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THE
SENATOR FROM COLORADO.
MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK
QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
AND I ASK FOR THE
YEAS AND NAYS BE ORDERED.
IS THERE
A SUFFICIENT SECOND?
THERE APPEARS TO BE.
THE QUESTION'S ON THE
NOMINATION.
THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
VOTE:
VOTE:
IS
VOTE:
VOTE:
ARE
THERE ANY SENATORS IN THE
CHAMBER WISHING TO VOTE OR
CHANGE THEIR VOTE?
IF NOT, ON THIS VOTE, IT'S 86
YEAS, NO NAYS AND THE
CONFIRMATION IS APPROVED.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE
MOTION TO RECONSIDER IS
CONSIDERED MADE AND LAID UPON
THE TABLE.
THE PRESIDENT WILL BE
IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED OF THE
SENATE'S ACTION AND THE SENATE
WILL RESUME LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM DELAWARE.
A SENATOR: I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THAT THE SENATE PROCEED
TO A PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS
WITH SENATORS PERMITTED TO SPEAK
FOR UP TO TEN MINUTES EACH.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I RISE TO SPEAK
ABOUT THE RALLIES THAT HAVE
COUNTRY.
OCCURRED ALL ACROSS THIS
TODAY AMERICANS IN ALL 50 STATES
ARE GATHERING AT HUNDREDS OF
RALLIES AND EVENTS TO STAND
TOGETHER IN UNILATERALTY IN
DEFENSE OF THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING RIGHTS OF PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES, RIGHTS THAT I BELIEVE
ARE NOW UNDER ATTACK IN
WISCONSIN, OHIO, AND OTHER
STATES IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND THAT THOSE DEMONSTRATIONS
HAVE BEEN HELD TODAY IS NO MERE
COINCIDENCE, FOR ON THIS DAY 43
YEARS AGO, THE REVEREND
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS
KILLED IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
WHILE STANDING UP FOR THE RIGHTS
OF 1,300 PUBLIC SANITATION
WORKERS.
WORKING MEN AND WOMEN GATHERED
EARLY TODAY IN WILMINGTON TO
DECLARE "WE ARE ONE."
AND WITHIN THE HOUR OF THIS
SPEECH, THOUSANDS MORE WILL
GATHER IN MADISON, WISCONSIN TO
PROTEST WHAT IN MY RUE IS THE
SCANDALOUS MOVE BY GOVERNOR
WALKER TO STRIP WISCONSIN'S
LONG-STANDING COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING RIGHTS FROM
PUBLIC-SECTOR EMPLOYEES.
BEFORE COMING TO THIS BODY, I
SERVED AS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
OF NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE,
FOR SIX YEARS AND BEFORE
BECOMING GOVERNOR OF WISCONSIN,
GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER WAS ALSO A
COUNTY EXECUTIVE, IN HIS CASE OF
MILWAUKEE COUNTY.
I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULT
CHOICESCHOICES THAT EXECUTIVES FACE
WHEN THEY MUST ADOPT A BALANCED
BUDGET EVEN IN THE TOUGH ET OF
ECONOMIC AND FISCAL TIME, FOR I
AS COUNTRYCOUNTY EXECUTIVE FACED EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT CHOICES.
BUT I RISE TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW
FROM MY SNEERNS CUTTING SPENDING
AND IN BALANCING BUDGETS, THAT
IT CAN BE DONE, WITHOUT
STRIPPING AMERICAN WORKERS OF
THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS TO
BARGAIN.
ORGANIZE AND COLLECTIVELY
I KNOW IT BECAUSE I'VE DONE IT,
THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AND WITHOUT RESORTING TO BLAMING
AND DRACONIAN ANTI-UNION
LEGISLATION.
NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE IS A
GOVERNMENT.
MID-COUNSEL SIZED COUNTY
AS A COUNTY EXECUTIVE, I
CONFRONT ADD GROWING AND REAL
BUDGET PROBLEM.
OUR HOUSING BOOM HAD AMASS ADD
DEEPENING DEFICIT, DEFICITS THAT
WERE UNSUSTAINABLE EVEN BEFORE
THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE IN 2008.
