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“SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H2900-H2904 on April 27, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 375) supporting the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day in order to honor and remember the workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 375
Whereas, each year, about 5,000 workers are killed due to workplace-related injuries in the United States, and more than 2,000,000 workers across the world die of workplace-related accidents and diseases;
Whereas, each day, an average of 14 workers are killed due to workplace injuries in the United States;
Whereas there are about 3,700,000 occupational injuries and illnesses in the United States annually;
Whereas tens of thousands of Americans with workplace injuries or illness become permanently disabled;
Whereas more people are killed worldwide each year at work than in wars;
Whereas, on February 7, 2010, 6 workers were killed and 26 injured when there was a massive natural gas explosion at the Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown, Connecticut;
Whereas, on April 2, 2010, 7 workers were killed by a fire at the Tesoro oil refinery in Anacortes, Washington;
Whereas, on April 5, 2010, 29 miners were killed and 2 were injured in a massive explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia, in the worst coal mine disaster in 40 years;
Whereas, on April 20, 2010, there was an explosion and fire on the British Petroleum- leased Transocean Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana in which 17 workers were injured and 11 workers went missing;
Whereas observing Workers' Memorial Day allows us to honor and remember victims of workplace injuries and disease; and
Whereas observing Workers' Memorial Day reminds us of the need to strive for better worker safety and health protections: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day to honor and remember workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace;
(2) recognizes the importance of worker health and safety standards;
(3) encourages the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, industries, employers, and employees to support activities aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of preventing illness, injury, and death in the workplace; and
(4) calls upon the people of the United States to observe such a day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 375 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 375, which supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day.
A number of recent tragedies serve to remind us of the importance of occupational and mine safety. In early February, six workers were killed and 26 injured in a natural gas explosion at the Kleen Energy Power Plant in Middletown, Connecticut. On April 2, seven workers were killed in an explosion and fire at the Tesoro Refinery in Anacortes, Washington. On April 5, 29 miners lost their lives in a massive explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. This incident was the worst U.S. coal mining disaster in 40 years.
And, finally, Mr. Speaker, today our thoughts and prayers remain with the friends and families of those 11 miners who went missing after an explosion last week at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Seventeen workers were also injured, and we wish for their speedy recovery.
Too many workers in this Nation are subjected to dangerous conditions at work and have sacrificed their lives and health as a result. Everyone is entitled to a safe and healthy workplace. Every family deserves to know that when they send their loved one off to work, that loved one will come home that evening.
Mr. Speaker, with this resolution we remember and we honor all of these fallen workers, and we redouble our commitment to make our Nation's workplaces safe and healthy for all workers.
I thank Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Today we honor the men and women who have lost their lives on the job. With this resolution, we honor their sacrifice and offer our condolences to their families. And as ever, we use this occasion to recognize the importance of policies and practices that will encourage safe workplaces and prevent on-the-job illnesses, injuries, and fatalities.
Bringing this resolution at this time is particularly important given the recent tragedies and loss of life in the mining accidents in West Virginia.
Our diverse economy sometimes place workers in challenging situations. Some jobs are inherently more dangerous than others. Yet all workers should know the utmost precautions are being taken to limit dangers on the job. Employers must work diligently every day to provide safer work sites, free of hazards to ensure that all employees come home to their families at the end of the day.
This resolution speaks to preventing accidents and injuries on the job. A proactive approach to safety creates a safe working environment. By working together, employers, employees, and government safety officials involved can ensure safer work sites.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the author of H. Res. 375.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I thank the presiding Member for yielding.
On Wednesday of this week, which is tomorrow, millions of people worldwide recognize Workers' Memorial Day.
Each year in this country, thousands of workers are killed due to workplace-related injuries, and tens of thousands more die of occupational illnesses. It is staggering to think that every day an average of 14 workers are killed due to injuries on the job. Worldwide more than 2 million workers die of occupational illness and injuries annually. That means more people are killed on the job each year than in wars.
The bottom line is that everyone deserves a safe and healthy workplace. Many of us take this basic right for granted. But for millions of Americans, the threat of being permanently disabled or even killed on the job is very real.
Workers' Memorial Day not only recognizes and honors those who have been killed or injured on the job, it also reminds us of the overwhelming need to improve health and safety standards in our Nation's workplaces.
It has been 40 years since the creation of OSHA, and over this time, worker health and safety standards have vastly improved. However, there is still work to be done, as evidenced by several recent workplace disasters.
