Andy Levin

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), a true champion of workers in this country for decades in this House, the longest serving woman in the history of the House of Representatives, and my good friend.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), Rich Trumka's great partner in the House of Representatives.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), another person like Marcy Kaptur and me who represents a district full of gritty, working-class factories and neighborhoods that Rich championed so fiercely.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader of the House of Representatives.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), the better half of the Levin caucus, my brother.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), another great colleague who knew Richard Trumka.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I want to end, in the spirit of Rich Trumka, by thanking my legislative assistant, Meseret Araya, for doing an amazing job of organizing this Special Order and thanking all the staff who work the floor of the House of Representatives for doing such an amazing job of keeping this place running. Madam Speaker, I want to say to Barbara and the whole Trumka family that we are so grateful to you for sharing this person with us, with the mine workers union and with all the unions of the AFL-CIO, and with all the workers of America and of this world. Rich, we love you. You will be in our hearts forever. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ferndale Public Schools Superintendent Dania Bazzi, named by the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators as Michigan's 2022 Superintendent of the Year. Since joining Ferndale Public Schools in 2017, and especially during the unprecedented 2020-2021 school year, Dr. Bazzi has demonstrated exemplary dedication to students, educators and the Ferndale community at large. Under her direction, Ferndale Public Schools has received awards for equity, innovation, and leadership. Dr. Bazzi is known for placing students and education professionals at the center of every decision, and for taking a systematic approach to uplift the needs of all students. She is making a remarkable impact on the Ferndale Schools community and is a major asset to public education in Michigan. It is gratifying to know that the hard-working and diverse Ferndale Schools community--all 3,000 students and the talented and caring education professionals who help them to ``Fly High''--are in the very capable hands of Dr. Dania Bazzi. I am truly proud to have the honor of recognizing Dr. Bazzi for being named Michigan's 2022 Superintendent of the Year, and I invite my colleagues to join me in congratulating her and the entire Ferndale Public Schools community for this impressive achievement.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Barbara Ziarko who has been selected as the Michigan Municipal League's 2021-2022 Vice President. Barbara has been a Sterling Heights resident for forty-two years and has given much of her time and talent to the community, including serving as a member of the Sterling Heights City Council for twenty years. She was a Macomb Foundation Athena Award nominee, which helps to demonstrate her exemplary leadership and community service. Throughout the years, Barbara has been deeply involved with numerous community organizations, including serving as co-coordinator for the Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team at St. Blase Catholic Community, as a committee member of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event in Sterling Heights for five years, as a member of the Regina High School Board of Directors for seven years, and as a member of the American Polish Century Club Ladies Auxiliary. In her new role with the Michigan Municipal League, Barbara has pledged to work on the organization's ongoing community wealth building and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. I have no doubt that the remarkable leadership she has displayed in Sterling Heights will benefit the entire State of Michigan. I am truly proud to have the honor of recognizing Barbara Ziarko as she takes on this important role for the Michigan Municipal League in 2021-22. I invite my colleagues to join me in offering her, and the Michigan Municipal League, very best wishes for a successful year ahead.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Grace Episcopal Church, which is celebrating its 150th year of service to the community of Mount Clemens, Michigan. In 1849, Michigan's first Episcopal Bishop, the Right Reverend Samuel McCoskry, ordained Reverend Edward Magee in Mount Clemens. At the time, in the absence of a permanent house of worship, a small group of Episcopalians began meeting for services in the Macomb County Courthouse. In 1867, the early congregation obtained land for a church building, which was completed in 1871. Since 1895, the parish has honorably served the Mount Clemens community with outreach programs. Today, Grace Episcopal maintains a Women's Prison Ministry, Sunday Soup Kitchen, and Wednesday Community Supper. The church also offers shelter to residents in need through partnerships with the Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team and the Macomb County Warming Center. Grace Episcopal Church exemplifies ``Beloved Community'' by welcoming and assisting people of all backgrounds. The church website proudly states: ``Among us are folks of great heart including the walking wounded of every sort: those suffering addiction and homelessness, restless children, honored elders, surly teens, seekers, gays and lesbians, good Christians, hopeless sinners, dyed-in-the-wool traditionalists, & more.'' I am proud to have the honor of recognizing Grace Episcopal Church today and to mark this sesquicentennial event for the congregation. I encourage my colleagues to join me in offering congratulations to the entire Grace Episcopal community as they celebrate one-hundred-and- fifty years of ministry and service in Mount Clemens.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize First United Methodist Church, which is celebrating its 200th year of ministry in Mount Clemens, Michigan. In 1821, the church opened its doors to the community, then known as ``Mount Clemens Methodist Episcopal Church.'' Throughout its two hundred years, the church has built its reputation as a beloved community institution in Mount Clemens. Today, First United Methodist describes itself as ``a welcoming, accepting, caring, and diverse Christian community.'' The church celebrates this milestone year under the remarkable leadership of Reverend Dan Hart, Senior Pastor, and Reverend Alicea Williams, Deacon. Reverend Hart and Reverend Williams excel not only in leading engaging worship services, but also in building community programs, directing church outreach and caring for their beautiful congregation. I encourage my colleagues to join me in offering congratulations to the entire First United Methodist Church community as they celebrate two hundred years of ministry and service in Mount Clemens.