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WASHINGTON-Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statements after a grand jury declined to indict the officer involved in the shooting of teenager Michael Brown.

“Last night, the pain of a community erupted onto the streets of Ferguson as America learned that no charges will result from Michael Brown’s death,” Rep. Grijalva said. “As emotions continue to run understandably high, it is crucial to bear in mind a lesson history has taught us time and again: justice is not won through destruction or violence, but through unity and perseverance. Just as violence can tarnish peaceful protestors standing for justice, excessive force by law enforcement can only further divide our nation.

“We must honor Michael through peace, and by fixing the failures in our system, from racial profiling to the militarization of local police.  There is much work to be done, but we owe it to the Brown family, the Ferguson community, and to every child hoping to inherit a more fair world than the one we currently have, to live up to this challenge."

“Once the news trucks have left St. Louis and the city of Ferguson is calm, a family will still be without their son,” Rep. Ellison said. “Michael Brown’s family will always mourn the senseless shooting of their child - a shooting that should never have happened. Our country has an indefensible history of racial violence. The same violence that killed Emmett Till and beat Rodney King is alive today as Michael Brown’s family grieves.

“I understand the anger and fear that many in Ferguson and around the country feel, but all must remain peaceful. Protest injustice, but do not meet violence with violence. I urge the federal government to continue its investigation of Michael Brown’s shooting. The fight for equality is not over. We have tremendous work to do, including protecting the right to vote. But right now, my thoughts are with Michael’s parents, whose son will not be coming home.”

 CPC Member Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) has introduced the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2014 to reform the Department of Defense’s 1033 program, which provides surplus military equipment to local law enforcement. The CPC endorsed this legislation, which would halt the transfer of weapons and equipment that is inappropriate for local policing. Congress will have the opportunity to enact these reforms in the coming weeks as the House debates the annual defense authorization bill. In addition, the CPC, CBC, CHC, and CAPAC sent a letter to Attorney General Holder asking him to update discriminatory profiling guidelines so that a person’s race, religion, nationality, or sexual orientation cannot make them a target for police.

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WASHINGTON-Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) along with CPC Peace and Security Task Force Chair Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), released the following statements today urging Congress to let diplomacy work in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program between the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Russia (P5+1) and Iran after the House passed a resolution condemning human rights violations in Iran. 

“After years of inaction, the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran represent significant progress, and have the potential to make meaningful strides on nuclear proliferation and human rights in Iran,” Rep. Grijalva said. “The give and take of international diplomacy is delicate and should not be rushed for the sake of a deadline. I encourage all parties involved to continue their good faith efforts to bring about a lasting and meaningful deal that moves our nations forward.”

“The expansion of human rights for all Iranians is more likely to happen if current negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program are successful. Diplomacy with Iran empowers human rights leaders in Tehran because it weakens the claim that Iran is under constant threat which justifies the police state,” Rep. Ellison said. “Diplomacy empowers advocates to push for rights like freedom of speech and religion. If Congress wants to help improve human rights in Iran, we must engage and support the P5+1 nuclear talks.”     

“Iran’s human rights situation is tragic and deplorable; violations of human rights should be condemned. I hope this resolution is not used to undermine diplomatic efforts to reduce and provide for inspections of Iran’s nuclear program,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Maintaining diplomatic negotiations is vital to enhancing our regional security objectives and promoting human rights.”

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WASHINGTON-Today, Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) sent a letter to President Obama urging him to sign a Model Employer Executive Order to reward good federal contractors and guarantee workers’ rights to collectively bargain. The text of the letter is below and a signed version can be found here.

Dear Mr. President:

Thank you for showing your commitment to working families by issuing executive orders that ensure a minimum wage and workplace protections for hundreds of thousands of Americans working under federal contracts. We now ask you to issue a new executive order in defense of these hard-working Americans: a Model Employer Executive Order that gives an incentive for corporations to provide good middle class jobs. 

Holding corporations who receive taxpayer money to a minimum standard, as you did with the first two executive orders, is a logical first step. We must also reward those who go above and beyond. A Model Employer Executive Order would give preference for federal contracts to those companies that do more than just the legal minimum by providing living wages, paid leave, and covering health care for their workers.  It would also require contractors to respect their employees’ right to collectively bargain. 

The potential impact for working families is substantial. According to a report by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee of the U.S. Senate, “companies that receive government contracts employ an estimated 22 percent of the American workforce, approximately 26 million workers.” The National Employment Law Project interviewed over 500 federal government contract workers and found that 74 percent do not have sick leave, 89 percent do not have health insurance through their employer, and 58 percent receive no benefits at all.  The right to collective bargaining, which is the most effective way workers can fight for these basic benefits, has been under attack. 

The corporations that are doing their part to correct the causes of economic inequality should have a competitive advantage when pursuing government contracts.  Instead, they are currently undercut by corporations who only pay the legal minimum and take away workers’ seat at the table.  A Model Employer Executive Order would give a competitive advantage to corporations that treat workers well.  The Congressional Progressive Caucus stands ready to work with you to finish the job of making sure taxpayer dollars are not funding the low wage economy.

The CPC previously sent letters to the President asking him to sign a Good Jobs Executive Order and to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers. 

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WASHINGTON-Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after President Obama announced a new agreement with China to reduce carbon emissions.

“We applaud President Obama for negotiating an historic agreement with China to reduce carbon emissions in the coming decades. The United States and China are the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, which makes the agreement announced today a vital step towards limiting the worst effects of climate change. It sets the stage for a larger deal that we hope will set emission targets needed to keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees. We urge Congress to follow President Obama’s lead and take concrete action to combat climate change now.”

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