AS OUR NATIONAL AND LOCAL
ECONOMIES TUMBLED, OUR
GOVERNMENT'S REVENUE DID AS WESM
I'D ALREADY SPENT MY FIRST FEW
YEARS CUTTING SPENDING EACH AND
EVERY YEAR AND THE SIMPLE KITS
HAD GIVEN AWAY.
WE HAD ONLY FUNDAMENTAL CUTS
LEFT IN FRONT OF US, WE HAD
ALREADY REDUCED BROTHER HOURS
AND MADE DIFFICULT CHOICES THAT
MANY STATE GOVERNMENTS FACE
TODAY.
THAT WASN'T ENOUGH.
AS WITH MANY STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS, OUR BUDGET WAS
THREE-QUARTERS PERSONNEL COSTS
AND WE COULD NOT ALLOW THOSE
COSTS TO CONTINUE TO GROW, AS
BOOMED.
HEALTH CARE AND PENSION COSTS
WE NEEDED TO CUT OUR PEOPLE
COSTS TO GET OUR BUDGET UNDER
CONTROL.
IN OUR CASE, IN THE CASE OF THE
COUNTY I FORMERLY SERVED, MORE
THAN 80% OF THE COUNTY WORKFORCE
IS REPRESENTED BY ORGANIZED
LABOR, MOSTLY BY THE F. O'P. AND
I.T. B.W.
AND WE NEEDED ALL GROUPS TO COME
TOGETHER AND SHAIRT SACRIFICE.
MR. PRESIDENT, IT WAS JUST TWO
WEEKS AGO -- TWO YEARS AGO LAST
WEEK THAT I ROSE BEFORE OUR
COUNTY COUNTY AND DELIVERED THE
HARDEST BUDGET ADDRESS I HAD
EVER GIVEN, ONE IN WHICH I LAID
OUT THAT WE HAD TWO PATHS
FORWARD.
ONE PATH WOULD INVOLVE HAVING
ALL THE SUFFERING FOCUSED ON
ABOUT 150 TO 200 EMPLOYEES WHO
WOULD HAVE TO BE LAID OFF TO
BALANCE OUR BUDGET.
AND THE OTHER WAS SHARING THAT
SACRIFICE ACROSS OUR ENTIRE
MOSTLY UNIONIZED WORKFORCE.
ULTIMATELY, AFTER MANY MEETINGS,
MANY NEGOTIATIONS, VERY HARD
TALK AND DEBATE AND, YES, EVEN
AT ONE POINT SOME LAYOFFS, EVERY
BARGAINING IEWNGTS IN OUR
COUNSEL D. UNIT IN OUR COUNTY
GOVERNMENT CAME TO THE TABLE AND
HELPED US REACH THE GOAL OF
CUTTING 5% OF OUR TOTAL COSTS
NOT JUST ONE YEAR BUT AS THE
RECESSION CONTINUED AND
DEEPENED, A SECOND YEAR AS
WEVMENT MANY OF THESE GREAT AND
DEDICATED PUBLIC EMPLOYEES SAW
HEALTH CARE COSTS SHIFT AND
BENEFIT PASSAGES CHANGE AS WE
WILL.
THEY WERE WILLING TO WORK IN THE
BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COUNTY AND
PUBLIC AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
WE ARE ONE N SOME WAYS SEEKING A
LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION SUCH AS HAS
BEEN DONE IN WISCONSIN TRYING TO
SIMPLY STRIP AWAY THE RIGHT TO
BE ORGANIZED, TO BE AT THE
BARGAINING TABLE MIGHT HAVE
SEEMEDZ EASIER.
WORKING TOGETHER, AS YOU KNOW,
MR. PRESIDENT, AS LABOR AND
MAFNTLE IS NOT AN EASY PATH.
NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THAT THEY
HAVE TO DO MORE WITH LESS,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
THEIR OWN PAYCHECKS AND PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES IN DELAWARE AND ALL
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ARE IN MY
VIEW NOT JUST THE BACKBONE OF
OUR COMMUNITY BUT THE BACKBONE
OF OUR MIDDLE CLASS.
