February 26, 2017
February 19, 2017
February 12, 2017
February 5, 2017
February 26, 2017
Tell senators to vote NO on Supreme Court nominee
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) predicted that getting the 60 votes needed to confirm Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch will be a “tough road to hoe” because he has refused to answer questions from Democratic senators. NEA opposes confirming Judge Gorsuch because of his record and views. He has repeatedly ruled against students with disabilities who seek a public education, consistently sided with big business at the expense of working people, and embraced extreme views that could endanger workers’ rights on issues like employment discrimination, worker safety, and wages. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold hearings starting March 20. Click here and sign the petition urging senators to vote NO on Judge Gorsuch.
Demand answers from education secretary Betsy DeVos
Since narrowly being confirmed only because of the vice president’s tie-breaking vote — a first in U.S. history — education secretary Betsy DeVos has continued to question the U.S. Department of Education’s role and champion schemes to undermine public schools. Add your name to the letter sent to Secretary DeVos by NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. The letter demands answers to basic questions about accountability, privatization, discrimination, equal opportunity, and other issues critical to America’s 50 million public school students.
GOP setting plans for repealing the Affordable Care Act
House committees are expected to take action in the next two weeks on repealing and “replacing” the Affordable Care Act. Threats to Medicaid are emerging as one sticking point. Options under discussion include new approaches to Medicaid 
funding — block grants or per capita caps — that are likely to lead to drastic benefit cuts. States could have no choice but to slash benefits or take money from education for essential health care. Click on the take action button and urge Congress to protect health care for children and families.
Cheers and Jeers
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for saying she won’t vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid.
Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) for introducing the Social Security Fairness Act of 2017 (H.R.1205), which fully repeals the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).
Representative Richard Neal (D-MA), the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee for his on point criticism of the GOP draft plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act…“There isn’t a single redeeming quality in the House Republican draft health legislation; rather, it’s a recipe for disaster for our nation's health care program. It would give a massive tax cut to the wealthiest Americans while increasing taxes on middle-class workers by taxing their health benefits for the first time.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions for making one of his first acts in the job rolling back Title IX protections for transgender students. “As the Trump administration threatens our students and our values, we will double-down on our efforts to protect our most vulnerable citizens, including our LGBTQ students and members,” said NEA president Lily Eskelsen García.
February 19, 2017
Tell senators to vote NO on Supreme Court nominee
The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a March 20 hearing on Judge Neil Gorsuch, nominated by President Trump to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court created by the death of Antonin Scalia more than a year ago. NEA opposes confirming Judge Gorsuch because of his record and views. He has repeatedly ruled against students with disabilities who seek a public education, consistently sided with big business at the expense of working people, and embraced extreme views that could endanger workers’ rights on issues like employment discrimination, worker safety, and wages. Click here and sign the petition urging senators to vote NO on Judge Gorsuch.
Demand answers from Secretary DeVos on commitment to public school students
In the days since narrowly being confirmed – only with a history-making tie breaking vote by the Vice President – as Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos has questioned the role of the Department of Education and continued to champion schemes to undermine public schools. Add your name to the letter sent to Secretary DeVos by NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, demanding answers to basic commitments to the nation’s 50 million public school students.
NEA-opposed nominee for labor secretary withdraws
Andrew Puzder, President Trump’s nominee for labor secretary opposed by NEA, withdrew from consideration after Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) determined that he did not have enough votes to be confirmed. The next day, Trump announced that he will nominate Alexander Acosta as labor secretary. Currently dean of the Florida International University College of Law, Acosta previously worked in the civil rights division of the U.S. Department of Justice and was a member of the National Labor Relations Board.
Affordable Care Act on the chopping block with no plan to replace it
Republican leadership continues to explore repealing the Affordable Care Act without a concrete plan for replacing it. A big sticking point is what to do about Medicaid, which the law expanded to bring health care to tens of millions of children and families. Options under discussion include new approaches to Medicaid funding—block grants or per capita caps—that are likely to lead to drastic benefit cuts. States could have no choice but to slash benefits or take money from education for essential health care. Click on the take action button and urge Congress to protect health care for children and families.
