President Trump
that severely restrict federal workers’ rights, including the right to
collectively bargain.
Prioritize mental health and addiction. Senator
Klobuchar will take immediate action to combat substance use disorders and
prioritize mental health, including launching new prevention and early
intervention initiatives, expanding access to treatment, and giving Americans a
path to sustainable recovery. This includes addressing workforce shortages for
nurses, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals in many areas of
the country and it means addressing the lack of hospital services and treatment
beds.
End attacks on tribal sovereignty. Senator Klobuchar
will respect tribal sovereignty including by stopping the Department of Justice
from taking anti-sovereignty positions in litigation, directing the Department
of Health and Human Services from deferring to states on Medicaid rules for
tribal members, and increasing meaningful tribal consultation.
Make a plan to connect every household to the internet by
2022. Senator Klobuchar will work to close the rural-urban divide by
connecting every household to the internet by 2022. This means directing
federal support to close the last mile gap, overhauling broadband coverage
mapping by establishing processes to verify carrier-reported data, and
encouraging public-private partnerships in the areas of greatest need.
Restore the Clean Power Plan. To address the climate
crisis, Senator Klobuchar will bring back the goals established by the Clean
Power Plan, which set emissions standards for states with respect to reductions
in carbon dioxide emissions.
Bring back the fuel-economy standards. Senator
Klobuchar will restore and strengthen our fuel economy standards, which are key
to fighting climate change. The Trump Administration has weakened the
fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks and has challenged the right
of California and other states to follow more stringent standards.
Introduce sweeping legislation to address the climate
crisis. Senator Klobuchar will introduce sweeping legislation to combat the
climate crisis that builds on the framework of the Green New Deal, including a
massive investment in green jobs and infrastructure, promoting rural energy
development, supporting tougher building codes, buy clean, better greener
transportation, appliance standards and climate resilience.
End “pay for delay” agreements that increase the cost of
prescription drugs. Senator Klobuchar will take aggressive action to crack
down on drug companies that are — in effect — paying the makers of generic
drugs to delay cheaper versions of drugs from getting into the market.
Outline a plan to cut childhood poverty in half in ten
years and end it within a generation. Senator Klobuchar will put
forward a plan to cut childhood poverty in half in ten years, including
expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Care Tax Credit, SNAP
benefits and overhauling our country’s housing policy.
Restore and strengthen overtime rules. Too many
American workers have been working overtime without getting paid for the extra
hours. Senator Klobuchar will restore and strengthen the Obama Administration’s
overtime rules to expand overtime pay to millions of workers, increasing the
maximum salary for a worker to qualify for the overtime pay they’ve earned.
Propose legislation to get us to universal health care. Senator
Klobuchar will propose legislation that gets us to universal health care, which
includes creating a public health care option by expanding either Medicare or
Medicaid, as well as improving the Affordable Care Act to help bring down costs
to consumers through reinsurance, providing cost-sharing reductions, expanding
premium subsidies, and continuing delivery system reform. Her legislation will
also provide additional consumer protections and lower the costs of
prescription drugs through aggressive reforms including lifting the ban that
prohibits Medicare from negotiating the best possible price. These programs
significantly reduce cost to consumers and help promote choice.
Develop best models of care to address disparities in
maternal and infant mortality and address the shortage of maternity care health
professional in underserved rural and urban areas. Senator Klobuchar will
immediately implement a new law that tackles the shortage of maternity care
health professionals —including nurses, midwives, and obstetricians — in
underserved areas, and she will develop best models of care to address racial
disparities in maternal and infant mortality.
Stop Trump sabotage of the ACA by ending workarounds that
allow states to raise premiums for sicker people and shift ACA premium
subsidies away from lower-income enrollees. Senator Klobuchar will
eliminate the Trump Administration guidance that provides states more
flexibility to increase insurance costs for sicker people and shift premium
subsidies away from low-income enrollees.
Remove the citizenship question from the Census.
Senator Klobuchar will direct the Department of Commerce to remove the Trump
Administration’s citizenship question that was added to the 2020 Census from
the short form during preparations for the 2030 Census.