THEY ARE THE POLICEMEN, THE
PARAMEDICS, THE 911 CALL TAKERS,
THE EMERGENCY SEWER REPAIR MERN,
THE LIBRARIANS, THE HEALTH
SERVICE WORKERS, THE PRISON
GUARDS, THE FOLKS WHO KEEP OUR
COMMUNITY SAFE, HEALTHY AND
PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE DAY IN
AND DAY OUT.
AND IN MY VIEW, WHERE PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES COME TOGETHER TO
ORGANIZE AND SEEK COLLECTIVELY
REPRESENTATION ON WORKPLACE
ISSUES, WE OUGHT TO RESPECT
THOSE CHOICES.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SERVES AS
A CRITICAL CHECK ON OUR SYSTEM
AND ITS LONG AND STORE RID
HISTORY -- STORIED HISTORY IS A
PART OF AMERICAN VALUES.
IT LED TO CHILD LABOR PRACTICES,
LED TO THE 40-HOUR WORK WEEK AND
ENDED LEGAL SWEATSHOPS.
IT IS A CRITICAL CHECK AGAINST
EXCESSES AND OVERREACH BY
MANAGEMENT AND BY THE
MARKETPLACE.
MR. PRESIDENT, I STAND HERE
TODAY TO REMIND ALL OF US THAT
LABOR UNIONS AND HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
THEY REPRESENT IN THIS COUNTRY
ARE NOT THE ENEMY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS COUNTRY
FACES A SIGNIFICANT, ALMOST
DEVASTATING NATIONAL DEBT AND
ANNUAL BUDGET DEFICIT, AND WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SHARED
SACRIFICES AND TOUGH CHOICES TO
GET THROUGH THESE NEXT FEW
YEARS.
BUT THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT
WE STRIP THE COLLECTIVELY
BARGAINING RIGHTS OF THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE OUR NATION
AT EACH AND EVERY LEVEL OF
GOVERNMENT.
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY DO THE
DIRVETION THE DIRTY, AND THE
DANGEROUS JOBS THAT KEEP US SAFE
AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES STRONG.
AND THEY SIMPLY, IN MY VIEW, DO
NOT DESERVE TO BE DEMONIZED BUT,
RATHER, TO BE LISTENED TO,
RESPECTED, AND PARTNERED WITH AS
TOGETHER WE SEEK SOLUTIONS TO
THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR
COUNTRY NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
IN MY VIEW, PASSING NEW LAWS TO
ELIMINATE THEIR BASIC COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING RIGHTS IS WRONG AND
TOGETHER.
WE CAN DO IT BETTER BY WORKING
SO TODAY I JOIN WITH ALL THOSE
WHO ARE STANDING UP FOR THESE
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE
AMERICAN WORKER AND JOIN THEM IN
DECLARING "WE ARE ONE."
MR. PRESIDENT, I NOTE THE LACK
OF A QUORUM.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
WOULD
THE SENATOR WITHHOLD MISS
SUGGESTION?
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM OHIO.
THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT.
I CAME TO THE FLOOR FOR ABOUT
THE SAME REASON SENATOR *** D
I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM
THE SENATOR FROM DELAWARE AND
HIS -- IN HIS FIRST -- THE
BEGINNING OF HIS FIRST TERM IN
OFFICE AND HE OBVIOUSLY
UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF
WORKER RIGHTS SHALL THE
BARGAINING.
IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIVE
HE RECOGNIZES, AND I DO, THAT IN
MY STATE WHEN COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING PASSED 30 YEARS AGO
THAT WE NO LONGER SAW BLUE FLU
WHERE POLICE OFFICERS CALLED IN
BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ABILITY TO
BARGAIN, ORGANIZE AND BARGAIN
COLLECTIVELY, THEY CALL IN SICK
THE SAME DAY, THEY HAD NO OTHER
WAY OF EXPRESSING THEMSELVES.
WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT LABOR
PEACE WHEN WE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE
LABOR PEACE ON A LOT OF THESE
ISSUES PRIOR TO THE EARLY 1980'S
IN MY STATE, WHERE YOU HAVE
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
WE ALSO FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT
HAVE FOLLOWED THE NEWS -- AND I
THINK PEOPLE ARE VERY AWARE OF
THIS IN MY STATE -- WE HAVE SEEN
GOVERNOR KASIK RECENTLY SIGN
LEGISLATION TO TAKE AWAY THOSE
BARGAINING RIGHTS.
THAT'S WHY I COME TO THE FLOOR,
IN PART TO CELEBRATE "WE ARE
ONE," AN ORGANIZATION THAT
BELIEVES THAT WE ARE A PEOPLE OF
FAITH, PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT
ECONOMIC JUSTICE, PEOPLE WHO
SUPPORT STRONG COMMUNITY, LOCAL
SERVICES, POLICE, FIRE, NURSING,
TEACHING, COME TOGETHER TO HONOR
BOTH DR. KING,, WHO AS SENATOR
*** SAID, DR. KING WHO WAS
ASSASSINATED 43 YEARS AGO TODAY
BECAUSE HE WAS STANDING WITH
WORKERS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
SANITATION WORKERS, SOME HAD
BEEN CRUSHED TO DEATH BY HEAVY
MACHINERY ON THE JOB, AND NO
ABILITY TO BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY,
NO ABILITY TO FIGHT FOR THEM,
MOST OF THEM AFRICAN-AMERICAN,
MOST HAD NO REAL RIGHT TO JOB
SAFETY, DECENT WAGES, DECENT
BENEFITS.
DR. KING UNDERSTOOD THAT WORKER
RIGHTS IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND THAT
THAT'S WHY HE STOOD UP.
THE DEBATE -- YES, THE DEBATE IN
STATEHOUSES ACROSS AMERICA -- IN
WISCONSIN, OHIO, AND OTHER
PLACES -- IS ABOUT COLLECTIVELY
BARGAINING, BUT IT'S REALLY ALSO
ABOUT THE MIDDLE CLASS.
THE MIDDLE CLASS DIDN'T HAPPEN
BY CHANCE.
THOSE ASPIRING TO THE MIDDLE
CLASS HAD TO WORK HARD AND PLAY
THE -- PLAY BY THE RULES IN
ORDER TO ENTER IT.
THE MIDDLE CLASS WAS CREATED
AFTER PEOPLE WORKED TOGETHER TO
DEAND IN A MINIMUM WAGE, SAFE
WORKPLACES, PENSIONS, SOCIAL
SECURITY, BASIC FAIRNESS.
THE MIDDLE CLASS IN MANY WAYS IN
THIS COUNTRY WAS A DIRECT
OUTGROWTH CREATED WITH THE
PASSAGE IN THIS BODY SOME
70-PLUS YEARS AGO OF
COLLECTIVELY BARGAINING, THE
RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AND BARGAIN
COLLECTIVELY, GUARANTEEING BOTH
ULTIMATELY PRIVATE-SECTOR
WORKERS THEN, LATER
PUBLIC-SECTOR WORKERS.
NOW, LAST FRAWL WE HEARD MANY OF
THE -- LAST FALL WE HEARD MANY
OF THE WINNERS, PARTICULARLY
REPUBLICAN WINNERS, IN THE
ELECTION IN MY STATE AND I THINK
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE LOSS OF
JOBS.
THE JOB LOSS THAT BEGAN DURING
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WHEN
PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE, WE
MONTH.
WERE LOSING 700,000 JOBS A
JOBS.
WE'RE NOW BEGINNING TO GAIN
WE'VE DONE THAT THE LAST 12 OR
13 MONTHS, ESPECIALLY IN
MANUFACTURING.
WE KNOW MANUFACTURING JOBS
CREATE A MIDDLE CLASS.
BUT AFTER WINNING THESE
ELECTIONS LAST FALL, IN MY
STATE, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON
GORKS AS THEY DID DURING THE
ELECTION, TOO MANY POLITICIANS
ARE GOVERNING BY IDEOLOGY AND
SEEKING TO SETTLE OLD SCORES.
