FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2016
Contact: April Mellody
Dana Vickers Shelley

Democratic National Convention Platform Drafting Committee Convenes Southwest Platform Forum

Policy Experts and Other Democrats Offer a Range of Perspectives on Policies to Protect Environment and Keep Communities Healthy

PHOENIX, AZ. –  The Democratic National Convention Committee’s Platform Drafting Committee today will convene the second in a series of regional platform events designed to engage every voice in the Party. Platform Drafting Committee Chair Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Democratic National Convention CEO Rev. Leah D. Daughtry, welcomed committee members, Democrats from all walks of life, and the general public to the forum and outlined the importance of engaging the depth and breadth of the Democratic Party in the platform drafting process.

 "The diverse group of witnesses who will share testimony today has decided to be the change they hope to see in their communities, our Party and the nation," said Chairman Cummings. "As the Big Tent Party, Democrats understand and appreciate the value of diverse voices. While Republicans dominate the news cycle with policies designed to destroy communities, I am happy that today Democrats will prove once again that we are the Party of inclusion by engaging Democrats from across the progressive spectrum in a substantive discussion about policies that will move our country forward."

"No matter who we are, or where we come from, Democrats are united in the belief that every person deserves the opportunity to live up to their fullest God-given potential," said DNCC CEO Rev. Leah D. Daughtry. "Today Democrats from all walks of life will share thoughts and recommendations on how we can unite and create solutions to make our communities stronger. I look forward to the substantive exchange of ideas and hearing from my fellow Democrats as we work to produce a Party Platform that is reflective of the depth and breadth of our Party." 

The following individuals were invited to present testimony under the theme "Energy and Environment" in the order as listed below:

Mayor Greg Stanton
City of Phoenix

Madeleine Foote
League of Conservation Voters

Dr. Michael Mann
Earth System Science Center, Pennsylvania State University

Peggy Shepard
WE ACT for Environmental Justice

Mark Ruffalo
The Solutions Project

Dr. Susan Tierney
Analysis Group

Anthony Rogers-Wright
Environmental Action

Sonia Ramirez
North America's Building Trades Union

Michael Skelly
American Wind Energy Association

Camila Thorndike
Put a Price on It and Oregon Climate

Roman Feher
Laborers' International Union of North America

Vien Truong
Green for All

Tim Sultan and Jose Candelario
SolarCity

Josh Fox
Oscar Nominated Director of Gasland and How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change

Mary Nichols
California Air Resources Board

Felicia Marcus
California State Water Resources Control Board (for identification purposes only)

Erich Pica
Friends of the Earth Action

Nicole Hernandez Hammer
Climate Impacts Scientist

Rhea Suh
National Resources Defense Council

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha
Hurley Children’s Hospital at Hurley Medical Center

The following individuals were invited to present testimony under the theme "Health and Safety" in the order as listed below:

Rachel Gonzales-Hanson
National Association of Community Health Centers

Dr. Judy Feder
Georgetown University, McCourt School of Public Policy

Joseline Mata
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

RoseAnn DeMoro
National Nurses United

Monica Simpson
SisterSong

Dr. Stephanie Woolhandler
Physicians for a National Health Program

Phill Wilson
Black AIDS Institute

Kitty Kennedy
Alliance for Retired Americans

Dr. Leana Wen
Baltimore City Health Department

Donna Crane
NARAL Pro-Choice America

Louis Celli
The American Legion

Pilar Schiavo Johnson
National Nurses United

Dr. Elena Rios
National Hispanic Medical Association

Destiny Lopez
All Above All Action Fund

Dr. Katrina Peters
National Medical Association

Geraldine Schaumburg
National Nurses United

Daniel Martinez
AARP Arizona

Mary Woolley
Research!America

Delia Carlyle
Ak-Chin Indian Community

Democrats are invited to go online at www.demconvention.com/platform to either submit written or video testimony, or to request an opportunity to testify in person.  In addition, there will be two additional regional events that will be open to the public. They will be held in the following locations:

  • Midwest – St. Louis, Missouri on June 24 and 25 (drafting committee meeting)
  • Southeast – Orlando, Florida on July 8 and 9 (platform committee meeting)

 About the Democratic National Convention

The 2016 Democratic Convention will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia July 25-28, 2016.   Working in partnership with the Philadelphia Host Committee, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, our goal is to make this the most engaging, innovative and forward looking Convention in history.  The 2016 Democratic National Convention will leverage technology to take the Convention experience well beyond the hall in an effort to engage more Americans than ever before in the event.  With the birthplace of American Democracy as a backdrop, the 2016 convention in Philadelphia will highlight our shared Democratic values and help put the Democratic nominee on a path to victory.

The Democratic Convention is the formal nominating event for the Democratic candidates for President and Vice President.  At the Convention, the Democratic Party also adopts the official Democratic Party platform as well as the rules and procedures governing party activities including the nomination process for presidential candidates in the next election cycle.

The CEO for the 2016 Democratic National Convention is Reverend Leah D. Daughtry.

The DNCC will hold platform events in the following locations: Mid-Atlantic – Washington, DC on June 8 and 9 (forum with testimony); Southwest – Phoenix, Arizona on June 17 and 18 (forum with testimony); Midwest – St. Louis, Missouri on June 24 and 25 (drafting committee meeting); Southeast – Orlando, Florida on July 8 and 9 (platform committee meeting). Members of the public will be admitted to platform events on a first come, first served basis.

The official website of the 2016 Democratic National Convention is www.demconvention.com.


United Steelworkers
June 17, 2016

United Steelworkers, Sierra Club Unite in Call for Infrastructure Investment, New Framework for International Trade in Democratic Platform

PITTSBURGH, June 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) and the Sierra Club today jointly recommended that bold investments in the nation's infrastructure and a new framework for international trade be made central to the Democratic Party's platform.

USW International President Leo W. Gerard and Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the statement below in conjunction with today's Democratic platform hearing on energy and the environment:


"When the platform committee meets, it's critical that it develops a plan to use public and private partnerships to fund upgrades and repairs to our nation's roads, bridges, and energy and water infrastructure. The platform also needs to support public transportation and bringing our schools and our communications networks into the 21st century. These critical investments will grow our economy by creating and maintaining good jobs, raising wages and rebuilding struggling communities.

"Specifically, the platform needs to include investments in energy efficiency, clean energy, climate resilient infrastructure, a modern power grid, and other measures to mitigate climate disruption. This will produce significant additional benefits throughout the U.S. economy and make the clean energy economy a major new engine for job creation. Reputable economists have concluded that the investments necessary for the U.S. to make its minimum contribution to global emissions reductions will create millions of new jobs.

"The Democratic Party must also fight for fair trade instead of free trade and take a stand against the job-killing TPP. It's time to develop a new framework for international trade that supports the critical objectives of protecting workers, the environment and our shared planet, but we must first stop the TPP, which would spur increased greenhouse gas emissions and give thousands of new foreign-owned corporations broad rights to challenge U.S. protections for workers and the environment."

About the United Steelworkers
The USW (on the web at www.usw.org) represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations.

About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

Contact: Tony Montana, USW

Adam Beitman, Sierra Club