The month of April has been particularly devastating for workplace deaths in the United States. On April 2, seven workers were killed by a devastating fire at Tesero Refinery in Washington. And just last week, as has been mentioned, we also saw a large explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana. Seventeen workers were injured and 11 are missing and thought now to be dead.
April 5, as has been mentioned, the explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia where 29 lives were lost. Additionally, a miner was killed this past week at Pocahontas Mine in West Virginia. Both of these mines had a pattern of repeat safety violations. It appears that these companies were not dedicated to the safety of their employees. Rather, they were dedicated to staying open by doing the bare minimum to meet regulations.
Chairman Miller, Congresswoman Woolsey, and Congressman Rahall have been diligent in working to bring to light repeated violators and holding those who continue to operate unsafe mines accountable.
I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who were killed and injured in these tragic events, as well as all those workers who were injured or killed worldwide. These are our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. They left home for work in the morning like all of us do, only never to return.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. WOOLSEY. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I thank the gentlewoman.
We hear again and again that those who died knew the risk of what they were doing, a risk many felt was necessary to provide for their families. Yes, accidents do happen. But often accidents are preventable, and we must do all that we can to prevent injury and death on the job.
I would like to thank House leadership and Chairman Miller for their support in bringing this resolution to the floor today, and I would also like to thank Congressman Bruce Braley and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez for their assistance in bringing this resolution forward.
I urge my colleagues to support the recognition of Workers' Memorial Day.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Braley), who has played a significant part in making this bill come forward.
Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution honoring Workers' Memorial Day.
The recent mining disaster in West Virginia serves as a strong reminder of the millions of Americans who put their lives on the line every day they go to work. Workers' Memorial Day commemorates those who have been injured or killed on the job. And, Mr. Speaker, this is personal to me because when I was 2 years old, my father was severely injured in a workplace accident, and one of the things I am proudest of was setting up a scholarship fund in his name to help injured workers and their families in Iowa get a new start on life.
Over the past several decades in the United States, we have made great progress in preventing injuries and deaths in the workplace. However, there is still much work that needs to be done, and each year more than 5,000 Americans are killed due to workplace injuries and millions more experience occupational injuries and illnesses. Work-
related accidents are still too common in the United States. On average, 16 Americans are killed every day due to workplace injuries. We need to continue to work to ensure that every workplace is a safe one.
While in the United States we have improved workplace safety in recent decades, the numbers across the globe are overwhelming. It's estimated that nearly 2 million workers die each year due to work-
related accidents or diseases worldwide. More people are killed due to workplace injury or disease than are killed in war.
As a founder of the Populist Caucus, dedicated to strengthening the middle class, I will continue to fight for workplace safety. I am also committed to recognizing this holiday and the millions of workers across the world who have given their lives on the job. That's why I was proud to work with my friends, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and fellow Populist Caucus member Congresswoman Linda Sanchez as we continue to honor the millions of men and women who have given their lives for the continued progress of humankind.
I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honored to yield 4 minutes to the chair of the Education and Labor Committee, the number one champ for workers in our Congress, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller).
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and I thank the subcommittee chair for all of her work on behalf of workers in our country and her leadership on not only worker issues but also family issues as workers struggle to keep family and the workplace together and in sync from time to time.
I also want to thank Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson for her introduction of this resolution for Workers' Memorial Day and to all of the members of the committee who have supported it, to Mr. Petri for his support.
This is the 21st annual Workers' Memorial Day, a day to honor workers who have lost their lives or become sick or injured because of the unsafe and unhealthy workplaces in the past year.
Our Nation's workers have had a tough year. Last Sunday, our Nation paused to remember 29 fallen miners in the Upper Big Branch mine, the worst U.S. coal mining accident since 1970. Upper Big Branch was not the only horrific workplace catastrophe this year. Last week 11 workers died in an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Three days before the blast at Upper Big Branch, seven workers perished in an explosion at a refinery near Seattle. This comes after a devastating explosion at a power plant under construction in Connecticut, which cost six workers their lives. These explosions are a reminder that while we have made some strides in workplace safety, unacceptable risks still remain for our workers. Fourteen workers die on the job every day. We have to do better.
Take the Upper Big Branch mine: 2 months ago, my committee learned about how many mine operators managed to avoid some of the tougher sanctions implemented after the Sago mine explosion. While some have made safety a priority, others have responded by indiscriminately challenging nearly every safety citation. By flooding the system with unwarranted appeals, these companies have been able to avoid full accountability for their actions. The consequences of these delays can be deadly.
