Thursday, March 4, 2021

Government Affairs and Merit Shop Advocacy
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150 Business Groups Pressure Lawmakers on Labor Bill: From Politico – “More than 100 trade associations representing a range of industries are ramping up pressure on lawmakers to vote down a sweeping labor law bill that would expand union power (HR 842, S 420). The groups, writing as part of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, sent a letter to the Hill Thursday arguing that the Protecting the Right to Organize Act will result in “economic upheaval that would cost millions of American jobs, threaten vital supply chains, and greatly diminish opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses.” The House passed the PRO Act, which has strong union backing and which President Joe Biden said on the campaign trail he supports, on a nearly party-line vote last year, but the GOP-controlled Senate never took the bill up. Democrats reintroduced the bill with some tweaks last month, and the House is set to take it up next week. But CDW writes in its letter that it would strengthen unions “without regard for the negative impacts the legislation would have on workers, businesses, and the economy.” The letter is signed by a slew of influential business lobbies and trade groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Hotel & Lodging Association, National Association of Manufacturers, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, National Restaurant Association, National Retail Federation, the National Federation of Independent Business, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA).”

WECA is a member of CDW and encourages its members to contact their members of congress about the bill. You can take action here. More on the issue can be found here.

71 New Members of Congress Were Elected Last Year Voters nationwide elected 71 new members—nine senators and 62 representatives—to Congress on Nov. 3 or in subsequent runoff elections. This figure includes Luke Letlow (R-La.), who was elected Dec. 5 and died from complications related to COVID-19 on Dec. 29, before taking office.
 
The newly elected officials have been in office for a bit more than six weeks. Here’s a quick refresher about them. Those 71 new members included the following:

• Candidates from the opposing party defeated five incumbent senators—one Democrat and four Republicans. 
• Republican challengers defeated 13 Democratic representatives.
• 53 new members—four senators and 49 representatives—were elected to open seats. Five House seats were vacant heading into the Nov. 3 elections. Four senators and 36 House members did not run for re-election, and eight House members were defeated in a primary or nominating convention.