Supporting the Mission and Goals of Workers Memorial Day
Floor Speech
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Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Representative Johnson from Texas for introducing this resolution, and I am pleased to join with her and with Representative Platts in supporting its passage. I rise in support of the mission and goals of Workers Memorial Day.
Workers Memorial Day allows us to honor and remember the many workers who have been injured or even killed in the workplace. Unfortunately, while the United States loses about 5,500 workers each year, more than 2 million people die worldwide from workplace-related accidents and disease.
According to the National Safety Council and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job fatality rate has been cut by 78 percent since 1970. While direct comparisons of injury data for 2006 and years prior to 2003 are not possible due to a change in classification systems, in general, declines in workplace fatalities and injuries have been much greater in those industries where the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has targeted its standards and enforcement activities.
So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which encourages OSHA industries, employers and employees, to support activities that increase awareness of the importance of preventing illness, injury and death in the workplace.
I would also like to thank all those who took the time on Monday to remember those Americans who were injured, or those who have lost their lives due to a workplace accident.
And so, again, Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Johnson from Texas for introducing this timely and important resolution.
I also thank Mr. Platts, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, for his support. But I also thank him for the opportunity to work with him this afternoon. It's been a pleasure, as it always is. He is one of the most pleasant Members of this House, and it's always a pleasure to interact and work with him.
I yield back the balance of my time.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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