AT A TIME WHEN THE MIDDLE
COMPLAS IS STRUGGLING MORE THAN
AT ANY TIME IN MY LIFETIME, WHEN
WORKERS SEE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY
GOING UP AND UP AND UP BUT
SEEING THEIR WAGES FLAT OR SEE
THEIR HOURS EVEN CUT BACK,
AMERICAN FAMILIES ARE BURDENED
BY NEW ATTACKS ON THEIR RIGHTS.
ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO I
HAD A ROUND TABLE IN AN
EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN COLUMBUS
LISTENNINGS TO TEACHES AND
FIREFIGHTERS AND NURSING AND
OTHER PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.
WHAT STRUCK ME IS THAT AS I
HEARD -- WHAT STRUCK ME IS I
HEARD OUTSIDE -- AND "OUTSIDE"
MEANING FROM POLITICIANS --
CONCERN OF POLITICIANS WHO
WANTED TO CUT OFF COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING RIGHTS.
TAKE THOSE RIGHTS AWAY.
THOSE PEOPLE MAKING ACCUSATIONS
THAT THESE FIREFIGHTERS AND
TEACHERS AND POLICE FIGHTERS
WERE LAZY, OVERPAID, HAD TOO
MUCH TIME OFF, HAD TOO BIG A
PENSION, HAD TOO BIG A HEALTH
CARE BENEFITS.
AS I WAS HEARING THAT -- I WAS
HEARING THAT FROM CRITICS BUT I
WAS LISTENING ONE ON ONE TO
THESE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.
A TEACHER TOLD ME -- A YOUNG
TEACHER WHO'S BEEN TEACHING ONLY
ABOUT TEN YEARS, WHEN SHE GOES
TO THE BARGAINING TABLE, SHE
DOESN'T JUST TALK ABOUT WAGES
AND BENEFITS AND ALL OF THAT.
SHE'S ALSO NEGOTIATING FOR
SMALLER CLASS SIZE.
A POLICE OFFICER I TALKED TO
WASN'T JUST TALKING ABOUT
PENSIONS AND PAY.
HE WAS NEGOTIATING FOR A
BULLETPROOF VEST FOR HIM AND HIS
MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE ALSO
POLICE OFFICERS.
SO THESE AREN'T JUST -- THESE
NEGOTIATIONS ARE NOT JUST FOR
THE -- FOR MORE MONEY, FOR
PUBLIC DOLLARS SPENT ON BEHALF
OF THESE POLICE, FIRE, FEERCHES,
AND NURSES.
-- TEACHERS, AND NURSES THEY'RE
ALSO ABOUT HELPING SOCIETY,
IMPROVING SOCIETY,,SPANGDZING ON
THE MIDDLE CLASS.
BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THOSE
APAKISTANNING COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING ARE MORE INTERESTED
IN TAKING RIGHTS AWAY THAN
CREATING JOBS.
AND IT'S CLEAR, AS IT IS IN OHIO
WITH A BILL NASD THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, WHICH WOULD
GIVE OHIO THE MOST RESTRICTIVE
VOTER REGISTRATION LAWS IN THE
NATION THAT THEY WOULD SEEK TO
LIMIT OUR BASIC FREEDOMS.
RESTRICT WORKER RIGHTS, RESTRICT
THE RIGHT TO VOTE, RESTRICT --
CUT BACK ON WOMEN'S -- WOMEN'S
RIGHTS.
THAT'S GOT SOMETHING TO DO --
I'M MISSING THIS.
THAT'S GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH
CREATING JOBS AND STRENGTHENING
OUR ECONOMY?
LET ME FOR A SECOND,
MR. PRESIDENT, FOR A COUPLE OF
MOMENTS PUT A HUMAN FACE ON ALL
OF THIS.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS A
FIREFIGHTER NAMED GEORGE IN
WILLABEE, OHIO.
HE WROTE ME THIS LETTER AFTER
THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THIS
LEGISLATION, TAKING AWAY HIS
RIGHTS, TAKING AWAY BARGAINING
RIGHTS FOR A HUGE IN MY JUDGMENT
OF POLICE OFFICERS AND
FIREFIGHTERS AND TEACHERS AND
HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND NURSES
AND OTHERS.
