(The following story by Michael O’Brien appeared at TheHill.com on May 24, 2010.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Organized labor is ramping up pressure on lawmakers to support a jobs bill that’s likely to come up for a vote this year.
The AFL-CIO put House members on notice that a planned vote this week on the “Promoting American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act” would be key in the union’s endorsement and election-year decisions.
The legislation, which costs around $180 billion, would extend some expired programs and benefits, provide some tax breaks and provide a temporary “doc fix” long sought by lawmakers.
“Our message this week is, ‘If you aren’t for this bill, you aren’t for jobs. Period,’ ” an AFL-CIO spokesman said.
The vote would be central in the labor group’s work through November, in an election cycle where the AFL-CIO has already played aggressively. The union has spent heavily to bolster Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter’s Democratic primary challenge to Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
“Arkansas shows we are dead serious about only supporting D’s who stand with workers,” the spokesman said.
Other labor groups have also said they planned to spend around $100 million on behalf of Democrats this year.