Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act

Floor Speech

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, in September 2010, my Republican colleagues issued A Pledge to America, stating that it is time to do away with old agendas. That much is clear.

However, what is also clear is that this pledge is not to the majority of the American people but to corporate America. To make matters worse, Republicans are taking up legislation that will encourage the shipping of jobs overseas and weaken the rights of middle class workers.

Furthermore, my Republican colleagues have fast-tracked what is more appropriately called the ``Job Outsourcers' Bill of Rights'' in the interest of their cronies in corporate America.

Proponents of this bill claim that it will protect jobs by prohibiting the government from interfering with a company's ability to move its operation. However, the law that Republicans are trying to amend to do so, the National Labor Relations Act, does not restrict the location of company operations at all unless the company's location effort is an act to retaliate against workers exercising their right to organize, to demand better benefits, safer working conditions, and ensure a full day's pay for an honest day's work.

This is obviously a response to the case against Boeing, and I find it inappropriate. Change in the law in the middle of trial is irresponsible and dangerous.

The United States Chamber of Commerce wrote a letter in support of this bill. But as noted in the letter, they represent the interests of business. Well, I represent the interests of the American people.

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Mr. PAYNE. I was voted into this position not by Wall Street, not by corporate America, not by those people who reside in high-rise skyscrapers, but by hardworking Americans who want to raise their families the way that we had an opportunity to raise ours rather than ratchet it down to the bottom.

I believe that this bill is foolish, hazardous to the well-being of our Nation's workers, and our economic development.

It is time for the Republicans to abandon this pledge to corporate America. I urge my colleagues to vote against this outsourcing bill.

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