Prevent outsourcing of jobs overseas by closing tax
loopholes on corporations’ overseas earnings. The 2017 tax law
instituted a new minimum tax on corporations’ overseas earnings but applied the
tax on a global or “blended” rate, encouraging companies to move physical
operations and jobs overseas. Senator Klobuchar will direct the IRS to mitigate
the worst effects of this law and crack down on attempts to minimize tax liability
through outsourcing.
Provide incentives for employers to adopt paid family
leave and child care benefits. Senator Klobuchar will reward federal
contractors by providing additional points during the contract bidding process
if contractors offer paid family leave to their employees or child care
benefits.
Restore freedom to travel to and trade with Cuba.
Fifty years of an embargo have not achieved America’s policy objectives in
Cuba. Senator Klobuchar believes that a better path forward would allow
Americans the freedom to travel and conduct business there and that lifting the
trade embargo will open a huge export market, create American jobs, and support
both the Cuban and American economies. She will revive policies to expand the
ability of Americans to travel to Cuba and facilitate U.S. exports to the
island using credit to the maximum extent allowed by current law while
respecting human rights and property claims against the Cuban government.
Create a clemency advisory board and position in the
White House that advise the President from a criminal justice reform
perspective. Senator Klobuchar will create a clemency advisory board as
well as a position in the White House — outside of the Department of Justice —
that advise the President from a criminal justice reform perspective. The
clemency advisory board will investigate and review requests for clemency for
federal offenses and ultimately prepare a recommendation for the President.
Aggressively combat illegal Chinese steel dumping.
Senator Klobuchar will ensure the federal government is aggressively combating
illegal Chinese steel dumping including through expanded personnel to enforce
our trade laws and increased inspections of steel imports at ports of entry.
She will also direct the U.S. Department of Labor to expedite approval of Trade
Adjustment Assistance petitions for workers from the affected mining
operations.
Restart the President’s Export Council. Senator
Klobuchar will restart the President’s Export Council, which brings together
business, labor, and agricultural leaders with Members of Congress and key
Administration officials to help promote a comprehensive export and trade
strategy.
Reverse dramatic proposed funding cuts to diplomacy and
foreign assistance. Senator Klobuchar will reverse this Administration’s
shortsighted approach to diplomacy and US foreign assistance. The FY2020 budget
request would cut diplomacy and development funding by 23 percent, including a
30 percent cut to humanitarian assistance and a 22 percent cut to the
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
End the sale of junk insurance policies that eliminate
existing protections for consumers. Senator Klobuchar will end efforts to
provide short-term junk insurance that eliminates existing protections for
consumers like protections for people with pre-existing conditions and
Affordable Care Act requirements to cover essential health benefits.
Restore protections for journalists and protect the First
Amendment. Senator Klobuchar will restore former Attorney General Eric
Holder’s guidance on protections for journalists so that they are not jailed
for doing their jobs.
End the family separation policy. Senator Klobuchar
will issue an Executive Order putting an immediate end to the cruel and
inhumane policy where the government is taking kids away from their parents and
ensuring children are reunited with their parents without delay. She will also
reverse this administration’s attempt to overrule the Flores Settlement
Agreement, which prevents prolonged detention of children and prevents children
from being detained in inhumane conditions by requiring basic levels of food,
water and health care.
Restore staffing levels at the Department of Agriculture.
Under the first two years of the Trump Administration, between December 2016
and March 2018, USDA had more staff departures than any other federal agency.
This has severely impacted USDA’s ability to carry out its mission on behalf of
rural communities and farmers. Senator Klobuchar will restore staffing levels
to the appropriate levels.
Protect student borrowers. Senator Klobuchar
will restore and strengthen rules that allow students who believe they were
defrauded by their colleges to apply for loan forgiveness, providing relief to
thousands of additional students.
Crack down on gun manufacturers and dealers that break
the law. Senator Klobuchar will increase inspections and strengthen
enforcement to crack down on gun manufacturers and sellers that violate the
law.
