HR 4450 was introduced last week by Rep. Mark Harris and was referred to the House judiciary committee. If you're wondering which fine folks are helping push this, here's one part of the crew.
Corey DeAngelis and the Moms for Liberty crew sending happy greetings from DC.
What effect would the measure have? Well, the NEA is the only union with a federal charter, and it was granted in 1906. They have invoked it pretty much never. The American Federation of Teachers doesn't have one.
So repealing the charter (which has been tried in both the 117th and 188th Congresses) wouldn't really be anything more than a big middle finger to the union.
Not that some folks wouldn't love to see more. The Freedom Foundation, a virulent anti-union outfit, just happened to release a screed the same day the bill was introduced, arguing that Congress should bar the NEA from engaging in electoral politics, lobbying, and collecting dues, as well as forbidding any strikes ever. Also, submit an annual report to Congress, and none of that DEI stuff.
MAGA has been demonizing teachers every which way for years, but Republicans are particularly irked by teachers unions that are a huge source of money and support for the Democratic Party (unlike the GOP, which prefers to get its piles of money from dark money funnels for Very Rich Guys). That and the whole thing where teachers and their unions insist that they are deserving of respect and decent work conditions and some say in how they conduct their professional lives, rather than just being compliant servants who do as they're told by their betters. Also, that whole thing where they stick up for the public education system that MAGA wants to dismantle and privatize.
Teachers unions are just generally in the way of the MAGA agenda, as well as making a convenient enemy to demonize. Expect more of this baloney.
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