Federal Legislative Update from the American Federation of Teachers

It's here! President Biden introduced the second part of his groundbreaking Build Back Better plan to Congress this week. The American Families Plan aims to cut child poverty by more than half through extended tax cuts and direct payments to families, universal pre-K and free higher education, and the creation of a national paid leave program. This plan aims to fund itself through increasing taxes for the wealthiest Americans and strengthening the IRS's ability to cut down on tax evasion. After a narrow Republican counteroffer based on a limited definition of infrastructure as roads and bridges only, Democrats may go it alone, using the reconciliation process to pass both the American Families Plan and the American Jobs Plan.

Additionally, President Biden issued an historic executive order on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, establishing a White House task force to advise the president on policies to encourage worker organizing and union density. We're encouraged by this opportunity and we join the National Employment Law Project in urging the task force to uphold worker protections as a means of promoting social justice.