National Nurses United today welcomed President Obama’s call to reduce income inequality in the U.S. through new taxes on financial institutions and the wealthiest Americans as a “fresh start,” but called on the White House and Congress to go farther and adopt a robust tax on Wall Street speculation to raise the “real revenue needed to repair the U.S. economy and meet the human needs still neglected by the Wall Street-created economic crash.

With President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union speech Tuesday night expected to include calls for higher taxes on capital gains and closure of assorted tax breaks for the 1 percent – on the heels of the recent proposal by Representative Chris Van Hollen, the second top ranked Democrat in the House, for revenue enhancements including a version of a tax on Wall Street – it’s clear the campaign for tax justice is making traction in Washington.

With a settlement that is likely to elevate RN standards across the nation, California Nurses Association/National Nurses announced a major tentative contract agreement for 18,000 California RNs who work at Kaiser Permanente hospitals and clinics. The deal will give the RNs a stronger voice on patient care, and breakthrough improvements in workplace protections.

National Nurses United supports the White House's new community college initiative – a move that would open doors for a new generation of registered nurses.