Commit to strong financial regulation. Senator
Klobuchar will rescind Executive Order 13772, which has allowed the Treasury
Department and other financial regulators to weaken critical safeguards put in
place after the financial crisis. She will commit to strong financial
regulation that levels the playing field and promotes economic stability and
growth.
Stop the use of noncompete agreements to stifle
competition and hurt workers. Senator Klobuchar will instruct the FTC to
initiate a rulemaking addressing anti-competitive noncompete agreements that
prevent low-wage workers from pursuing new employment opportunities.
Strengthen minimum wage enforcement efforts. Senator
Klobuchar will strengthen enforcement and expand investigations to make sure that
are wage laws are properly enforced and that workers are able to recover back
pay when the government rules in their favor.
Lift the ban preventing qualified transgender people from
serving in the military and restore protections for the LGBTQ community.
Senator Klobuchar will direct the Department of Defense to lift the ban on
military service by transgender people. She will reverse the harmful anti-LGBTQ
administrative actions taken by the Trump Administration when it comes to
education, health care and civil rights, and she will work to pass the Equality
Act in year one of her presidency.
Protect LGBTQ people from government-sanctioned
discrimination. Senator Klobuchar will stop efforts to give federal
protections to those discriminating against LGBTQ people. She will end all
efforts by the Department of Justice that argue that transgender people do not
have protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Prioritize LGBTQ antidiscrimination policies across the
federal government to address homelessness, suicide and access to life-saving
drugs. Senator Klobuchar will expand efforts to reduce LGBTQ
homelessness, address LGBTQ suicide rates, and increase access to PrEP. She
will create an office of LGBTQ Antidiscrimination within the White House
Domestic Policy Council to coordinate these efforts across federal agencies.
Propose a bold infrastructure plan to rebuild America and
re-establish the Presidential Advisory Council on Infrastructure. The
Presidential Advisory Council on Infrastructure was intended to provide the
federal government with expertise from key sectors on infrastructure policy,
but President Trump disbanded the council. Senator Klobuchar will reinstate the
council to execute her first budget proposal: a bold, comprehensive
infrastructure plan. This trillion-dollar investment includes repairing and
replacing our roads, highways and bridges, building smart climate
infrastructure, ensuring clean water, modernizing our airports, seaports and
inland waterways, expanding reliable public transit options, rebuilding our
schools, and overhauling our country’s housing policy. The plan will be paid
for by changes to the tax code including adjustments to the corporate tax rate.
Restore asylum for the victims of gender-based violence.
Senator Klobuchar will overturn former Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s opinion
in Matter of A-B and restore protections for immigrant victims of domestic
violence seeking asylum in the United States.
End anticompetitive practices that increase the price of
prescription drugs. Many pharmaceutical companies have found
loopholes in regulations that allow them to block or delay cost-saving
competition like refusing to provide samples or share important information
about how to distribute a drug safely. As President, Senator Klobuchar
will instruct HHS to issue regulations to stop anti-competitive practices and
help reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Reduce racial disparities in disciplining students.
Senator Klobuchar will re-issue guidance directing schools to reduce racial
disparities in how they discipline students, which prompted more than 50 of
America’s largest school districts to institute discipline reform.
Bring cyber-security expertise into the Defense
Department immediately. Senator Klobuchar will direct the Department of
Defense to immediately provide adequate staffing for cyber security programs,
as Congress has already provided the Pentagon with special authority to recruit
civilian cybersecurity experts.
Strengthen prosecution of white-collar criminals.
Senator Klobuchar will direct the Attorney General to issue a memorandum to
federal prosecutors to strengthen prosecution efforts for individuals who are
personally responsible for white-collar, corporate crime and tax fraud.
Expand Medicaid reimbursement for people receiving mental
health or substance use treatment. While she works to pass a
permanent legislative solution, Senator Klobuchar will make it easier for
states to qualify for waivers that allow for Medicaid reimbursements for people
receiving mental health or substance use care in facilities with more than 16
beds.