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, this October, I am proud to celebrate Filipino American History Month, which acknowledges the vast contributions of Filipino Americans to our communities in Michigan and across the country. I am thrilled to join the residents of Macomb and Oakland Counties in highlighting the vibrancy of this community and celebrate Filipino Americans. For generations, Filipino Americans in Michigan have influenced the culture and history of our state--engaging deeply in public institutions, our local economies and statewide cultural events. I am grateful for their emphasis on service and selfless commitment to their neighbors. Further, Filipino Americans have gifted Southeast Michigan with a rich culture and history that enhances the fabrics of our communities. I also recognize the vital contributions of the Filipino Americans in building spaces free of discrimination, prejudice and ignorance. Additionally, I am honored to present the United States Pinoys 4 Good Governance (USP4GG) Michigan with special recognition for their efforts throughout the state. USP4GG has been instrumental in promoting Filipino culture and tradition in Michigan, helping all of us develop a better understanding of their history. Madam Speaker, I urge Michiganders to follow the many ways USP4GG and our other Filipino neighbors are helping us celebrate the Filipino American History Month this year.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus and avid supporter of my district's vibrant Ukrainian-American community, with whom I join in proudly celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. Always, but on this day especially, it is vitally important that the United States maintains its robust support for Ukraine's security, territorial integrity, and democratic future. I will continue to advocate for this support in Congress as I did earlier this year when I partnered with the bipartisan chairs of the Ukraine Caucus to urge appropriators to allocate robust funding for Ukraine as they crafted our annual spending bill. This necessary funding will help support Ukraine's democratic progress, counter Russian aggression, fight corruption and more. I will continue to work closely with my Ukrainian- American neighbors in Michigan's Ninth District to tackle these issues and others impacting Ukraine as both a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and as their representative in Washington. It is truly an honor to celebrate this milestone in Ukraine's history with my Ukrainian- American constituents. I encourage my colleagues to join me in wishing Ukrainian-Americans in Michigan's Ninth District and throughout the United States, as well as our friends in Ukraine, a joyous Independence Day.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, throughout my adult life, wherever I went in Michigan, from Copper Harbor to Monroe, I would run into people who would say. `I don't always agree with Senator Levin, but I support him anyway because he is so genuine. he tells it straight and he follows through.' Carl Levin personified integrity and the notion of putting the public good above self-interest. As he walked about the Capitol in a rumpled suit, almost always with a plain white shirt and pedestrian tie, carrying bulging files with the occasional paper flying away, Carl was the very picture of sober purpose and rectitude. In truth, he wasn't unfun. In fact, he often pierced tense situations with self-deprecating humor, and he privately shared incisive observations about others with staff and colleagues. But Carl was all about the work, and the great honor the people of Michigan had bestowed upon him with their votes and their trust. He did not seek to divine their views to be popular, but rather to study the issues and advance the people's interest to the best of his ability. Uncle Carl met with more presidents, kings, queens and other important people than all but a few of us ever will. But he treated them all the same as he did a Detroit autoworker or a beet farmer in Michigan's Thumb--with a full measure of dignity but no airs, ever ready to puncture self-importance, posturing, mendacity and avarice. He was so well-prepared for every meeting, hearing, and conference that he challenged conventional boundaries between Senator and staff. He was one of the most challenging Senators to work for and one of the most rewarding. Challenging, because you had better know your business in detail, since he surely did. Rewarding, because he had authentic relationships with staff, treated them with deep respect, and was loyal to them. Uncle Carl was above all a family man. No matter the pressing business he faced as a Senator, he always centered Aunt Barbara, my cousins Kate, Laura and Erica and their families, devoted time to them and so obviously cherished them. And the way he loved and treated his family radiated out and served as a model for how he treated colleagues, staff, constituents, soldiers and the world. From my earliest memory to this moment, perhaps above all, he has defined with my dad how close two brothers, two siblings, two people can be. In the end, these two Jewish boys from Detroit, these grandsons of immigrants each served 36 years in Congress, 32 of them together, becoming by far the longest co-serving siblings in the 232-year history of this place. As heartbroken as we are in this moment, I feel so grateful to have experienced this love and legacy.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Eastpointe Fire and Rescue Department, which is celebrating its 100th year of service to the community of Eastpointe. This Fire Department started from humble beginnings in 1921, when Eastpointe was known as the Village of Halfway. Local firemen used hand-pulled hose carts, a model T truck and pure grit to protect their small community. Over the decades, the Fire Department adapted to meet the needs of the city's growing population. Firefighters banded together in 1946 to raise funds for the city's first ambulance, and in 1956, the city built the fire station, which continues to serve citizens of Eastpointe today. In recent decades the Fire and Rescue Department has made huge advances in prehospital care. Today, Eastpointe Fire and Rescue operates two advanced life support fire engines that bring state-of-the-art emergency medical services straight to the scene. But one cannot recognize the Eastpointe Fire and Rescue Department without acknowledging the brave individuals who work every day to keep residents safe. Twenty-some paramedics and fire staff stand at the ready to serve the community of Eastpointe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I am exceptionally proud to have the honor of recognizing them today and to mark this important centennial for the city of Eastpointe. Congratulations on one hundred years of service.''

