March, 03 2021, 11:00pm EDT
AFT President Randi Weingarten Applauds Passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act
Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the House of Representatives' passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2021, a bill to restore the rights of working people, limit the power of the corrupt and expand voting rights:
WASHINGTON
Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the House of Representatives' passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2021, a bill to restore the rights of working people, limit the power of the corrupt and expand voting rights:
"During the 2020 election, Americans had to fight just to have their votes counted. Across the country, numerous voters waited in line for hours to cast their ballots. Rampant voter suppression of the historically marginalized, systematic gerrymandering, and special interest money all worked overtime to stifle the voices of people who only hoped to participate in their democracy. Add to that the unchecked chaos and division that has seeped into our political system and left government mistrust at an all-time high, and you have the recipe for a democracy in disrepair.
"Thankfully, with this bill, the 117th Congress has made repairing our democracy its priority. H.R. 1 ensures fairness in our electoral process, expands voting access and the rights of working people, and limits corporate power and corruptive influence in government. It's time for every family and every community in this country to have a fair shot, a voice at work, a voice in their democracy and an opportunity to thrive.
"H.R. 1 lays the groundwork for that. It addresses the very real threats to the foundation of our democracy by strengthening the government's ethics laws, imposing important restrictions on campaign finance regulations, and expanding voting rights so all Americans can have a voice at the ballot box. It is one huge step toward ensuring the soul of our democracy remains intact and restoring power to those it belongs to--the people. With the passage of this legislation, the House of Representatives is responding to the will of the people, who voted in record numbers for representatives, senators and a president who believe our democracy works best when every vote is counted and every voice is heard. We hope the Senate will follow their lead."
The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do. The American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, was founded in 1916 and today represents 1.6 million members in more than 3,000 local affiliates nationwide.
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"The United States has been a leader in the global fight to eradicate polio, which is poised to become only the second disease in history to be eliminated from the face of the earth after smallpox," said Liza Barrie, Public Citizen's campaign director for global vaccines access. "Undermining polio vaccination efforts now risks reversing decades of progress and unraveling one of the greatest public health achievements of all time."
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According to the newspaper:
Mr. Siri is also representing ICAN in petitioning the FDA to "pause distribution" of 13 other vaccines, including combination products that cover tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and hepatitis A, until their makers disclose details about aluminum, an ingredient researchers have associated with a small increase in asthma cases.
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Ryan Cooper, managing editor at The American Prospect, warned that "they want your kids dead."
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Multiple critics altered Trump's campaign slogan to "Make Polio Great Again."
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) responded with a video on social media:
Without naming anyone, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a polio survivor, put out a lengthy statement on Friday.
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