Providing for Further Consideration of H.R. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017

Floor Speech

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Mr. ELLISON. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, while millions of Americans are struggling to get by and sustain their families, Republicans are trying to make it easier for employers to steal their wages. Right now we know that there are reports of at least $5 million in stolen wages and penalties from the U.S. contract companies.

Last month, Representative John Kline, my colleague and friend, introduced an amendment to this bill to block the President's Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order at the Department of Defense. This executive order that the President issued helps ensure companies with Federal contracts are following Federal labor laws, like protections against wage theft, workplace safety rules, and the right for workers to organize. It is the result of years of advocacy by workers, labor rights activists, members of the Progressive Caucus, and Members of Congress generally.

This week I introduced an amendment to strike Mr. Kline's language. Let's at least have a debate about it. Let's at least debate whether or not workers should get protection from wage theft. I guess that was one of those amendments that didn't quite make it through the process.

It is no surprise that the Republican-led Committee on Rules didn't give us a vote on our amendment, because they don't want to have to debate this in front of the American people. The American people might like to know that there are companies that are stealing workers' wages but that the President is trying to protect those workers. Now the Republican majority is trying to stop the President from protecting those workers.

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, now, the President's executive order isn't punitive. It actually helps companies to follow the rules.

Debarment is the last resort, and it is the clear nuclear option for companies that refuse to correct their behavior, but Republicans don't like it. Instead of helping companies that are fair to workers, they want to make it easier for companies that steal workers' wages.

Workers aren't the only ones who should be outraged. This amendment actually gives a leg up to contractors who don't play by the rules, putting companies who are doing right at a disadvantage.

Please vote ``no'' on this rule for this and many other reasons.

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