June, 07 2017, 12:00am EDT
People's Action Statement on President Trump's Infrastructure Plan:
WASHINGTON
As President Trump continued today to promote an infrastructure plan that would sell off public assets to his golfing buddies and other private investors, People's Action released statements condemning the plan, arguing that it won't provide the kind of public investments and jobs that we need.
People's Action is part of the Millions of Jobs Coalition and supports the infrastructure resolution introduced by the Congressional Progressive Caucus: "21st Century New Deal for Jobs."
George Goehl, People's Action co-director:
"We need real jobs and a real infrastructure plan. Selling our public assets off to Trump's developer friends or privatizing everything from our transportation to work, to the water we drink, is not the answer. We need a real plan for publicly owned infrastructure that creates high quality jobs building housing, schools and a green economy paid for by corporations and the wealthy. Our communities are prepared to fight for the investment we need."
LaShaya Darisaw, Flint, Michigan (organizing director of Michigan United, a People's Action affiliate):
"My community needs help now. We are still drinking poisoned water - and being asked to pay astronomical rates for it. We are forced to pay for water we are unable to use. We need clean, lead free and bacteria free water from lead-free pipes and we want Flint residents to get good paying jobs working to replace those pipes. What happened in Flint is a perfect example of what happens when government prioritizes profits over people. We won't let that happen again."
To interview George Goehl or LaShaya Darisaw, please contact Kathy Mulady at People's Action (206) 992-8787 or k.mulady@peoplesaction.org
People's Action builds the power of poor and working people, in rural, suburban, and urban areas to win change through issue campaigns and elections.
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Wyden Says Spying Bill Would Force Americans to Become an 'Agent for Big Brother'
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Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden took to the floor of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday to speak out against a chilling mass surveillance bill that lawmakers are working to rush through the upper chamber and send to President Joe Biden's desk by the end of the week.
The measure in question would reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for two years and massively expand the federal government's warrantless surveillance power by requiring a wide range of businesses and individuals to cooperate with spying efforts.
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Wyden's remarks came after the Senate narrowly approved a motion Tuesday to proceed to the FISA reauthorization bill ahead of Section 702's expiration at the end of the week. The Oregon senator, an outspoken privacy advocate, was among the seven members of the Democratic caucus who voted against the procedural motion.
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Titled Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA), the legislation passed the Republican-controlled House last week after lawmakers voted down an amendment that would have added a search warrant requirement to Section 702.
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