Fully fund the IDEA and reinstate the guidance protecting
the rights of students with disabilities. Senator Klobuchar’s budget will
fully fund IDEA to support students with disabilities. In addition, Senator
Klobuchar will reinstate documents protecting the rights of students with
disabilities after Secretary DeVos rescinded 72 guidance documents outlining
those rights.
Restore oversight to eliminate discriminatory lending
practices. Senator Klobuchar will direct financial regulators to restore
Community Reinvestment Act protections, develop policies to encourage financial
institutions to make loans and investment in local communities, especially
communities in need, and conduct greater outreach to assess the true credit
needs of certain areas.
Provide Americans a strong taxpayer advocate. The IRS
Taxpayer Advocate exists to help taxpayers navigate tax laws and serve as an
ally when Americans need to engage with IRS representatives. But the Trump
Administration refused to designate the Taxpayer Advocate Service an “essential
service,” forcing it to close shop during the government shutdown and leaving
taxpayers without a crucial ally. Senator Klobuchar will designate the IRS an
essential service so taxpayers have continued access to this support and
advocacy.
Encourage reinsurance programs. Rather than
penalizing states who put reinsurance programs in place, which happened under
the Trump Administration, Senator Klobuchar will encourage states to adopt
reinsurance programs that stabilize the state’s insurance marketplace, lower
premiums, and allow more people to access to affordable, quality health care.
Provide incentives for states and localities to adopt
sentencing and prison reforms. Congress passed the First Step Act, which
changed the overly harsh sentencing laws on nonviolent drug offenders and
reformed our federal prisons. But the reform only applies to those held in the
federal system. The new law doesn’t help the nearly 90% of people incarcerated
in state and local facilities. Senator Klobuchar will create federal incentives
so that states can restore some discretion from mandatory sentencing for
nonviolent offenders and reform the unconscionable conditions in state prisons
and local jails.
Restore staffing levels at the EPA. The Environmental
Protection Agency now has fewer staff members than President Reagan’s EPA had
in his final year in office. Senator Klobuchar will restore appropriate
staffing levels to allow the agency to effectively protect the environment.
Strengthen the Minority Business Development Agency.
The Minority Business Development Agency provides technical and managerial
expertise to help minority business overcome social and economic disadvantages.
President Trump has proposed eliminating the agency, but as President, Senator
Klobuchar will ensure it has the resources it needs.
End Illegal Robocalls. Senator Klobuchar will
coordinate efforts to end illegal robocalls across the Federal Trade
Commission, Federal Communications Commission, and Department of Justice and
direct the Department of Justice to aggressively pursue robocall scammers while
working with Congress to increase penalties for aggravated violations of the
Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Ensure funding for Planned Parenthood, end the gag rule,
and restore the Title X program. Senator Klobuchar will reverse the
Trump Administration’s decision to change the Title X program to ban health
providers like Planned Parenthood from receiving funding under Title X. And she
will fight for legislation that codifies Roe v. Wade and protects women’s
reproductive rights.
Remove barriers to education for homeless and foster
youth. Senator Klobuchar will direct her Secretary of Education to remove
barriers to higher education for homeless and foster youth, including by
ensuring grant programs identify, recruit and prepare homeless and foster
students for college.
Restore staffing levels at the Office of Civil Rights and
the Office of Federal Student Aid. The Trump Administration has
dramatically cut staffing levels at the Department of Education. Senator
Klobuchar will restore staffing levels at the Department of Education,
including at the Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Federal Student Aid,
which has created obstacles for processing more than 87,000 borrower defense
claims as well as impeded investigations into Title IX violations.
Prevent misclassification of workers. Senator
Klobuchar will rescind the Department of Labor guidance under the Trump
Administration that makes it easier for businesses to misclassify workers,
which can result in reduced benefits, lower wages, discrimination, diluted
worker protections, and abdications of legal responsibilities.
Expand investments in veterans telehealth services.
Senator Klobuchar will further expand investments in VA telehealth to ensure
rural veterans have access to medical professionals, especially for mental
health services.
Ensure funding to prevent and respond to violent hate
crimes and address racial discrimination. Senator Klobuchar will fully
staff and fund the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service, a
non-investigative office of “peacemakers” founded by the Civil Rights Act of
1964, which provides communities facing racial and other conflict with
confidential services to ease tensions.
