Save American Workers Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague.

Madam Speaker, throughout this debate, Republicans have been claiming that they are champions of working people, but that is not the case here. This is not the Save American Workers Act; it is the Sabotaging American Workers Act.

The Affordable Care Act is based on the premise that the large businesses can afford to offer health coverage to their workers, and they should do the responsible thing and offer coverage. That is only fair.

Ninety-six percent of all businesses don't have to offer any of their workers coverage under the ACA, but for the 4 percent of businesses that have the means, the law says they need to do the right thing by their full-time workers and offer them health coverage.

Republicans don't think businesses owe their employees anything at all. The Family and Medical Leave Act, Republicans say: that is not important. Equal pay for equal work, Republicans say: women don't deserve

that. A fair minimum wage, Republicans say: absolutely not. And quality, affordable health care, Republicans say: Who cares?

Well, I think bigger businesses should do the right thing by their workers, and that is what the ACA asks them to do.

So what does this bill that is before us today actually do? This bill says big businesses could deny health coverage to someone working 39 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. That is not a part-time worker. Their employer should provide them health coverage.

Five times more people work around 40 hours a week than work around 30 hours a week. That is why this bill will throw 1 million Americans off of their employer's health coverage. That is why it would result in millions and millions of workers seeing their hours cut below 40 hours a week.

What is it--why are Republicans claiming people are losing hours right and left because of the ACA? But the Congressional Budget Office told them flatly, ``There is no compelling evidence that part-time labor has increased as a result of the Affordable Care Act.''

But I doubt that means much to my Republican friends because they do not look at the facts. We have added 8.6 million private sector jobs since the law passed, but Republicans simply ignore that. There are fewer part-time workers than there were before the law passed, but that doesn't get in the way of the Republican talking points.

Madam Speaker, 7.1 million people have enrolled through the exchanges. Millions and millions more have signed up through Medicaid or directly with an insurer, but Republicans still claim people don't want health insurance coverage, or they claim the numbers are made up.

The ACA is working. Millions are getting coverage for the first time. We are adding jobs to the economy. Giving big business a green light to drop coverage for their workers is not the way to move this country forward.

Workers have the right to decent health care, and businesses should help them get it. That is the fair thing, that is the right thing, and this bill takes us in the total wrong direction.

So I urge my colleagues, vote ``no.'' This is a very bad bill for America's workers. Don't let the Republicans kid you otherwise.

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