Protect America's Workforce Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BRESNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today not just in support of H.R. 2550, but in support of the right to collectively bargain. This is not a policy idea. It is a lifeline that ensures fair wages, safe workplaces, and the basic dignity that every worker deserves.

Unions like AFGE, Laborers, and IBEW stand on the front lines defending the American Federal workforce.

AFGE represents Federal workers and, in my district, there are 10,000 of them. These men and women care for veterans, help seniors receive timely Social Security payments, and serve as correctional officers at Canaan prison, just to name a few.

When their collective bargaining rights are stripped, they are left without the stability, fairness, and respect they deserve.

Likewise, the Laborers Union, who built and maintained the infrastructure this country runs on; and the IBEW, who work in dangerous conditions at military bases and power plants, depend on these rights to ensure proper training and enforce a safety protocol that prevents accidents and saves lives.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to help bring the Protect America's Workforce Act to the floor today, and I look forward to its passage.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source