Reinstate the National Climate Assessment Advisory
Committee to immediately start addressing the climate crisis. The National
Climate Assessment Advisory Committee was charged with translating the findings
of the National Climate Assessment into concrete goals. Senator Klobuchar will
reinstate this committee that President Trump let expire.
Improve free tax filing. Senator Klobuchar will
direct the IRS to prevent tax preparation vendors from steering low-income taxpayers
toward paid products, which has reduced the use of free filing products. She
will also direct the IRS to devote greater resources to the enforcement of
vendors’ obligations under the Free File program.
Reverse the Attorney General’s memo directing federal
prosecutors to seek the most severe penalties in all cases. Senator
Klobuchar would reverse former Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s memo limiting
federal prosecutors discretion and requiring them to seek the most severe
penalties possible in all cases. She will also restore the Smart on Crime
initiative, which had been hailed as a positive step forward in rehabilitating
drug users by focusing on more serious drug cases and fewer indictments
carrying mandatory minimums. Senator Klobuchar will start the evaluation
process to reschedule marijuana, collecting the required scientific and medical
evaluations and recommendations.
End attempts to reduce federal housing subsidies.
Senator Klobuchar will reverse the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to
federal housing subsidies that could triple rent for some households and be
particularly harmful for seniors, families with children and people with
disabilities.
Promote net neutrality. Senator Klobuchar will use
federal contracting requirements to encourage broadband providers to honor net
neutrality principles and promote a free and open internet.
Support agricultural research. The Trump
Administration has repeatedly proposed budgets for USDA that cut billions for
rural development, conservation, and research. These include the forced closure
of agricultural research laboratories and stations. Senator Klobuchar will give
these important programs the support they deserve.
Put rules in place to prevent pay discrimination. The
Trump Administration has tried to block rules that require large companies to
disclose what they pay employees by sex, race, and ethnicity in an effort to
prevent pay discrimination. Senator Klobuchar will end the Trump
Administration’s legal efforts to prevent the rule from taking effect.
Prevent the expansion of private school vouchers.
Senator Klobuchar will stand firmly with our public schools and end discussions
of Secretary Betsy DeVos’s $50 billion proposal to fund private school
vouchers.
End the travel ban. Senator Klobuchar will put an end
to the administration’s travel ban, recognizing that immigrants don’t diminish
America, they are America. While security and vetting should stay in place, the
Trump Administration’s ban was wrong.
Support the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. The
Manufacturing Extension Partnership program helps small manufacturers innovate,
upgrade their technology and improve production. Senator Klobuchar will support
and expand this program, which the Trump Administration has tried to eliminate.
Hold for-profit colleges accountable if they put profits
above students. The Trump Administration has repeatedly delayed rules
requiring vocational programs at for-profit higher education institutions to
show that they provide gainful employment for their students. Senator Klobuchar
will hold for-profit colleges accountable if they put profits above students by
ensuring that these protections are in place.
Establish a new senior fraud prevention office.
Senator Klobuchar will establish a new senior fraud prevention office to
educate consumers, expedite the handling of complaints, and coordinate
prevention efforts across the federal government.
Collect data to address LGBTQ disparities. Senator
Klobuchar will ensure all federal data collection efforts accurately reflect
the needs of LGBTQ communities including reinstating LGBTQ data in the foster
care system and Older American Act that the Trump Administration has tried to
stop collecting.
Reopen and expand the Office for Access to Justice.
Senator Klobuchar will reopen and expand the Office for Access to Justice,
which makes access to legal aid more accessible to people and has the stated
goal of making sure the justice system delivers outcomes that are fair and
accessible to all, irrespective of wealth or status.
Raise the refugee admissions cap. Under
President Trump, the State Department has dramatically lowered the annual cap
on the number of refugees that can be resettled in the United States. Senator
Klobuchar will direct the State Department to restore the cap to at least its
pre-Trump Administration level.
Invest in the Veterans Health Administration.
