Hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions - Opening Statement of Sen. Patty Murray, Hearing on Supreme Court Janus Decision

Hearing

"Thank you Senator Whitehouse for organizing this hearing, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today to share your stories on how special interest dark money campaigns are hurting workers, unions, and the economy.

"For more than a century, unions have organized to lift up the voices of workers who were otherwise unheard, and fought for fair pay, safer working conditions, and better benefits.

"Unions helped create the 40-hour workweek, end child labor, and strengthen the middle class. And unions are still empowering workers in cities and states nationwide, including the countless teachers across the country who have been standing up and fighting against the continuing trend of budget cuts that undermine students' education.

"However, as corporate special interests have spent billions of dollars on political campaigns and lawsuits designed to chip away at workers' rights over the past few decades, we've seen a decline in union membership and workers' bargaining power.

"As a result--wages for working families have become stagnant, while the billionaires who fund these campaigns--including the Koch brothers--have gotten richer and richer.

"Now I want to spend a little time on the Supreme Court--and what's at stake here.

"Just last month, the Supreme Court ruled against workers in the Janus case, which will make it harder for teachers and public employees to advocate for better wages, working conditions, and benefits.

"And now President Trump has nominated another anti-worker, anti-union nominee to the Court. Judge Kavanaugh has a long history of ruling in the favor of corporations and big business--at the expense of workers.

"The lives and livelihoods of millions of workers are at stake here, which is why I'm going to keep fighting back against President Trump's attempts to undermine working families.

"That's why I was proud to introduce the Workers' Freedom to Negotiate Act and to cosponsor Senator Hirono's Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act. I'm honored to stand with the teachers, home care workers, and union members across the country, who have made it clear they are going to keep fighting back.

"Now I'd like to hear from our witnesses on the impacts these special interest attacks on unions have on working families, and what we can be doing to build an economy that works for all--not just corporations and the wealthiest few."

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