HE SAID, "I JOIN MY PROUD
PROFESSION KNOWING I WOULD NEVER
BE RICH.
I TRULY JOINED KNOWING I WOULD
BE HELPING PEOPLE.
I JOINED KNOWING I WOULD BE ABLE
TO RAISE A FAMILY.
I JOINED KNOWING I WOULD HAVE A
PENSION IN THE END.
AS A 20-YEAR-OLD KID --
21-YEAR-OLD KID ENTERING IN
PROFESSION, I WEIGHED HEAVILY ON
THE HELPING PEOPLE AND THE PURE
EXCITEMENT OF THE JOB.
NOW AS A 41-YEAR-OLD FIREFIGHTER
WHO HAS BEEN BEATEN DOWN BOTH
PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY, I'LL
ADMIT THAT MY PENSION NOW PLAYS
A ROLE IN MY DRIVING FORCE TO GO
TO WORK EVERY DAY.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE FIREFIGHTER
THAT THE BOSSES LOOKED TO WHEN A
TASK NEEDS TO BE DOFNLT I'LL
SOON AB42-YEAR-OLD FIREFIGHTER
IN MY 231st YEAR OF SERVICE.
I'M SIX AND A HALF YEARS FROM
BEING ABLE TO RETIRE.
HADTHIS JOB HAS TORN UP MY KNEES,
REQUIRING SURGERY TO ONE OF
THEM.
THIS SWOB HAS JOB HAS INJURED BY BACK ON
SEVERAL OCCASIONS, TWICE
REHAB.
REQUIRING EXTENSIVE TIME OFF FOR
I'M DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO
AVOID SURGERY.
THIS JOB HAS CAUSED MEMORIES
THAT WILL STICK FOR ME THE REST
OF MY LIFE, THE KIND OF MEMORIES
THAT MAKE YOU GO HOME AND HUG
YOUR WIFE AND KIDS AND THANK GOD
THAT THEY ARE SAFE.
I MENTION ALL OF THIS BECAUSE WE
AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, AS YOU KNOW,
ARE BEING ATTACKED IN OHIO.
WE ARE BEING ATTACKED IN OUR
PROFESSION AS WELL AS OUR
RETIREMENT.
OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, THE
FOUNDATION OF OUR PROFESSION ARE
BEING ATTACKED.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS THE
ONLY WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
IMPROVE SAFETY AS WELL AS
MAINTAIN A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR
OUR FAMILIES.
THIS SYSTEM PROVIDES BOTH THE
TAXPAYER AND THE PUBLIC SERVANT
FROM LEADERS ON BOTH SIDES WHO
CHOOSE TO RULE WITH AN IRON
FIST.
I'M NOW ONE OF OUR BEAT-UP
SENIOR FIREFIGHTERS WHO'S
RAPIDLY APPROACHING RETIREMENT
AGE.
WHERE DO THREATS OF PENSION
CHANGES LEAVE ME OR THE MANY
OTHER LIKE ME IF I'M UNABLE TO
FINISH MY YEARS OF SERVICE QUEUE
DO TO INJURY?
WHERE DO THOSE CHANGES LEAVE ME
IF MY EMPLOYER DECIDES IT'S HISS
FIST CLI RESPONSIBLE TO LAY OFF
SENIOR FIREFIGHTERS TO KEEP
FIREFIGHTERS."
LOWER-PAID YOUNGER
I'LL GET BACK TO THE LETTER IN A
SECOND.
BUT UNDERSTAND, MR. PRESIDENT,
UNDER THE LEGISLATION -- MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT UNDER THE
LEGISLATION THAT GOVERNOR KASICH
SIGNED, THAT MANAGEMENT THEN
WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, THIS
FIREFIGHTER'S MORE LIKELY TO GET
HURT, HE'S OLDER, WE'RE PAYING
MORE, WE'VE GOT TO LAY OFF FIVE
FIREFIGHTERS SO WE'LL LAY OFF
FIVE OF THEM IN THEIR 40'S WHO
ARE PAID MORE AND GET THE
YOUNGER ONES AND THAT'S JUST TOO
BAD, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE
ENOUGH YEARS TO RETIRE.