Cheers and Jeers
Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) for announcing their opposition to the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
February 12, 2017
Vice president forced to advance DeVos as education secretary
The Senate deadlocked 50-50 on confirming Betsy DeVos as education secretary, so vice president Mike Pence weighed in—the first time in U.S. history the vice president has cast the deciding vote for a cabinet nominee. Every Democrat and two Republicans, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, opposed DeVos. The fight over her confirmation raged from coast to coast—a tsunami of grassroots opposition that included 1. 4 million letters and 80,000 phone calls through NEA properties alone.
Now, the focus shifts to defeating efforts to privatize public education via voucher schemes. “We are going to watch what Betsy DeVos does. And we are going to hold her accountable for the actions and decisions she makes on behalf of the more than 50 million students in our nation’s public schools,” said NEA president Lily Eskelsen García.
Send your senators a quick note to thank those who voted against DeVos, and to express your disappointment in those who voted for her.
Tell senators to do their job and thoroughly vet Judge Gorsuch
Judge Neil Gorsuch met with several senators amidst bipartisan dismay over President Trump’s attacks on other judges, underscoring the importance of an independent judiciary as a check on abuse of executive power. Trump has nominated Gorsuch, who sits on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Antonin Scalia last February.
Judge Gorsuch’s record and views raise concerns for educators. He has repeatedly ruled against students with disabilities who seek public education, consistently sided with big business at the expense of working people, and embraced extreme views that could endanger workers’ rights on issues like employment discrimination, worker safety, and wages. Check this space for action updates in the coming days.
Jeff Sessions sworn in as attorney general
Senator Jeff Sessions was confirmed as attorney general in a near-party-line vote of 52-47. NEA strongly opposed confirmation based on the totality of his record, which includes defeating a landmark lawsuit to ensure equitable funding of public schools, denouncing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and undermining civil rights across a range of issues.
Cheers and Jeers
All 46 Democrats, Independents Bernie Sanders (VT) and Angus King (ME), and Republicans Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) for opposing confirmation of Betsy DeVos as education secretary
47 Democrats who opposed confirming Jeff Sessions as attorney general
Majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for silencing Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) on the Senate floor when she read a letter by Coretta Scott King that said Jeff Sessions used “the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens” when he was a U.S. attorney in Alabama
February 5, 2017
DeVos nomination on the brink; closest Cabinet vote in history happens Tuesday
An earth-shattering level of grassroots activism on the Betsy DeVos nomination has rocked the Senate, and has been credited with helping to convince GOP Senators Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) to oppose DeVos as education secretary. The Senate is set to vote Tuesday. With all Democrats opposed to DeVos, GOP leadership must hold the rest of its caucus and then have Vice President Mike Pence break a 50 – 50 tie, which would mark the first time in U.S. history the VP has been needed to approve a Cabinet nominee. 
Educators, parents and allies have sent more than 1 million letters via NEA’s activism site and made 70,000 phone calls in 4 weeks, urging senators to vote no. Opposition has swelled nationally, and senators said the 3 days ending last week resulted in the most calls into the Capitol switchboard in history.
NEA’s letter to the Senate urging a no vote can be read here. Keep making your voice heard. Click here or on the take action button.
Judge Gorsuch nominated for U.S. Supreme Court
Neil Gorsuch, a judge from the Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, has been nominated to fill the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. “We have significant concerns about President Trump’s judgment in choosing a nominee,” said NEA president Lily Eskelsen García. “That’s why the U.S. Senate must thoroughly vet the nominee’s views, integrity and record. An independent Supreme Court is an effective check on any abuse of executive power. It is especially important now, considering the president’s willingness to strip away people’s rights with the stroke of a pen.”
The choice of the next justice matters to educators because nearly every issue that impacts students and educators finds its way to the Supreme Court—protecting students’ rights, public education funding, educators’ ability to negotiate collectively for wages and benefits, and much more.
Cheers and Jeers
Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for joining all Democratic senators in opposing Betsy DeVos as education secretary.
Representatives Steve King (R-IA) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) for introducing the so-called National Right to Work Act.
