Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, a piece of legislation of which I am a proud co-sponsor. Importantly, this bill protects workers' rights to unionize, holds employers accountable for violating workers' rights, and ensures unions can have free, fair, and safe elections. By empowering workers to exercise their rights to organize, workers will be given the power to override ``right-to-work'' laws that prevent unions from collecting dues from the workers they represent.

It is significant to me that this body is coming together to pass this legislation on the same day as Mr. Joseph ``Joe'' Girolamo's 100th birthday. Mr. Girolamo of Livonia, Michigan is a veteran of World War II and the son of Italians, family he had a chance to visit while serving overseas. In a recent interview with Hometown Life, Mr. Girolamo shared that after returning home he moved to Livonia with his late wife Lillian. They met playing music and settled down in 1953. Mr. Girolamo worked at the River Rouge complex in Dearborn. He witnessed workers being treated unfairly and became a union man, and spent years advocating for workers' rights. His daughter Joyce Hermann shared with Hometown Life, ``So, there were actually thugs and goons running the place. It was a difficult situation until the union came in. He made sure everything was done by the book and his workers weren't doing anything unsafe. It was a really big change back then.''

Earlier today as I wished Mr. Girolamo by phone a Happy Birthday and thanked him for his work with the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, I got to listen to him play his harmonica and proudly informed him that today we were passing the PRO Act. He informed me he was smiling over the phone and glad to hear it.

When I think about the legacy and shoulders of giants we stand on in the Congress, it's incredible patriots like Joe, who represent the best of America and Michigan. I am proud and grateful we were able to take another productive step in the direction of the working men and woman in this country and all they are counting on to earn a decent living and save for retirement.

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