Expanding access to private care cannot come at the expense of fully funding
and even expanding the current Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
infrastructure. Senator Klobuchar will direct the VHA to use data on private
care usage only as a means to help guide investments in its own growth, not as
a way to further privatize its core functions.
Strengthen the National Science Foundation. Senator
Klobuchar will fully support the National Science Foundation and ensure that
research decisions are being made by researchers and scientists, not
politicians.
Expand apprenticeships. Senator Klobuchar will direct
her Secretary of Labor to analyze the use of apprenticeships for in-demand
occupations and to launch a nationwide campaign to expand apprenticeship
opportunities and their benefits.
Reinstate joint employer rules that protect workers’
rights. While the Trump Administration attempted to rewrite the “joint
employment” standard, Senator Klobuchar will restore guidance recognizing the
responsibilities of joint employers to their employees.
End the Trump Administration’s censoring of climate
science. Senator Klobuchar will end Trump Administration efforts to censor
climate science through actions like deleting climate-focused websites,
removing the phrase “climate change” from reports, and preventing government
scientists from attending conferences on climate change.
Set ambitious goals to reduce the carbon footprint of the
federal government. The federal government has a significant carbon
footprint. As President, Senator Klobuchar will set ambitious goals to increase
the efficiency of federal buildings, data centers, and vehicles, reduce water
consumption, and increase the use of renewable energy.
Reassess the granting of Medicaid waivers, including
states that have privatized Medicaid. Senator Klobuchar will conduct a
reassessment of the granting of Medicaid waivers for states that wish to
privatize the program and impose discriminatory work requirements.
Restore disclosure rules that counter workers’ organizing
efforts. Senator Klobuchar will restore a rule rescinded by President Trump
mandating public disclosure when employers hire consultants to counter workers’
union organizing efforts.
Prevent federal funding from being used to arm teachers.
The Trump Administration has indicated that it would consider providing federal
funding to arm teachers. Senator Klobuchar will prevent any federal funding from
being used for arming teachers.
Impose full sanctions on Russia for hostile act against
the United States and its allies. In 2017, Congress passed legislation
providing additional authorities for the President to impose sanctions on
Russia in response to its election interference and other aggressive actions.
The Trump Administration has resisted full implementation of these sanctions.
Senator Klobuchar will use these authorities to the fullest extent possible to
impose serious costs on the Putin regime and its enablers for hostile acts
against the United States and our allies.
Improve train safety. The Trump Administration
blocked a proposal to require two-person train crews for safety. Senator
Klobuchar will direct the Department of Transportation to restart this
rulemaking and she will also restore a number of rules to improve train safety.
Protect students from discrimination and violence.
Senator Klobuchar will repeal Title IX regulations proposed under the Trump
Administration and restore guidance reminding universities of their obligation
to protect students from sexual violence.
Direct the Department of Defense and VA to track servicemembers
and veterans exposed to toxic chemicals. Currently, servicemembers’
exposure to toxic chemicals such as mold, caustic fumes, open air burn pits,
and airborne chemicals during military operations are not being properly
documented and tracked by the Defense Department or VA. Senator Klobuchar would
direct these agencies to record any environmental health hazard exposure in a
servicemember’s records during deployment, and the record would then follow the
servicemember through his or her career and into veteran status.
Expand loans for and investments in local communities in
need. For the past 40 years, the Community Reinvestment Act has encouraged
financial institutions to make loans and investment in local communities,
especially low-income and minority communities. Senator Klobuchar will protect
the CRA and instruct financial regulators to conduct greater outreach to assess
the true credit needs of their communities.
Overhaul ethics rules for White House employees and other
senior officials. Senator Klobuchar will make clear that the President and
Vice President must follow our conflict of interest laws, do more to
investigate foreign agents who lobby in the United States, give the Office of
Government Ethics more enforcement power, and provide additional protections
for all Special Counsels.
Support and strengthen the Economic Development
Administration. The Economic Development Administration works directly with
communities and regions to promote competitiveness and innovation. It has a proven
track record of success and on average every $1 of EDA infrastructure funding
generates $15 in private investment. Still, the Trump Administration repeatedly
proposed eliminating the agency. Senator Klobuchar will ensure the agency has
the resources to carry out its mission.