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Slotkin for yielding and for organizing this Special Order in honor of our dear friend, Paul Mitchell. Mr. Speaker, I represent parts of Macomb and Oakland counties. And during my first term in Congress, Paul and I shared representation of Macomb. Paul represented the northern part; I represent the southern part. And while there were plenty of policies we disagreed on, there were a lot of things we connected on, too. We wanted to bring better water infrastructure to Macomb. And, Paul, I am still working on it, and we are going to get there. We talked about our shared history in the workforce world. Paul was a real leader in workforce policy through his company, and I used to run the State workforce system in Michigan. And he was a real leader and a thought leader in that area. And, Paul, I am trying to carry that on as best I can, too, as we look towards WIOA reauthorization. And when we did spar over policy positions, it wasn't mean-spirited. In fact, it was really close to my ideal of what it means to serve in this body. It was real, honest debate, the kind I was happy to have and honored to have. Paul and I now share one more connection, and it is one we didn't share. As a two-time cancer survivor, I know what it is like to get that diagnosis, and I know the stress and the pain that Paul and his family are facing. It is something I wouldn't wish on anyone, and I am devastated that they have to go through it. I want Paul to know that Mary and I are thinking about you and praying for you as your treatment begins, and that I am here to lend an ear or even talk through this experience, the same way that you did for me when I was just coming to Congress. You were one of the most generous colleagues I knew. Mr. Speaker, I was lucky to have a neighbor like Paul Mitchell, and I look forward to the day we can celebrate your remission, Paul, and joust happily once again over the issues of the day. God bless you. General Leave

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise to mark 3 weeks since my constituent, Danny Fenster--pictured here--was captured and imprisoned by the Burmese military simply for doing his job as a journalist, 22 days spent on the phone and with my arms wrapped around his traumatized but determined family, upwards of 500 hours reading our community's outpouring of comments about Danny's dignity and his career of standing up for people around the world. I have called on ambassadors all throughout the region. I have called on our own State Department to ask why, what is the justification for our Embassy not having access to our citizen? And they have no reason. It is a violation of international law, and it is a violation of human rights. The U.S. Embassy needs access to Danny while we keep fighting for his immediate and unconditional release and to protect the freedom of the press. I will not stop fighting and our community will not stop fighting until we bring Danny home.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, it is great to stand here with Representative Bowman, with our colleague Jan Schakowsky, with Mr. Kahele, with all of our brothers and sisters in Congress to say that we can and we must, and we will do so much better right now for our working parents, our workers, our kids. As we recover from the pandemic and Build Back Better, we can't forget about the people who make up what we call the care economy-- nursing home workers, home caregivers, childcare providers, and others who work every day to better the lives of other people. Why is care work so important? The care economy has been central to my own life. I started my career helping nursing home workers organize with SEIU, but I think most parents can tell you about the importance of childcare in their own words. Personally, I think back to the birth of my first son, Koby, and how so much of those early years were spent juggling schedules with my wife to raise our son. I would stay home with the baby during the day so Mary could teach in public school, and then she would rush home and tap in while I took law school classes in the afternoon and evening. Ultimately, we had three kids under 5 in the house and later four kids altogether. It was joyful and exhilarating, but it was challenging and there was just no way we could have done it alone. Providing quality childcare to every family in this country means providing every parent the opportunity to cherish raising their child or their children without fear of losing their income, of losing their job, of losing their career. Right now, in Michigan a year's worth of childcare for an infant costs well over $10,000 on average. Who can afford that? A record number of women have dropped out of the workforce during the pandemic. From August to September of last year alone, in one month, 865,000 women left the workforce. They didn't become unemployed. They left the workforce because of their responsibility for caregiving. And job gains in the recovery so far are disproportionately going to men. In this crisis, we have an opportunity to Build Back Better and right this historic inequity. President Biden's American Families Plan and its investment in childcare won't just save families money by fully or partially covering their childcare costs. It will also create good- paying jobs that will go predominantly to women and people of color. The poverty rate for early educators in my State of Michigan is 18.9 percent, much higher, almost double compared to the 10.8 percent rate for Michigan workers overall. Nearly half of U.S. childcare workers receive public income support. These statistics are totally unacceptable. We need to take better care of the people taking care of our children and our