Protect America's Workforce Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank, of course, the distinguished gentleman from the great State of California, Representative Garcia, for his leadership, and, of course, I thank Representative Golden for his leadership in pushing this legislation forward.

I rise today in strong support of the Protect America's Workforce Act, legislation that will restore the collective bargaining rights of more than a million hardworking Federal employees, patriotic public servants who have been targeted viciously by the Trump administration from the very beginning of his time in office unnecessarily and in ways that undermine some of the core promises, Mr. Speaker, that Donald Trump made to the American people last year.

Donald Trump and Republicans promised that they would focus on lowering costs on day one. Costs have not gone down in the United States of America. Costs have gone up. Inflation is on the way up. Housing costs are out of control. Childcare costs are out of control. Electricity bills are out of control. Grocery costs are out of control. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing out of control because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

Instead of Donald Trump and Republicans, Mr. Speaker, keeping their core promise to the American people to make their life better, they have been focusing on a variety of other things that relate simply to jamming their extreme rightwing ideology down the throats of the American people, including by targeting organized labor, hardworking men and women, including those who are part of the Federal workforce.

What is it that Federal employees do each and every day to make sure that they are providing services to the American people? The list is too numerous to mention, but we know that hardworking Federal employees, our public servants, each and every day are working hard to make sure that hard-earned Social Security benefits are delivered to the American people, that Medicare benefits are delivered to the American people, that the food we eat is disease-free, that we can enjoy our national parks all across the country, and that aviation safety and the ability to get from your point of departure to your point of destination, flying in airplanes in order to see your loved ones, is safe.

Of course, our hardworking Federal employees are working hard to make sure that veterans receive their earned benefits. Instead of being targeted by Donald Trump and Republicans, these people should be supported for the work that they do on behalf of the American people.

We also know that when it comes to improving the quality of life of everyday Americans, there is a lot of repair work that must occur to restore the American Dream that is disappearing from folks all across this country.

The American people know that the Trump administration and Republican policies have been a disaster.

In this great country, as Democrats, we believe that when you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to live an affordable life, a comfortable life, and live the good life.

What exactly does that mean: good-paying job; good housing; good healthcare; good education for your children; and at the end of the day, a good retirement. That is the good life. That is the American Dream.

For far too many people, it is out of reach, but we know that perhaps no force has been more proactive in delivering access to that American Dream than the men and women of organized labor, decade after decade after decade.

Why would Donald Trump and Republicans focus, Mr. Speaker, on targeting hardworking public employees, targeting unions, and targeting the men and women of organized labor?

Is it because my Republican colleagues are too consumed with enacting massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors, which is what the one big, ugly bill was all about, but have zero interest in lifting up the quality of life of hardworking American taxpayers, including, but not limited to, the men and women of our Federal workforce?

It was my understanding, Mr. Speaker, that my Republican colleagues believe in freedom. Well, collective bargaining, essentially, is the freedom to negotiate the best possible work environment to allow these public employees to continue to deliver services that are effective and efficient for the American people.

Yet, instead of focusing on driving down the high cost of living in America, which is out of control--yes, there is an affordability crisis in the United States of America, notwithstanding the fact, Mr. Speaker, that Donald Trump apparently believes it is a hoax. The American people know it is not a hoax.

Instead of focusing on trying to find commonsense solutions to make life better for the American people, Donald Trump and my Republican colleagues continue to just jam their extreme ideology down the throats of the American people while working overtime to benefit their billionaire donors.

That is why I am thankful for this bipartisan effort to restore collective bargaining rights for more than 1 million public servants who are part of the Federal Government, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Do the right thing by the Federal workforce. Do the right thing by the men and women of organized labor and do the right thing when it comes to ensuring that everyone has a path to experiencing the American Dream.

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