37th Annual LEAP Conference

2005 Legislative Report

Delegates in attendance from Washington State & Alaska:

James McPherson - 502 LEAP Committee Member - Alaska

Richard T. Jones - 502 LEAP Chairman - Washington

Chuck Hughes - Business Manager 104 - Washington

Dean Calhoun - LEAP Chairman 104 - Washington

Kevin Cavanagh - Business Manager Navy Yard 290 - Washington

John Kosinski - Chief Steward Navy Yard 290 - Washington

LEAP Conference Appointment Schedule.

12:15 pm - Sen., Patty Murray 173 Russell Senate Office Building

2:00 pm - Rep, Rick Larson - 20 min meeting 107 Cannon Building

3:00 pm - Rep, Cathy McMurris 1708 Long worth Building

10:15 am - Rep, Jay Inslee, 403 Cannon Building

11:00 am - Rep, Brian Baird, 1421 Long worth Building

12:00 pm - Rep, Don Young, 2111 Rayburn Building ( Alaska )

1:00 pm - Rep, Dave Reichert, 1223 Long worth Building

8:30 am - Sen., Maria Cantwell - Constituent Coffee 717 Hart Senate Office

10:00 am - Rep, Adam Smith, 227 Cannon Office Building

11:30 am - Sen., Lisa Murkoskie, 709 Hart Senate Office Building (Alaska)

12:00 pm - Rep, Norman Dicks 2476 Rayburn House Office Building

1:00 pm - Rep, Jim McDermott Labor Rep, Jamie White, 1035 Long worth Building

March 15, 2005 Meetings Report

All Delegates Attended these meetings.

12:15 pm Senator Patty Murray And William Kamela Staff Director.  We had a brief meeting with the Senator lending our support and thanks for all the hard work she has put in for labor related issues and working families of Washington State.  She is very much agents the Social Security reform President Bush has been proposing, and will continue to work towards finding better more realistic approaches to save Social Security.  After our brief meeting with her we met with William Kamela regarding shipyard issues affecting 290 and 104.  The reduction in Navel fleets and NSPS.  The Asbestos bill was discussed and we were reaffirmed of the Senators continued support on getting victims and their families appropriate compensation.  Over all a very good meeting with the Senator and William Kamela.

2:00 pm Congressman Rick Larson District 2:  We had a good meeting with the congressman in regards to the shipbuilding issues and NSPS.  The congressman has been a good supporter of labor and working families for his district and the state a hole.  He was concerned of the issues recently come to light with the shortage of man power for the ship yards due to so many battle groups arriving for maintenance and the inability of the locals to provide the man power needed to do the work.  Due to the extreme low amount of work over the last two years man power has dropped and skilled workers have move on to other trades due to lack of work.  The sudden influx of Navel ships arriving for repair has put the locals in a bund not being able to provide another 200 skilled workers.  We reviewed the Energy bill and our opposition to deregulation of power and also covers Social Security.  The Congressman was very happy to see us and continues to be a strong supporter for labor and working families.  

3:00 pm George Poulios Legislative Assistant to Congresswoman Cathy McMurris District 5: The Congresswoman was unable to meet with us because she was on the house floor for a vote.  We had a good meeting with Mr. Poulios in the hall way were we talked about all the issues.  We were able to establish a good repose with him and offered our support to the Congresswoman on key issues affecting labor and the working families of Washington State.  He was farley new to the hill and was not as familiar with all the issues but was eager to work with the Boilermakers on all the issues.  Our feelings as we left our meeting was that we might be able to cultivate some kind of positive relationship with the Congresswoman and her staff to help her see our views and have the considered. It was a productive meeting in the since we were able to have a positive meeting and start building a relationship with her and her staff.

March 16, 2005 Meetings Report

All but one Delegate Attended these meetings: 

10:15 am Congressman Jay Inslee District 1:  A very brief meeting with the Congressman as we walked with him to a meeting he had in the Rayburn Building.  Briefly covered the shipyard issues and Social Security.  The Congressman was very interested in what is taking place with the yards and his take on President Bush's proposed Social Security reforms was less than favorable.  Feeling more time needed to be taken before making any rash un-thought out action. Although the meeting was fast paced and short it was good and we thanked the Congressman for his support and offered ours any way we could to help him on the hill and back home.

11:00 am Congressman Brian Baird Legislative Assistant Katie Stevens District 3 :  The Congressman was unable to meet with us as he was on the floor of the house debating the 2006 proposed budget.  We had a very good meeting with Kate and was able to cover all the issues with her.  The Congressman is very concerned about the Social Security reform President Bush is proposing and will be fighting to mot let it happen.  On issues regarding Energy he has been our best advocate in getting clean air bills passed that has benefited Washington and its skilled workforce. We afford our support and relayed our congratulations on his two new additions to his family.  This was a good meeting.

