Re: Policy Heads Up: Warren on Debt-Free College & Bernie on Paid Leave

Here is what is happening: (1) Our higher ed proposal - Robby asked where we are. Over the past week, we've been working really closely a great group of higher ed experts and smart policy-political folks including Gene and Neera. Together, we have decided that the Australia model doesn't go far enough because it keeps us doubling down on the student debt model, rather than getting at the heart of bending the cost curve and making college "as debt free as possible." In the next couple of days, we will be spending time meeting with experts and advocates to test out our "College Responsibility Compact" that would set up a compact between states-colleges-parents-colleges, each doing their part to work toward debt free tuition for students who attend public colleges and universities and would give bonuses to those colleges that go further and provide debt free cost of attendance for low-income students. I'm attaching our draft proposal on this piece. We'll have a full memo for all of you and HRC after we get through the next several days of meetings. My plan is that we can use the meeting to listen and test a few ideas without telling folks too much. (2) Paid Leave - Just learned that Bernie's proposal is for 2 weeks of paid vacation - an employer mandate - that he envisions happening on top of "paid sick days and maternity leave." His presser is tomorrow at 11 am so we should learn more. But I'm pretty fascinated that both Bernie and O'Malley haven't fully embraced "paid family and medical leave" - and instead looking at paid sick days/paid vacation and parental leave. For us, we are still looking at the full paid family and medical leave, as well as the possibility of paid family leave (for new parents and caring for sick relatives) along with generous paid sick days proposal. More on all of this soon! On Wed, Jun 10, 2015 at 12:06 PM, John Podesta <john.podesta@gmail.com> wrote: > Heather B talked to Bernie's staffer who is drafting the bill. Heather > told me the staffer didn't know much about paid leave so I think they are > trying to get this in before Saturday's announcement. > > > On Wednesday, June 10, 2015, Amanda Renteria <arenteria@hillaryclinton.com> > wrote: > >> This came up w progressives too. Will do a short summary of the issues >> folks raised, etc. Echoing John this morning, very surprised that we didn't >> get hit on TPA. Very surprised. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jun 10, 2015, at 8:44 AM, Robby Mook <re47@hillaryclinton.com> wrote: >> >> What's our latest thinking on college? Are we thinking Australia, >> grants, or financing or something else? >> >> On Wed, Jun 10, 2015 at 12:57 AM, Ann O'Leary <aoleary@hillaryclinton.com >> > wrote: >> >>> Hi all - >>> >>> I've learned that Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are going to give >>> major speeches this week on two of our priorities. >>> >>> DEBT-FREE COLLEGE - Tomorrow (Wed.), Elizabeth Warren is giving a major >>> address at The Shanker Institute entitled, "The Affordability Crisis: >>> Rescuing the Dream of College for the Working Class and the Poor." It is a >>> pretty comprehensive speech that touches on many of the issues and points >>> that we have been developing (with a harder hitting bent on the Dept of >>> Ed's lack of enforcement of bad actors in the for-profit sector). >>> Interestingly, however, while she says that every student should have a >>> "debt free option" to attend college, her policy proposals to get there are >>> first directed at the states: (1) states should invest more in higher ed; >>> and (2) states should start refinancing student loans. She does say the >>> federal government has a role to partner with states and fix the Pell grant >>> program, but she doesn't really lay out a comprehensive plan of how we are >>> going to get to a "debt free option" for every student. >>> >>> I do, however, think that it will get quite a lot of attention and while >>> we can still say our plan is coming later, the pressure will continue to >>> mount. I'm attaching her full speech as an FYI. Also, as an FYI, I'm >>> headed to DC to do meetings with higher ed groups on Thursday and Friday - >>> and so this may generate some buzz. >>> >>> PAID LEAVE - Bernie's folks have been calling my friends in the paid >>> leave world to let them know that he will be giving a major speech on paid >>> leave and introducing legislation on paid leave on Thursday. No one has >>> leaked it to me yet, but I assume it will be at least as comprehensive as >>> Gillibrand's FAMILY Act. I'll let you know when I learn more. >>> >>> Let me know if you have questions - or if you hear more on these pieces. >>> >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Ann >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Ann O'Leary >>> Senior Policy Advisor >>> Hillary for America >>> Cell: 510-717-5518 >>> >> >> -- Ann O'Leary Senior Policy Advisor Hillary for America Cell: 510-717-5518