Employee Free Choice Act

Floor Speech

EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT -- (House of Representatives - March 01, 2007)

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Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this modified closed rule and to the Democrat leadership bringing legislation to the floor of this House which will provide for an unprecedented intimidation of employees by union bosses under a fundamentally anti-democratic process known as ``Card Check.''

Today, the Democrat leadership has scheduled a vote on the most dramatic change to our Nation's labor laws since the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which identified and disallowed the most egregious union practices of its day. And every single Member of this body will have an opportunity to answer very plainly and clearly whether they think our economy should be nimble and adaptive to compete with countries that present tomorrow's challenges, or mirror the politics of Europe which will continue to keep our former competitors on the continent from realizing the jobs and the economic growth of the United States. We do not believe the policies of Europe are the way to go.

This legislation will give every single American voter a chance to see whether their Member of Congress supports the private ballots, a right which is given to every single American voter for obvious reasons, or if they support government protection and special treatment for labor unions by silencing one side over the debate of unionism.

Of course, as we watch what is going on today across America, everyone will be tuning in to C-SPAN to watch this debate to see how we are going to answer a number of statements from the majority about how this legislation will provide fairness and will improve conditions for American workers.

What they will not hear from the other side of the aisle is an explanation about why 16 Democrat cosponsors of this legislation previously signed a letter to the Mexican government imploring it to use the secret ballot in all union recognition elections because it would ensure that workers would not be intimidated into voting for a union that they would not have otherwise had.

Madam Speaker, I could argue this sentiment even more. I would like to insert a copy of this letter into the Congressional Record, and I doubt that that body will get an explanation from these signatories why they believe it is a matter of fairness that Mexican workers deserve protection from coercion, while American workers do not. We will find out. Perhaps they will take an opportunity to enlighten us later today.

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