SUPPORT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS BUDGET

WHEREAS, the federal budget is a moral document that reflects values in the priorities it sets; and

WHEREAS, among the several federal budget proposals the Congressional Progressive Caucus 2015 “Better Off Budget”  best represents social and economic priorities aligned with the American Federation of Teachers; and in particular

WHEREAS, the Better Off Budget’s proposed cuts in military spending, attention to job creation, increases in spending on education, embrace of transition to single-payer medical insurance, investment in our nation’s social and physical infrastructure, support for veterans, increase in taxes on corporations and the very wealthy, attention to climate change with a carbon tax, and imposition of a financial transfer (“Robin Hood”) tax all comport well with AFT priorities:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers recognizes in principle the Congressional Progressive Caucus 2015 “Better Off Budget” as representative of the social and economic priorities best aligned with AFT priorities; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will seek ways to work with members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus to generate understanding and support for the CPC budget; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will identify ways to engage our members with members of the CPC and other members of Congress in the long-term political process required to create the conditions for passage of a federal budget that implements the CPC’s priorities and bring these proposals to the AFT’s executive board for appropriate action; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT officers will report at the next national convention what steps the union leadership has taken to implement this resolution.