seniors, and we can start by raising their wages to $15 an hour by 2025 with no subminimum wages. That would lead to higher quality care and allow workers to provide for their own families. Let's remember, high quality childcare and preschool don't just benefit working parents and the workers involved. They benefit our kids most of all. The data on the return on investment of investing in early education in childcare is overwhelming in terms of these kids' whole lives, their academic accomplishment, their earnings later in life. There is so much at stake. We can't afford to let childcare become a bargaining chip in the next round of negotiations. Strengthening families, creating jobs, and giving kids the support they need to thrive should be the centerpiece of our work, not an afterthought. I am thrilled that the President's plan recognizes that. Our work in this space won't end once we get the American Families Plan signed into law. I believe we need to create a system of free universal childcare and that our caregivers deserve far better pay, benefits, training, and protection across the board. The American Families Plan is a great start and brings us closer to that goal. Let's get it done. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Bowman for his leadership in this.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Protecting the Right to Organize, or PRO, Act. In 1987, I was arrested for standing on a public sidewalk. My crime? I was seeking to help hospital workers organize with SEIU. That was one of many experiences I had demonstrating how American elections for workers to form a union are more like political elections in a dictatorship than in a democracy. The recent union election at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama shows just how stacked the deck is against workers. It shows the power wielded by companies large and small and the lengths they will go to keep owners and executives reaping the benefits of growing productivity, even at the expense of their workers' very dignity. It shows the urgent need for change. The Senate must send the PRO Act to the President's desk.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence, which is being celebrated on March 26, 2021. On March 7, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who is called ``Mujib'' and is also known as the ``Father of the Nation,'' delivered a speech calling for what was then known as East Pakistan to become an independent state. Bangladesh became independent from Pakistan on March 26, 1971, and since then, March 26th has been observed as a national holiday in Bangladesh. It is a day when people in Bangladesh as well as people around the world of Bangladeshi descent remember those who lost their lives in the brutal 1971 war for independence and celebrate Bangladesh's victory as a new independent nation. The people of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi diaspora, including Bangladeshi Americans in Michigan's 9th District, are observing the golden jubilee of the Independence Day and celebrating throughout the month of March. The 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence is deeply meaningful to those with connections to Bangladesh, there and abroad. I encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing those working to honor Bangladesh's history by holding special events around the world, and in congratulating the people of Bangladesh and all Bangladeshi Americans on this historic day.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul for their support in bringing this resolution to the floor today. Last month, the Burmese military, Tatmadaw, staged a coup and quashed Burma's fragile experiment with democracy. Burma had struggled during that time to enfranchise its minority population, and to respect their human rights. The genocide of the Rohingya is perhaps the best known example, but it is far from the only one. In fact, when Burma's November 8, 2020, elections resulted in the National League for Democracy winning an overwhelming victory and securing enough seats in Parliament to form the next government, it was notwithstanding the disenfranchisement of more than 1,500,000 voters, mostly from ethnic minority communities in Kachin, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, and Chin states. The resolution before us today condemns the February 1st coup unequivocally and calls on the Tatmadaw to free all those they have detained arbitrarily and return members of the civilian government to power. We are considering this resolution at a critical time. More than 2,100 people have been arrested, charged, or sentenced in relation to the coup. The military and police have been ordered to fire on protesters. More than 200 people have been killed in cold blood in these violent crackdowns. On top of mobile data blackouts, there is now concern that the Tatmadaw could cut off WiFi as well, and even reports of fiber lines being cut, which would cut off access to the internet altogether. Clearly, there is no time to waste. The junta's rule must end. But it will not be enough simply to return to the status quo ante. This resolution calls on President Biden and Secretary Blinken to encourage not just the return to power of the civilian government, but also, subsequently, constitutional reforms to address the undemocratic power reserved for the Tatmadaw in Parliament, and the disenfranchisement of Burma's ethnic minorities. Democracy is something we must ever defend and nurture. That is why we who believe that all people are created equal and must be treated as such, whether here in America or anywhere else around the globe, must speak up, not only for full civilian control in Burma, but also for democracy, not for some, but for all. And so this resolution makes clear that Congress stands with all of the people of Burma in their ambition for sustainable peace, a genuine democracy, and the realization of human rights for all. