2007 Issues

	Comprehensive Immigration Reform Introduced in the 110th Congress in the Senate (S.9) by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) the bill seeks to to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for more effective border and employment enforcement, to prevent illegal immigration, and to reform and rationalize avenues for legal immigration, and for other purposes. ::MORE Principles for Immigration Reform by Labor United for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
	Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007 Introduced in the 110th Congress in the Senate (S.57) by Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and in the House of Representative (H.R. 760) by Representative Bob Filner (D-CA), the bill seeks to provide full benefits to Filipino Veterans who fought in World War II under the command of the United States.
	Raise the Minimum Wage An estimated 14.9 million workers (11% of the workforce) would receive an increase in their hourly wage rate if the federal minimum wage were raised from $5.15 to $7.25 by 2008. An estimated 300,000 (2%) of these workers are Asian Pacific Americans. ::MORE Economic Policy Institute
	Make College Affordable College education costs have outpaced family income growth. Students and their parents are relying more on student loans to finance college. Inadequate federal grants are making it difficult for low-and moderate income students to attend college; and, rising interest rates are placing heavy debt payment obligations on students and their families. Congress must find a way to cut student loan costs, expand Pell Grants, and provide families with permanent tax deduction for college tuition. ::MORE National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
	Lower the Cost of Prescription Drugs Medicare Part D, the prescription benefits plan for seniors, contain several flaws. Medicare is prohibited from negotiating with drug companies to get better prices for seniors; the prescription plans are administered by private companies motivated by profit; a coverage gap requires seniors to pay the full cost of their prescriptions; and, a penalty is imposed on those who signed up late. Medicare must be allowed to negotiate lower prices from drug companies. The "donut hole" (the gap in coverage for costs between $2,250 and $5,000) must be closed. Seniors should be allowed the choice of obtaining their prescription drug plan directly from Medicare; and, the penalty for late subscription to a plan should be eliminated.
	Repeal Oil Tax Breaks, Invest in Alternative Energy Soaring gasoline price places a heavy burden on working families. American dependence on foreign oil is a threat to our nation's economic and national security. Big oil companies have enjoyed unprecedented windfall profits from high crude oil prices while continuing to receive government tax breaks for oil production and exploration. These tax breaks need to be repealed. More incentives for the use of biodiesel and ethanol as substitute for gasoline should be put in place.Tax breaks for buyers of gas-electric hybrid cars and incentives to automakers to produce more energy efficient vehicles should be considered.