Restore reporting requirements of civilian casualties.
Senator Klobuchar will issue an Executive Order restoring requirements for the
release an annual report on the strikes undertaken by the U.S. military and
Central Intelligence Agency outside of war zones and assessments of military
and civilian deaths resulting from those strikes.
Work to re-enter the Iran nuclear agreement. The 2015
nuclear agreement imposed verifiable limits on Iran’s nuclear program that
would prevent it from building a nuclear weapon. Senator Klobuchar will
negotiate to bring the United States back into the nuclear agreement with the
goal of avoiding war and a nuclear-armed Iran.
Connect more families to housing in higher opportunity
neighborhoods. Senator Klobuchar would expand the pilot for mobility
housing vouchers that allow families with children to use their vouchers in
higher opportunity neighborhoods.
Prosecute unscrupulous payday lenders. Senator
Klobuchar will direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Justice
Department and other agencies to prosecute unscrupulous payday lenders that
engage in predatory practices and charge customers exorbitant interest rates.
Undertake a comprehensive review and restore
environmental protections repealed by the Trump Administration. The Trump
Administration has revoked dozens of guidance documents and rules that protect
people’s safety, health and the environment when it comes to our power plants,
oil refineries, national parks and wildlife refuges, offshore drilling,
pipelines, and oil and gas development. Senator Klobuchar will undertake a
thorough review of all the repealed guidance and rules, and work to restore our
environmental and safety protections.
Ensure fair labor practices and safe workplaces for federal
contractors. Senator Klobuchar will restore policies ensuring fair pay and
safe workplaces for federal contractors.
Protect health care workers’ right to organize.
Senator Klobuchar will rescind an anti-union regulatory change enacted by the
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services that prevents union dues from being
deducted from Medicaid-funded paychecks of home health care workers.
Direct the Department of Health and Human Services to
consider VHA facilities when designating Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Senator Klobuchar has long pressed for HHS to consider adding VHA facilities as
Health Professional Shortage areas. Once designated, these facilities have
access to health professional students with scholarships and loan forgiveness
who pledge to practice in the program for at least two years. As President,
Senator Klobuchar would direct HHS to revise its current regulations for
defining Health Professional Shortage areas to include VHA facilities.
Stop the diversion of funds needed to modernize our
military bases from being used for the border wall. President Trump is
diverting funding meant for modernizing our military bases in order to build
his border wall. Senator Klobuchar will rescind his national emergency
declaration and return funding for its intended purpose.
Visit our troops stationed in combat zones. Visiting
our military servicemembers serving in harm’s way is a long-standing
Presidential tradition. Senator Klobuchar will visit U.S. troops in combat
zones within her first 100 days in office.
Reopen international U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services offices. The Trump Administration is shutting down international
USCIS offices – which deal primarily with international adoptions, family visa
applications, petitions for citizenship for military members stationed in
foreign countries, and citizenship applications, along with help on refugee
processing and investigations of fraud. Senator Klobuchar will direct USCIS to
reopen its international offices.
Reduce State Department vacancies. Senator
Klobuchar will immediately direct her Secretary of State to accelerate hiring
for key positions.
Prevent people with severe mental illness from acquiring
guns. Senator Klobuchar will restore a rule requiring the Social Security
Administration to submit records of people with severe mental illness to the
FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Curtail arms transfers and other support for the war in
Yemen. Saudi and UAE military operations in Yemen have killed thousands of
civilians and contributed to a humanitarian crisis that has left millions
displaced and starving. The conflict shows no signs of ending, but the Trump
Administration continues to go to extraordinary lengths to provide weapons and
other support to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, including circumventing the standard
Congressional approval processes. Senator Klobuchar will order a stop to arms
transfers and support to the Saudi and Emirati forces until a negotiated
settlement to the conflict is achieved.
Reinstate visas for same-sex partners of foreign
diplomats. Senator Klobuchar will reverse the Trump Administration
policy change of no longer issue family visas to same-sex partners of foreign
diplomats or employees of international organizations who work in the United States.
