Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007--Continued

Floor Speech

PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE COOPERATION ACT OF 2007--Continued -- (Senate - May 13, 2008)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. SCHUMER. I am going to speak on this for a minute and then on one other issue that I mentioned to the Senator from Massachusetts. But first I thank him for his leadership.

The bottom line is, we have made progress in this country over the last 100 years because workers gather and bargain. Simply because somebody is in a life-threatening position, a position that saves lives--police and fire and emergency medical personnel--does not mean they should be deprived of that right.

The rules might not be exactly the same, and this bill is cognizant of that, but at the same time, for a policeman, a firefighter, to have the right to basically bargain and give his family a life with some decency and some dignity is extremely important. So I thank the leader from the Health, Education and Labor and Pensions Committee for bringing this bill forward. I think it will mark real progress.

I think, again, those who put their lives on the line for us, police and fire, should not be penalized because they are in those professions. The right to bargain is an important one. Many State and local workers have it. It is something I supported my whole career. I am proud to be a supporter of this legislation. I thank the Senator from Massachusetts for his leadership.

(The remarks of Mr. Schumer pertaining to the introduction of S.J. Res. 32 are located in todays Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor.

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