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ranking Member Chabot for authoring this resolution with me, as well as Subcommittee Chairman Bera, Chairman Meeks, Ranking Member McCaul, and all of my colleagues who have cosponsored this important resolution, which I am proud to say, on a completely bipartisan basis, we passed through the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, later today we will debate the PRO Act, and we will pass the PRO Act to free up American workers to form unions and bargain collectively just because they darn well please without interference from their employer. And when we debate the PRO Act, Madam Speaker, we will get into all the details of the provisions of the PRO Act, which are really incredible, and I am very excited about that. But right now, I want to talk about what a difference the PRO Act would make, why it would be a game changer for the working people of this country. First of all, let's talk about productivity. American workers are incredibly productive. In the whole period during and after World War II when Americans were forming unions, thanks to the National Labor Relations Act, and up to a third of private-sector workers were in unions, wages and productivity rose in lockstep. You can't even separate them. But then in the late seventies when we started deregulating airlines and deregulating trucking, and when Ronald Reagan became President and busted the air traffic controllers union, PATCO, and the union-busting business came up, and union membership started declining, productivity kept zooming up, but workers' compensation was totally flat. Since 1979, productivity has increased 70 percent, but compensation only 12 percent. What about income inequality? We can go to the next one. For the last 100 years, income inequality has tracked union membership almost exactly. So if you take the share of income taken by the top 10 percent of the workforce, you can see that as union membership grew, income inequality fell. Look at the difference the National Labor Relations Act itself made. In 1935, union membership shot up. The wages of the top 10 percent shot down as a share of everybody. We got more equal. We achieved the American Dream. And now with 1,000 cuts to union membership, when we are down to 6 percent of private-sector workers being in unions, there has been this incredible divergence, and the wealthy have taken all of the gains, and workers aren't in unions anymore. And let's look at some specific stuff as we get the next slide up here. Let's start with benefits. Union members have more benefits and better benefits almost across the board. Here are just a couple of examples: 86 percent of union members have access to paid sick leave, as opposed to 72 percent of nonunion workers; and 94 percent of union members have access to healthcare benefits, compared to just two-thirds of nonunion workers. And it is not on this slide, but more than half of union members have access to defined benefit pensions, real pensions, and only a small fraction of nonunion workers do. Finally, let's look at wages in the next one. For all workers across the private sector, union members make about $1,150 a week more. We are here debating, and finally we are passing, $1,400 for poor families one time. Union members earn $1,150 more every week through their own labor because they negotiated for it. That is $7,800 a year more. And finally, if we look at the next slide--and Rick is doing an awesome job here; I appreciate you--it is especially important for women and workers of color. Look at this: This shows that across all categories of American workers, White, Black, and Latinx men and women workers make more. Women make $11,752 a year more if they are union members than if they are not. African-American workers make $10,088 a year more if they are union members. And Latinx workers make almost $14,000 a year more, $13,936. Madam Speaker, any way you slice it, when we give workers the power to form unions at their workplace, they lift themselves up, they lift up their families, they lift up all the nonunion workers around them because the nonunion employers have to raise wages to keep up with the unionized workers, and they lift up our country. Let's pass the PRO Act and rebuild the middle class of this country.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support for the bill from the AFL-CIO. Legislative Alert

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I wish I had time to rebut many arguments, like the one we just heard. The requirement that the employer share lists of the employees during a union election is decades and decades old. It hasn't changed. In any event, I am here to support the PRO Act with all of my heart. For decades, we have witnessed the loss of workers' rights, the decline of private-sector union membership, and the erosion of the American middle class. For 86 years, Congress has failed to pass any meaningful private-sector labor law reform to reverse these devastating trends. The decline of union membership has resulted in an unequal economy where workers no longer receive a fair share of the profits they produce. But we can change that starting today. The PRO Act protects workers' rights to unite and negotiate for higher pay, better benefits, and safer working conditions. By passing the PRO Act, we empower workers to fight for the fruits of their labor and build an economy that works for all Americans. I urge all of my colleagues to stand up for the working people of this Nation and vote for the PRO Act.