Renew efforts to prevent another financial crisis.
The Office of Financial Research, an independent bureau within the Treasury
Department, was created by the Dodd-Frank Act to collect information on
financial system risks, perform long-term research, and develop risk
measurement and monitoring tools to help prevent future financial crises.
Senator Klobuchar will restore the mission and stature of the office.
Protect funding for the Northern Triangle. Senator
Klobuchar will end all Administration discussions to cut off direct assistance
funding for Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, El Salvador, and
Guatemala, recognizing that the cuts present a serious risk to our national
security and undermine efforts to address the underlying conditions driving
migration to the United States.
Crack down on money laundering and tax evasion.
Senator Klobuchar will crack down on money laundering and tax evasion by
empowering Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to aggressively
implement new rules for identifying the “true” owner of financial accounts,
especially large accounts used in financial transactions where the incidence of
fraud and tax evasion is high. And she will call on Congress to enact legislation
imposing greater disclosure requirements.
Protect retiree pensions. The Kline-Miller
Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MPRA) allows underfunded
multiemployer pension plans to request permission from the Treasury Department
to reduce retiree benefits in order to improve their financial condition.
Senator Klobuchar believes retirees are entitled to the benefits they’ve earned
during their working lives and will recommend that Treasury heighten the
scrutiny of any applications to reduce retiree benefits under MPRA.
Combat segregation in housing. Senator Klobuchar will
suspend Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carson’s proposed changes to
the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, which would weaken efforts to
combat segregation in housing policy.
Invest in adult basic education. Senator Klobuchar
will reverse President’s Trump proposal to cut basic education programs for
adults, and launch an initiative focused on increasing opportunities for adults
to master literacy and basic math skills.
Restore consumer protections. Senator Klobuchar will
direct the Department of Commerce, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,
Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Federal
Communications Commission, Department of Transportation and other consumer
protection agencies to re-evaluate any Trump Administration actions that have
weakened protections for consumers.
Maintain protest rights on public property in Washington,
DC. Senator Klobuchar will end the Trump Administration attempts to limit
protest rights in Washington, DC, like closing 80 percent of the White House
sidewalk and putting new limits on spontaneous demonstrations.
Prevent abuses by IRS private debt collectors. Reports
suggest that the IRS private debt collectors have abused and harassed
low-income taxpayers whose tax debts are relatively small. Senator Klobuchar
will overhaul the program and limit these abuses.
Invest in Alzheimer’s research. Senator Klobuchar will
commit to preventing, treating and facilitating a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
She will also immediately expand initiatives that provide support for family
caregivers.
End the Justice Department’s reliance on private prisons.
As President, Senator Klobuchar will phase out the use of private prisons by
directing the Department of Justice to decline to renew or reduce the scope of
contracts when the contract reaches its end.
Restore national monuments. Senator Klobuchar will
restore the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monument to protect their ecological and the
tribal cultural significance and undertake a review of other boundary
adjustment and management changes initiated by the Trump Administration.
Prioritize health care delivery system reform to reduce
health care costs. Senator Klobuchar will immediately identify value-based
delivery system reforms, including in Medicare and Medicaid, and she will
create incentives for employers and insurers to expand new payment models.
Expand the open enrollment period for health insurance
under the Affordable Care Act so more people can get insurance coverage.
Rather than shortening the open enrollment period on the exchanges from
November 1st to December 15th, which happened under the Trump Administration,
Senator Klobuchar will expand the open enrollment period for exchange
enrollment so more people can access health insurance.
Investigate deceptive online travel practices that hurt
consumers. Senator Klobuchar will direct the Federal Trade Commission
and Department of Transportation to investigate deceptive and fraudulent
practices by online travel booking websites.
“Senator Klobuchar is committed to governing from
opportunity and taking administrative actions when it comes to our foreign
policy and security, veterans, health care, education, income inequality,
worker protections, economic justice, immigration reform, unions, civil rights,
climate change, the environment, criminal justice reform and gun violence
prevention. She will be updating these goals with your ideas,” the campaign
stated.
