Labor

As our economy continues to struggle, labor issues are being more important than ever. As such, the 111th Congress, working together with the Obama Administration, has made great strides for the American working family.

There are certain rights that all working Americans deserve: fair wages, right to unionize, a work place free from discrimination, and affordable health care for all. America’s labor unions have always fought for these values, and continue to protect working families today.

In the past year, we in Congress have made significant advancements in each of these areas. I am a firm believer that when you support the rights of workers, you support stronger communities, stronger families and a stronger nation. As long as I am in office, I will continue to fight to ensure that workers everywhere are protected and treated equally to the fullest extent of the law. Below are some of the efforts I have championed in the 111th Congress.

Fighting High Unemployment – I am proud to say that I was the only Inland Empire Area Representative to vote in favor of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This bill, signed into law by President Obama in February, 2009, has allowed thousands of Americans to keep their jobs. As of the end of October, the Recovery Act has created or saved over 640,000 American jobs. Specifically, the Recovery Act has authorized:

• $64 billion for state and local governments to prevent the layoffs of teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other state employees
• $2.5 billion given to California for highway construction
• $400 Making Work Pay tax credit for over 12 million Californians
• $48.8 million in funding for municipal bonds to California’s 43rd Congressional District

I was also the only Inland Empire Representative to vote in favor of the Jobs for Main Street Act, which passed the House in December. This measure will create and save jobs with targeted investments for highways and transit, school renovation, small businesses, police and firefighters, and hiring teachers. These will be fully funded by redirecting TARP funds that were used to stabilize our nation’s economy. The bill will also provide emergency relief for Americans suffering from the recession by increasing unemployment benefits, strengthening COBRA provisions, and extending the child tax credit to all low-income working families with children.

I am also a part of the recently-formed Jobs NOW! Caucus. This bipartisan caucus affords Members of Congress a platform on which to share ideas on how effective job policies can be formulated in a quick and efficient manner. While our economy has begun to show the first signs of recovery from this recession, we all know that the crisis is not over until Main Street is repaired. I am confident that through the work of this caucus, Congress will be able to come up with common-sense solutions that will allow for business growth and job stimulation.

Providing Affordable Health Care for All Americans – In November, the House of Representatives passed one of the most comprehensive bills on healthcare reform since Medicare was enacted in the 1960s. Rising insurance premiums and limits on pre-existing conditions have shut millions of Americans out of obtaining health care coverage. Moreover, because of a ‘donut hole’ in insurance coverage, elderly individuals often cannot afford medication that they desperately need. A country as great as this one should not have a healthcare system that leaves out so many.

If passed, I believe H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, will be a giant step forward in our work to provide quality, affordable health care for all Americans. The bill ends denial of coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Moreover it provides for a strong and robust public option that will be able to compete with the private insurance companies. Not only will this public option be available for all Americans to purchase, this competition will result in lower premiums for all Americans. The bill could also work to reduce our nation’s deficit, and could help to slow down the out-of-control growth of health care spending.

H.R. 3962 also contains other long-overdue reforms to the health insurance industry, including:

• An extension of COBRA benefits for workers who lose or change jobs
• Provisions to prevent price gauging on insurance premiums
• Yearly caps on out-of-pocket medical expenditures
• Ending co-pays for routine checkups and preventative care; and
• Provisions to allow children to stay on their parents’ health plan until they reach 27

Promoting Equal Pay – One of the first achievements this Congress was able to accomplish was the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, of which I was proud to be an original cosponsor of and vote for final passage. This legislation restores critical protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers. On January 29, 2009 President Obama signed this bill into law.

The legislation rectifies a 2007 Supreme Court decision that overturned longstanding precedent and made it very difficult for workers to pursue discrimination claims. It sets forth a standard, preventing a court from dismissing a claim for not being timely as long as the claim is filed within 180 days of a discriminatory pay-check.

Ensuring Workers have the Right to Unionize – I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 1409, The Employee Free Choice Act. This bill would give workers everywhere the freedom to choose a union and level the playing field between employers and employees. The passage of EFCA will restore fairness and spread the promise of the American Dream by strengthening and empowering the middle class, spurring economic growth, and expanding prosperity.

Legislation Introduced:

• H.R. 4357, the Federal Bailout for American Individuals and Families in Distress Today and Tomorrow. This bill requires the President to use the amounts repaid from the TARP program to assist displaced, low-wage workers. Specifically, the bill will provide for grants funding adult employment and training activities, migrant and seasonal farm-worker programs, and assistance to workers whose jobs have been shipped overseas. The bill will also require further funding be authorized for the Emergency Contingency Fund for State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs.

During this time of economic hardship, there is a moral imperative to assist struggling American individuals and families. This significant measure will lend a helping hand to struggling Americans and can help to provide more unemployed workers with the skills necessary to find work in our changing economy.

• H.R. 635, the National Commission on State Workman's Compensation Laws. This bill would create would create a national commission to review all of the states' workers compensation laws. This is something that hasn't been done since 1972, almost 40 years. Our country is far too advanced for laborers to be denied relief for legitimate workers compensation claims. The commission would review laws and policies and make recommendations on what areas can be improved.
• H.R. 3048, the Worker Eligibility Fairness Act of 2009. This legislation will ensure that workers who are on strike will have access to federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (the federal food stamp program). The bill works to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to remove the food stamp ineligibility of individuals who participate in a strike. This bill continues the progress made during the 2008 farm bill, which included in additional funding for federal nutritional programs, including increasing SNAP benefit levels and indexing them to match rising inflation costs.
• H.R. 4163 – The Feed All Struggling Americans Act of 2009. - This legislation would exempt unemployment insurance benefits from the income asset test that determines SNAP eligibility for those individuals who have been out of work for 26 weeks. This bill will significantly increase the number of struggling households that will be eligible to receive SNAP benefits during this tough economy. Increasing the number of SNAP beneficiaries encourages consumer spending and makes sound economic sense. Every dollar increase in food stamps is likely to be spent quickly and locally. Moreover, according to Mark Zandi of Economy.com, every dollar increase will help to boost the GDP by $1.73, leading to greater job growth.

Other Legislative Activities

• Voted in favor of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill. This bill was yet another step to help the economy in its recovery and lay a framework for a competitive future. Specifically, this bill increases funding for the Department of Labor, reinvigorating their ability to protect workers' benefits, wages, and safety and health conditions.
• Cosponsored H.R. 3012, the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment (TRADE) Act. This bill would mandate trade pact reviews, establish standards, protect workers, and help restore congressional oversight. This bill, if passed, would help revamp U.S. trade policy, ensuring more accountability and oversight.
• Cosponsored H.R. 3042, the FOREWARN Act. This legislation would improve and strengthen the law mandating employers to notify workers and communities of mass layoffs or plant closings. This bill would modernize the WARN Act, passed in 1988, to fit today's economy. Moreover, this bill would strengthen enforcement and close existing loopholes present in the WARN Act.
• Cosponsored H.R. 413, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. This legislation extends to firefighters and police officers the right to discuss workplace issues such as health and safety concerns. This bill extends the right to bargain collectively to those public safety employees who do not currently possess this right. The bill does not permit workers to strike or call for mandatory binding arbitration.