Subject: Policy Heads Up: Warren on Debt-Free College & Bernie on Paid Leave
From: "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]>
To: Jennifer Palmieri <[email-masked]>, Kristina Schake <[email-masked]>, Brian Fallon <[email-masked]>, Robby Mook <[email-masked]>, John Podesta <[email-masked]>, Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>, Marlon Marshall <[email-masked]>, Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>
Cc: Jake Sullivan <[email-masked]>, Maya Harris <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2015 21:57:16 -0700

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