Dems on the Job - June Edition

While House Republicans continued to drop the ball in June, Democrats worked day and night to put forward policies, host briefings, and speak to constituents about their work to create jobs, raise wages, and improve the lives of hardworking Americans across the country. Below is a sampling of the legislation and activities that Members led in June:

LEGISLATION:

On June 6^th, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1) introduced the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act of 2017, which would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide students with disabilities and their families with access to critical information needed to select the right college and succeed once enrolled.

On June 6^th, Congressman Ben Ray Lujan (NM-3) introduced the Support Startup Businesses Act of 2017, which would make improvements to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which are intended to help startups working in federal research and development.

On June 6^th, Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-2) introduced an amendment to the Small Business Act, which would improve diversity in the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. According to a 2013 report, only six percent of SBIR funds went to small business owners from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

On June 7^th, Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced the Corporate Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2017, which would make large corporations, not the taxpayer, pay for the costs of federal programs that low-wage employees turn to in order to make ends meet, such as nutrition or housing assistance.

OnJune 8th, Congressman Bobby Scott, Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce and Congresswoman Susan Davis, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, joined Reps. Adriano Espaillat, Jared Polis, and other House Democrats in introducing the Jumpstart on College Act and Advancing Competency-Based Education Act of 2017 to ensure students can earn a degree or credential more quickly and for less money. These bills are a part of House Democrats' Aim Higher initiative, which proposes policy solutions to make higher education work for all students and their families.

On June 8^th, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) introduced the Job Opportunities between Our Shores (JOBS) Act, which would promote advanced manufacturing in California and throughout the United States and give dislocated workers the training and skills they need to find new jobs in growing industries.

On June 8^th, Congressman Albio Sires (NJ-8) introduced the Better Education and Skills Training for America's Workforce Act, which would create a competitive, $1 billion tax-credit program to encourage job training partnerships between community colleges and local businesses that equip workers with skills that match communities' needs.  It would also provide local businesses that hire long-term unemployed workers up to $4,000 in tax credits for the tuition costs at a community college to train each worker hired to fill a job that requires a specific certificate or other training credential.

On June 8^th, Congressman Ruben Gallego (AZ-7) introduced the Relief and Investment for Student Entrepreneurs Act, which would allow qualified entrepreneurs to temporarily defer Federal student loan payments after starting a new business.

On June 12^th, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) introduced the Children's Act for Responsible Employment (CARE), which would ensure adequate protections for children working in American agriculture.

On June 15^th, Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-17) introduced the Community Economic Assistance Act of 2017, which would provide economic assistance to communities experiencing a localized recession resulting from substantial job loss or economic transitions. 

On June 15^th, the House Small Business Committee passed the Microloan Modernization Act of 2017, introduced by Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (FL-7), which would make improvements to the Small Business Administration's microloan program. The SBA's microloan programs is a unique partnership between nonprofit community-based organizations and small businesses, and has proven to be especially beneficial to women-and minority-owned startups looking for loans to finance their ventures. 

On June 15^th, the House Small Business Committee passed the Investing in Main Street Act of 2017, introduced by Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), which would increases the amount of capital that banks and savings associations can invest in a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC). SBICs borrow resources from the SBA and raise private capital to invest in promising, job creating startups.

On June 15^th, the House Small Business Committee passed an amendment to the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act, introduced by Congressman Al Lawson (FL-5), which would help small businesses in later stages of the SBIR and STTR programs as they aim to bring their product to the market. By requiring SBIR programs to implement a Commercialization Assistance Pilot Program, Lawson and fellow Democrats hope to help small businesses transition from early product development phases to actually commercializing products, which will create new jobs.

On June 15^th, the House Small Business Committee passed an amendment to the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act, introduced by Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), which would allow for a more flexible use of SBIR and STTR program funding. This amendment also encourages commercialization by increasing the amount of funding that may be used for start-up related commercialization.

On June 15^th, the House Small Business Committee passed an amendment to the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act, introduced by Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (FL-7), which would assist small businesses in commercializing their technology when obtaining government contracts.

On June 16^th, Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-2) reintroduced the Leveraging Effective Apprenticeships to Rebuild National Skills (LEARNS) Act, which would increase the number of highly skilled workers in the United States and strengthens federal investments into apprenticeship programs as an effective earn-and-learn model for students, workers, and employers. 

On June 19^th, the House Small Business Committee passed the Microloan Modernization Act of 2017, sponsored by Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (FL-7), which would help more entrepreneurs and small businesses get the capital they need to start and grow, especially women and minorities. 

On June 20^th, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce and Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, joined Reps. Donald Norcross (NJ-1), Grace Meng (NY-6), and other House Democrats in introducing the Remedial Education Improvement Act and the Community College Student Success Act, bills to help ensure students complete their higher education in a timely and affordable manner. These bills are a part of House Democrats' Aim Higher initiative, which proposes policy solutions to make higher education work for all students and their families.

On June 20^th, Congresswoman DeLauro (CT-3) reintroduced the Schedules that Work Act, a key part of the Working Families Agenda, which would help ensure that low-wage employees have more certainty about their work schedules and income.

On June 21^st, House Democrats' Previous Question was a vote on the Bring Jobs Home Act, introduced by Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ-9), which would end tax breaks for corporations sending jobs overseas, and establish new incentives to create good-paying jobs here in America. 

