Title: A Living Wage, Jobs for All Act

Purpose: to establish a living wage and jobs for all peoples in the United States and its territories, and for other purposes.
Sponsor:  [D] Rep Lee, Barbara [4] [CA-9] (introduced 2/14/07)
Latest Major Action: 6/5/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.Summary: Affirms the basic economic rights under the 1944 "Economic Bill of Rights," while extending it to include: (1) certain rights to decent jobs, income security for individuals unable to work, a decent living for farm families, freedom from monopolies, decent housing, adequate health services, Social Security in old age, sickness, accidental injury, and unemployment, and education and work training; and (2) certain other rights relating to collective bargaining, a safe work environment, voting and campaigning, information on industrial pollution and processes that affect the well-being of workers, and personal security. Requires corporations to submit annual reports on the impact of their activities on the rights of employees, consumers, and communities and on environmental quality.

Contact: House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, (202) 225-3725

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports measures that ensure community members can make a decent living, enjoy certain job security and have acceptable working conditions as part of community economic empowerment.

Title: Small Business Children's Health Education Act of 2007Purpose: to establish a multi-agency nationwide campaign to educate small business concerns about health insurance options available to children.
Sponsor: [D] Sen Kerry, John F. [6] [MA] (introduced 6/27/07); Cosponsors (2)
Latest Major Action: 6/27/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.Summary: This bill calls for the SBA Administrator, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of the Treasury to collaborate as a task force in order to design, implement, and monitor a nationwide campaign to provide information regarding children’s health insurance to small businesses.  The campaign will seek to relay information regarding private insurance options and public assistance programs (such as Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Insure Kids Now hotline) to business owners.  Information regarding ways to make insurance more affordable, including Federal and State tax deductions and credits for health care-related expenses and health insurance expenses and Federal tax exclusion for health insurance options available under employer-sponsored cafeteria plans, will also be disseminated to owners and employees of small businesses.

Contact: Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, (202) 224-5175

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports efforts to ensure that all children have health insurance. This legislation could significantly increase participation of children from low and middle-income families to participate in the SHIP and other government-sponsored health insurance plans.

Title: Family and Workplace Balancing Act of 2007, or Balancing Act of 2007

Purpose: to improve the lives of working families by providing family and medical need assistance, child care assistance, in-school and after school assistance, family care assistance, and by encouraging the establishment of family-friendly workplaces.
Sponsor: [D] Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [9] [CA-6] (introduced 5/17/07); Cosponsors (62)
Latest Major Action: 7/17/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.Summary: Directs the Secretary of Labor to make five-year grants to a state or local government to pay for the federal share of projects that assist families by providing wage replacement for eligible individuals responding to family caregiving needs. Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) and federal civil service law to allow employees covered by FMLA and civil servants to take specified additional leave for: (1) parental involvement in their children's or grandchildren's educational and extracurricular activities; and (2) routine family medical care needs. Promotes and expands the availability of and funding for school-, community-, and business-run child care facilities, a universal pre-kindergarten program, a universal free breakfast school program, school nutrition program incentives, a teleworking campaign, business child care incentives, and expanded health care benefits for child care providers and their spouses, domestic partners, and dependents.

Contact: House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, (202) 225-3725

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports family-friendly workplaces and efforts to provide parents with the support they need to be able to take and hold jobs without undo burdens.

Title: Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007

Purpose: to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Sponsor: [D] Rep Frank, Barney [12] [MA-4] (introduced 4/24/07); Cosponsors (171)
Latest Major Action: 9/5/2007 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions. House committee/subcommittee actions.

Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Summary: Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity by employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, or joint labor-management committees (collectively referred to as “covered entities”). Prohibits preferential treatment or quotas. Provides for the construction of this Act with regard to: (1) enforcement by employers of rules and policies; (2) sexual harassment; (3) certain shared facilities such as showers or dressing facilities; (4) dress and grooming standards; and (5) certain matters relating to marriage. Prohibits the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from collecting statistics from covered entities on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. This act does not apply to religious organizations and to U.S. armed forces and does not repeal any law creating special rights or preferences concerning employment for a veteran.

ASPIRA Policy Position

In general, ASPIRA supports legislation to ensure non-discrimination in the workplace. 

ASPIRA, however, has not taken a position on discrimination on the basis of gender identity (transsexual and transgender individuals).