Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, we can raise living standards for working families across this country if we use Federal dollars to create good jobs.

My amendment would reprogram funds to create an office of good jobs within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. This office would help ensure that the House's procurement and contracting decisions encourage the creation of decently paid jobs, support collective bargaining rights, and encourage responsible employment practices. Our amendment does nothing to alter existing procurement, debarment, or contracting processes.

Right now, the U.S. Government is America's leading low-wage job creator, funding over 2 million poverty jobs through contracts, loans, and grants in corporate America. That is more than the total number of low-wage workers employed by Walmart and McDonald's combined.

Mr. Chairman, at this point, the Federal Government is leading the race to the bottom through its processes and its failure to capitalize on the procurement process. U.S. contract workers earn so little that nearly 40 percent use public assistance programs like food stamps and Section 8 to feed their families.

In other words, Mr. Chairman, because these jobs are paid so low that are funded by the Federal contracts, Uncle Sam has to subsidize these people, working people, because they are not getting paid enough by the Federal contractors that employ them.

To add insult to injury, many of these low-wage U.S. contract workers are driven deeper into poverty because their employers steal their wages and break other Federal labor laws. Treating the people who work with us here at the Capitol with dignity and respect is absolutely essential.

It is intended that the appropriation for the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer be used to establish an Office of Good Jobs aimed at ensuring that the Chief Administrative Officer's procurement decisions encourage the creation of decently paid jobs, collective bargaining rights, and responsible employment practices. The office's structure shall be substantially similar to the Centers for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships located within the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of State, Small Business Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Corporation for National and Community Service, and U.S. Agency for International Development.

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman,

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, it is long past time, given this economy that we have, for the Congress of the United States to prioritize good jobs. The fact is that, if we have an agency, an office of good jobs making sure that everyone who we do business with is making sure that workers are paid fairly, that they get every penny that they earn, and that we are making sure that we prioritize good employers over the bad ones, this is exactly what we should be doing. We live in a time of 40 years of wage stagnation, and the Federal Government is deeply implicated in this wage stagnation. The Federal Government, the U.S. Congress should do something about it.

Mr. Chairman, let me tell you about a friend of mine named Vee. Vee has been a catering worker here at the House of Representatives for 27 years. She is 67 years old. She says she has next to nothing for retirement. She jokes that she will be working until half an hour before her funeral. In Vee's own words: We aren't looking for a handout; we are looking for a hand up.

No one who works for decades should be left without a secure retirement. Retirement insecurity isn't the only trouble she and her colleagues face. Some of them don't get healthcare benefits from their employer. Of the 50 catering workers serving Members and visitors to the Hill, only about half have access to year-round health care.

We need to make it clear to current and future contractors that we want them to put taxpayers' dollars in their contracts to use, taking care of Americans who are working for them. This will help raise living standards for all workers.

Let me tell you this, Mr. Chairman, when we see the Federal Government and we see State governments make good jobs the issue, the private sector falls in line. We have seen the Gap, even Walmart, talking about raising issues. Why? Because President Obama signed an executive order to say that anyone who works for a Federal contractor has to get paid at least $10.10 an hour. That kind of leadership is what makes the Federal Government not the leader in the race to the bottom but the leader in the race to the top.

Vote ``yes'' on my amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

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