Last August, the Mine Safety and Health Administration identified 48 mines that were able to escape the possibility of tougher scrutiny because of these unresolved appeals. Upper Big Branch mine was one of them. So was the nearby Pocahontas mine, where a worker was killed last week.
Loopholes in our safety laws aren't exclusive to mining. Sadly, penalties for companies that violate health and safety laws are woefully outdated. Multimillion-dollar corporations often face little more than a slap on the wrist for potentially fatal violations. Without effective enforcement, it's easy for bad actors to become repeat offenders. Without adequate whistleblower protections, workers who want to report hazards often live in fear of retribution. According to the New York Times, one Upper Big Branch foreman recalled, ``I have had guys come to me and cry,'' because they were too afraid to report concerns about high methane levels in the mine. Workers shouldn't have to choose between losing their lives and losing their jobs.
These tragedies call for immediate reforms that will make all workplaces safer. First, we must allocate funding that will start to clear the backlog of the mine safety appeals. Second, we need to look at outdated and ineffective laws that continue to allow companies to put workers in harm's way. In 2008, I authored legislation that would have strengthened the mine disaster prevention efforts, improved emergency responses, and reduced long-term health risks to miners. The S-MINER Act passed the House, but died in the Senate because of a veto threat. We don't know yet if it would have prevented the Upper Big Branch tragedy, but it certainly could have helped.
Finally, Congress should pass the Protecting America's Workers Act. This bill will modernize safety protections for workers across all industries through stronger penalties, effective whistleblower protections, and meaningful accountability when employers break the law.
Four years ago, I made a promise to the families who lost a loved one in the Sago, Darby, and Aracoma Alma mine disasters. I told them we would do everything we could to heed the lessons of those disasters and keep miners safe. Unfortunately, I've had to make the same promise to families at the Crandall Canyon mine disaster and now the Upper Big Branch mine disaster. This has got to stop.
On this Workers' Memorial Day, it's time to live up to this promise for all the families of workers who have lost their lives on the job--
and all working men and women across this country. We cannot afford to let another year go by without meaningful reform.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare).
Mr. HARE. I want to thank Chairman Woolsey for her leadership on the Workforce Protection Subcommittee, who I have had the pleasure of serving with.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 375. On April 28, we observe Workers' Memorial Day, when people all over the world gather to remember and mourn the workers killed or injured on the job. April 28 also commemorates the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Since its inception in 1970, OSHA has been a driving force in improving workplace safety and health conditions across the country. Over the past several decades, through the work of OSHA, we have made enormous strides in protecting workers, yet there's still much work left to be done.
Mr. Speaker, worker safety has been at the forefront of our social conscience lately. We've seen devastating tragedies from West Virginia to Connecticut to Washington State and now Louisiana. While we grieve for those lost in these tragedies, we should never forget those who are killed on the job but never make the front pages. Their families' pain is no less substantial and our obligation to protect them is no less important. Each of these deaths should remind us that failing to give OSHA the tools it needs to regulate the workforce efficiently leaves our constituents, the American workforce, in jeopardy.
The government alone cannot fully protect our workers. Workers' Memorial Day must also be a reminder to our Nation's employers of their obligation to keep their employees safe. The days of certain companies skirting safety just to save a buck must come to an end once and for all. For those employers that fail to comply, we must strengthen worker protections and make penalties more severe.
On behalf of all of those who we honor on Workers' Memorial Day, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join Chairman Woolsey and me in the fight to modernize OSHA to protect the lives and health of America's workers. Let us all stand together today in solidarity in recognizing Workers' Memorial Day, honor all those we have lost, and vow to take the steps necessary to make every American safer at work.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, February 7, 2010, while a lot of families were returning from church, myself included, an explosion occurred at the Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown, Connecticut, a plant that was under construction--a new natural gas plant--where workers, particularly from Local 777 of the Plumbers and Pipefitters, were there as almost a nonstop series of shifts to get the plant online since a lot of the power credits had already been sold to the owners.
It was an explosion which took place in the middle of the State of Connecticut. It was heard as far away as Long Island Sound. That was the size and violence of the explosion. They were purging the natural gas power lines. There was a buildup of natural gas. Unfortunately, there was some ignition that caused the explosion to take place. Six workers were killed. Twenty-six more were injured. Among them was Raymond Dobratz of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, someone who was a father and a grandfather, a beautiful family. He was very active in the community. The other was Ronnie Crabb of Colchester, Connecticut. Ronnie is a friend of mine. His wife, Jodi Thomas, is the probate judge in Colchester, Connecticut. A young family. Ronnie was somebody who was so devoted to his wife and child and also would do anything in the community, whether it was raising money for charities, being involved in Little League, being involved in his union. The loss is something that is still felt so deeply in the community because of what a wonderful person he was.
