Ohio Groups Launch Change America Now (CAN) Campaign as Part of Major National Effort to Pass 100 Hour Middle Class Agenda in New Congress


Oklahoma Democrats are invited to join a new Campaign that Calls for a Middle Class Agenda, including Raising the Minimum Wage, Making College Affordable, Repealing Big Oil Tax Breaks/Investing in Alternative Energy, and Allowing Medicare to Negotiate Lower Rx Drug Costs for Seniors


A coalition of organizations throughout Ohio including Ohio United, Progress Ohio, SEIU, AFSCME, Environment Ohio, and more will join together to launch a new campaign in Ohio called Change America Now (CAN) -- a national effort being mounted by nearly 40 groups in 31 states to pass the economic elements of the ‘100 Hour Agenda’ as outlined by incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The following elements, which comprise the CAN 100 Hour Agenda, are to be voted on during the first 100 legislative hours of the 110th Congress in early January:

• Increasing the Minimum Wage
• Repealing Tax Breaks for Big Oil and Investing in Alternative Energy
• Eliminating the Prohibition on Medicare Negotiating with Drug Companies for Lower Prices
• Cutting the Interest Rates on Student Loans in Half

The Change America Now campaign is seeking to pass these priorities with large bipartisan majorities in the House of Representatives in effort to build momentum for them in a closely divided U.S. Senate and to apply sufficient pressure to have President Bush sign them into law. In addition, the Change America Now campaign is uniting progressive voices from across America to champion these issues and pass them into law as a down payment on advancing a broader agenda for American families in a number of areas including jobs and wages, healthcare, the environment and education. The CAN campaign will aggressively call on Members of Congress, especially Rep. Deborah Pryce, to give an early holiday present to the middle-class by supporting the CAN 100 Hour Agenda.