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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... Latest
Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| JANUARY
20, 1999 5:05 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: AFL-CIO Deborah Dion 202/637-5036 |
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| Statement by AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney on President Clinton's State of the Union Address | ||||
| WASHINGTON
- January 20 - President Clinton has provided us with a positive blueprint for
aggressive, progressive action by the nation. Working families applaud not only
the vision, substance and optimism of his agenda, but his ability to rise to a
new level of leadership under the most difficult circumstances. We will use the
President's optimism as an antidote for the impeachment-driven negativism that
is consuming the Congress.
President Clinton's plan to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and the private pension network simultaneously get the biggest cheers from working families. Using the federal budget surplus to do this returns the benefits of our strong economy to the people whose hard work made it possible. We are especially pleased with the President's strong opposition to replacing our nation's most important family protection program with private accounts and his commitment to strengthen Social Security for the next century "first and above all." The strength of the economy will allow us to draw from a surplus to secure the future of Social Security and Medicare, while still addressing other urgent needs such as education, child care, long-term health care, attacking discrimination and securing equal pay. The strength of President Clinton's leadership will allow us to secure another much-needed increase in the minimum wage as well as long-overdue protections for HMO patients. We are also pleased with the President's words in support of trade policies that promote the dignity of work, and protect workers' rights and the environment. We look forward to working with him on policies that make this real. ### |
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