The Education and Labor Committee, under Congresswoman Woolsey's leadership and Mr. Miller, is going to conduct a study because there are certain rules that have now been recommended by the Chemical Safety Board for power plant construction because there is a wave of natural gas power plants that are under construction because of the Energy Act. The fact of the matter is, the law has not caught up with the technology that surrounds this very dangerous work.
I, again, applaud Congresswoman Woolsey for bringing this motion forward. But to honestly honor these individuals who lost their lives, we need to make sure that the laws are enacted to make sure that there are real protections for workers and their families and we don't have situations like the Crabb family and Dobratz family are experiencing today.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).
Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership on this extremely important issue. I rise in strong support of this resolution. This Thursday, April 28, 2010, millions of workers and their families throughout the world will gather to commemorate Workers' Memorial Day. We will remember and honor those injured or killed on the job, and we will renew the call for stronger workplace protections.
Since 1970, when the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed, more than 410,000 workers' lives have been saved due to improvements in working conditions. However, the number of workplace-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths remains far too high. In 2008, more than 4 million workers were injured and 5,214 workers were killed due to job hazards. In Ohio, 168 workers lost their lives in the workplace in 2008; 168 Ohioans went to work and lost their lives as a result of workplace hazards. One hundred and sixty-eight men and women went to work and never returned to their families. This is about more than statistics. This is about lost lives.
This Workers' Memorial Day we pause and remember the thousands of lives lost in workplaces around the world. In the past 3 months alone, we have witnessed four major workplace tragedies that claimed the lives of 41 workers. Eleven workers are still missing after an oil rig explosion last week. We must act to ensure our workplaces are safe and our workers are protected. We must continue to fight to create well-
paying, safe jobs for the American people. We must continue to fight to protect our workers' safety and health and to hold those who put their employees at risk accountable.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from California is recognized for 2\1/2\ minutes.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, as we've heard, every year about 5,000 workers are killed and 4 million are injured on the job, with an additional 50,000 dying each year from occupational diseases. There are about 4 million cases of reportable workplace injuries and 3.7 million occupational illnesses and injuries on an annual basis. While coal mining remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, every single day hardworking miners show up to the mines in order to provide for their families. We need to do whatever we can to ensure that they and other workers return home safely each and every night.
To honor those who have sacrificed their lives, their health, and their loved ones who sacrificed the lives of those that went to work and didn't come home, we must do more. We have to do more than talk. We have to bring OSHA and MSHA into the 21st century. That is my commitment to the workers of America. That is what I'm working on with the support of my subcommittee in Education and Labor, the Workforce Protection Subcommittee, and our chairman, George Miller. That is what we know must happen.
So I urge my colleagues, in closing, to support H. Res. 375, support the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, and I thank Congresswoman Johnson and Congressman Braley and those that worked with her on this amazing resolution. It is so important.
Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 375, supporting the mission and goals of Workers Memorial Day, introduced by my good friend, the gentlelady from Texas.
On Workers Memorial Day, we pause to remember workers who have been injured, sickened, or even killed on the job.
We were recently given a harsh reminder of the realities of workplace danger in West Virginia. The coal miners who lost their lives in that tragedy paid the ultimate price while working to support their families and supply energy to this great nation.
Sixteen workers are killed on the job each day in America. my home, Los Angeles County, that means that, on average, one worker dies every 3 days. We lose a neighbor on the job every 3 days.
Accidents don't just happen in the most dangerous industries or on the most hazardous job sites. They also happen in offices, stores, and warehouses.
The fact is, deaths and injuries at work are preventable. We just need to give the issue the attention it deserves. I applaud steps taken so far.
President Obama's Labor Department has already raised the profile of this issue and OSHA and MSHA have been empowered to do much more than ask for compliance with voluntary standards.
With passage of the Recovery Act, we were able to shift resources to agencies that enforce workplace safety and health laws.
While the recent tragedy in West Virginia reminds us that we have far to go, my point is that it shouldn't take a disaster to put our eye on the ball. One preventable death at work is too many.
Disasters, like the recent loss of so many lives in West Virginia, serve as a stark reminder of the inadequacies that still exist. No family should ever have to suffer loss because we do not properly or fully inspect a workplace.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this resolution.
I also urge you to join the members of the Labor and Working Families Caucus as we continue our efforts to make it safe to go to work in America.
Ms. WOOLSEY. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 375, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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