12:00 pm Alaska Congressman Don Young Representative at Large Senior Legislative Assistant Pamela Day:  The Congressman was unable to meet with James as he was called to the floor for a vote and they had lost our appointment.  Although we all attended the meeting we let James Do most of the talking as we met in the hallway.  Pamela told us that the Congressman is not ready to move on the Presidents proposed Social Security reforms.  She conveyed to us that he would like more time and a committee to be made to look at a brooder range of ways to make Social Security more stable.  Pamela seamed to know the issues pretty well and from the sounds of things since the Congressman comes from a labor background he will not all together abandon labor interests.

1:00 pm Congressman Dave Reichert Legislative Assistant Kim Trinh District 8:  This was a good meeting in the since we were able to get to know the Congressman's views on the key issues like Social Security.  He like all the other we have met with so far feels that the cart is being put before the hours so to speak.  He feels a more in-depth look needs to be taken to more realistic reforms and is not ready to make any rash decisions.  Being relatively new to big politics we felt as a delegation that it would be a good idea to form a friendship with the congressman's office to help promote positive relations on labor issues.  With Congressman being a Union member himself we felt we have a good chance to see him become a good labor supporter.

March 17, 2005 Meeting Report

Delegates split for one meeting, all were in attendance.

8:30 am constituent coffee with Senator Maria Cantwell:  There was several different groups at the meeting but the Boilermakers stole the show.  The delegates from the ship yards took the floor on the issues regarding NSPS and the budget cuts for the Navy ship building in 2006.  Senator Cantwell told her staff to schedule a visit to the federal yards and was concerned about the aging man power and our ability to replace them as they retire.  The Senator has a 100% pro-labor voting record and has been a very good advocate for issues affecting Boilermakers.  This was a very good meeting.

10:00 am Meeting with Andrea Tull Legislative Assistant for Congressman Adam Smith:  We had a good meeting out in the hall.  Due to the busy schedule of the Congressman was in the house on budget issues.  We covered all the issues with Andrea as we knew the Congressman was very much for the issues affecting the Boilermakers and working families in Washington State.  Over all the concerns regarding the problems with the man power at the shipyards and there will be more looked into by the Congressman.

11:30 am Meeting with Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and her Legislative Assistant Nathan Butzlaff:  We had a brief meeting with the Senator in the office lobby.  She was very pleasant to meet with as James went briefly over the issues with her prior to her going to a press conference.  As we spoke to Nathan he set and listened to all James had to say with little interjection.  He made indication that the Senator wont be making any rash decisions on Social Security or on CAFTA.  It was a productive meeting with the Senator more then anything.

12:00 pm Meeting with Congressman Norman Dicks:  Over all It was reported to me that the meeting was fast as the Legislative Assistant took the group down to were the Congressman was.  The Congressman excused himself from his meeting briefly top meet with the Boilermaker Delegates.  He was not supportive of our objections of CAFTA.  Delegates said that he was a bit on the ruff side but did take the time during a meeting to meet with them.  After  the Congressman excused himself they met for a bit in the hall way with the aid and more in-depth covered the issues.

1:00 pm Meeting with Senior Legislative Assistant Jayme White for Congressman Jim McDermott:  We had a good short meeting with Jayme.  The Congressman has a 100% voting record on Boilermaker issues and for working families in Washington State.  The Congressman stopped briefly as he rushed out to vote.  Jayme assured us of the Congressman continued support issues be are backing and will spend some time looking into the Asbestos issues.  He was also concerned about the issues in the ship yards. The congressman will not be supporting any rash legislation for Social Security of for CAFTA.  Over all it was a good meeting.

Conclusions

Over all Conclusions to the meeting with the Senators and Congressman:  It was the general consensus of the group that the meeting were all productive.  Although we may have some small disagreements with some Congressman we feel given the voting history of all the Senators and Congressman we met with is outstanding and feel that for the most part our interests are being considered and acted upon by all.  There is no such thing as a perfect politician but if it was possible to come close then I would have to say as a whole we have as close as you may be able to get.  I felt that we were listened to and that all of the meetings were productive.  Now it is up to us as members of the union back home to continue to work with the local legislative offices in campaigns and getting them feed back for issues on the hill and as a union if we need help in other areas.  As I have said before the more noise we make the more we will be listened to.  We cant afford to stay quiet any longer, it is costing us to much.  

Representative Voting Records for 108th Congress Second session:

Alaska 

Ted Stevens (R)          0%

Lisa Murkowski (R)     50%

Don Young (R)             0%

Washington

Patty Murray (D)          83%

Maria Cantwell (D)      67%

Jay Inslee (D)               100%

Rick Larson (D)           100%

Brian Baird (D)            100%

Doc Hastings (R)         0%

Norman Dicks (D)       100%

Jim McDermott (D)      100%

Adam Smith (D)           100%