On June 22^nd, Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) introduced the Green Bank Act, which would create a National Green Bank to provide financing support to regional, state, and municipal green banks, which in turn fund clean-energy and energy-efficient projects across the United States.

On June 22^nd, House Democrats' Previous Question was a vote on the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act, introduced by Congressman Peter DeFazio (OR-4), which would provide direct investments to repair broken wastewater infrastructure, encourage innovative investments in clean water projects, and create thousands of new American jobs.

On June 22^nd, Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-2) introduced the Stop Price Gouging Act, which would protect consumers and penalize drug corporations that spike drug prices deliberately without justification.

On June 23^rd, the House passed Suzan DelBene's (WA-1) amendment to the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act, which would help people find good-paying jobs in high-demand industries through apprenticeships.

On June 26^th, a bill sponsored by Congressman Pete Aguilar (CA-31), the Active Duty Voluntary Acquisition of Necessary Credentials for Employment (ADVANCE) Act, passed the House by a vote of 409-0. The bill would create opportunities for service members to find work in their communities by simplifying how they translate the driving skills they learned in the military to American jobs across the nation.

On June 27^th, House Democrats' Previous Question was a vote on the Rebuild America's Schools Act, introduced by Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3), which would create nearly two million new American jobs, improve the infrastructure of schools, and expand student access to high-speed internet.

On June 27^th, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved three provisions offered by Congresswoman Cheri Bustos' (IL-17) in its markup of H.R. 2997, the 21^st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act. Two of the provisions would help veterans get good-paying jobs when they return home and help close the skills gap in the aviation workforce.

On June 28^th, House Democrats' Previous Question was a vote on the Raise the Wage Act, introduced by Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3), which would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour allowing for $144 billion to go into the pockets of hard-working Americans and for the creation of a stronger middle class.

On June 29^th, House Democrats' Previous Question was a vote on the Bring Jobs Home Act introduced by Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ-9), which ends tax breaks for corporations sending jobs overseas, and establishes new incentives to create good-paying jobs here in America.

On June 29^th, Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41) introduced the Better Workforce for Veterans Act, which would address chronic workforce shortages at the Department of Veterans Affairs by transforming VA's ability to attract, hire, and retain talented workers.

On June 29^th, Ranking Member Scott and Congressman Takano introduced a resolution to update and strengthen overtime thresholds for workers to get a fair day's pay for a fair day's work for 4.2 million.

BRIEFINGS AND EVENTS:

Forum: On June 8^th, Congressman Bobby Scott, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Congressman Donald Norcross hosted a panel discussion with local and national experts on school infrastructure and the need for Congress to pass The Rebuild America's Schools Act to create safe and healthy school facilities, expand access to digital learning, and create jobs.

Forum: On June 14^th, the House New Democrat Coalition Future of Work Task Force hosted a forum on ‘Portable Benefits in the 21^st Century Workplace.' Panelists represented small business, labor, and think tanks.

Hearing: On June 15^th, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee held a hearing – "We Hear You: A Brighter Future for Millennials" – on the need for Congress to come together on policies that create a brighter future for America's young people. Panelists included representatives from small business, labor, and organizations advocating for the rights and well-being of young people.

Roundtable: On June 19^th, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, Congressman Mark Pocan, and Congressman Donald Norcross hosted a roundtable discussion with labor leader to talk about how Congress can help create quality jobs and support working men and women.

Briefing: On June 21^st, Congressman Collin Peterson, on behalf of the bipartisan Franchise and Small Business Caucuses, co-hosted a briefing on ‘Employer Solutions to Higher Education.' The briefing included a panel of representatives from small businesses and franchises to discuss solutions to the costs and hurdles to higher education in the U.S.

Hearing: On June 21^st the House Democratic Women's Working Group, chaired by Congresswoman Lois Frankel, hosted a briefing on ‘The Urgency of Paid Family and Medical Leave.' The briefing included panelists representing small businesses, groups representing women and families, and an expert on work and families.

Roundtable: On June 22^nd, Congressman Gerry Connolly chaired a New Democrat Coalition technology roundtable with leaders from the private sector to discuss the role of cyber and IT modernization in the new economy.

Discussion: On June 26^th, the Democratic Women's Working Group hosted a discussion on ‘The Future of Work, Automation, and Jobs in America.' Participants included elected officials, economists, as well as representatives of technology and innovation companies.

Roundtable: On June 27^th, in conjunction with Pride Month, Small Business Committee Democrats held a roundtable on LGBTQ entrepreneurship.  Hearing from small business owners from that community, Members learned about the unique procurement and access to capital challenges business owners from that community encounter.

OP-EDS:

Op-ed: The New Democrat Coalition wrote an op-ed in Medium on ‘Portable Benefits in the 21^st Century Workplace,' which addresses the rapid acceleration of technology, social changes, and flexibility in the work place?—?especially among millennials?—?and how that has created new challenges and opportunities in public policy. (6/21/17)

Op-ed: Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty wrote an op-ed in HuffPost on ‘A Bold Proposal To Unleash America's Green Economy,' which includes a plan to help our nation reclaim its leadership in the 21st-century clean energy economy by using a market-driven approach to both fight climate change and create thousands of jobs in communities across the country. (6/22/17)