THAT'S WHAT TAKING AWAY
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS,
THAT'S WHAT BUSTING THE UNION
FOR THESE FIREFIGHTERS OR POLICE
OFFICERS OR TEACHERS OR NURSES
CAN DO.
BACK TO THE LETTER,
MR. PRESIDENT.
"IN WILLOUGHBY, DUE TO ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS, WE'VE NOT REPLACED
FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE DIED OR
RETIRED.
IN 1990, WE RAN 2,100 INCIDENTS
PER YEAR.
IN 2010, WE RAN JUST UNDER 5,000
INCIDENTS."
IN 20 YEARS, WENT FROM 2,100
RUNS TO 5,000 RUNS.
"I'M NOT SURE -- I'M SURE WE'RE
NOT THE ONLY CITY WHO CONTINUES
TO OPERATE UNDERSTAFFED, WITH
HIGHER VOLUMES.
I CONSIDER MYSELF A MODERATE
WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS.
I'VE ALWAYS VOTED FOR THOSE WHO
SUPPORT ME AS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
THAT'S WHAT TRUE PUBLIC SERVANTS
DO."
THAT WAS GEORGE, A FIREFIGHTER
IN LAKE COUNTY, OHIO, IN
WILLOUGHBY, JUST EAST OF
CLEVELAND.
MR. PRESIDENT, WHEN -- WHAT --
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, IT'S
ABOUT WHAT WE WANT OUR COUNTRY
TO BE.
DR. KING, WHOM WE HONOR, WHO WAS
ASSASSINATED 43 YEARS AGO, AS I
SAID, TODAY, DR. KING DELIVERED
THE 1965 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS IN
ANTIOCHE SPRINGS, OHIO, WHERE
CORETTA SCOTT ATTENDED MANY
YEARS BEFORE.
ON THE MORAL QUESTION OF
CONFRONTING POVERTY, DR. KING
SAID, "THERE'S NO DEFICIT IN
HUMAN RESOURCES.
THE DEFICIT IS IN HUMAN WILL."
DEFICITS.
YES, WE ALL CARE ABOUT BUDGET
WE KNOW WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARDS
A BALANCED BUDGET.
BE CREATING JOBS.
WE KNOW OUR FIRST FOCUS NEEDS TO
WE WANT TO INVEST SMARTLY AND
CUT WISELY.
BUT WE ALSO CARE ABOUT THE
EDUCATION DEFICIT.
WE CARE ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE
DEFICIT.
WE CARE ABOUT DISPARITIES IN
EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE BASED
ON CLASS AND RACE AND GENDER.
WE CARE ABOUT THE LACK OF
ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS IN UNDERSERVED
URBAN AND UNDERSERVED RURAL
APPALACHIAN AREAS, LIKE MUCH OF
THE PRESIDING OFFICER'S STATE
WHICH BORDERS AN UNDERSERVED
RURAL AREA IN MY STATE.
WE CARE -- THESE ARE THE
DEFICITS AND OUR NATION.
DEFICITS, WE CARE ABOUT THESE
BUT WHAT IS GREATER IS OUR
DEFICIT -- WHAT IS GREATER IS
OUR DEFICIT AND THE LACK OF WILL
TO CLOSE THEM.
THE QUESTION BECOMES,
MR. PRESIDENT, THEN, DO WE HAVE
THE WILL TO DO THE RIGHT THING,
DO WE HAVE THE WILL TO -- TO
FIGHT BACK IN OHIO, WHEN -- WHEN
THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE
HAVE ELIMINATED COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING, NOW EFFECTIVE IN 90
DAYS?
DO WE HAVE THE WILL TO FIGHT FOR
THE MIDDLE CLASS?
DO WE HAVE THE WILL TO
STRENGTHEN OUR COUNTRY AS WE CUT
THE TBOWG MOVE TOWARDS A
BALANCE -- CUT THE BUDGET TO
MOVE TOWARDS A BALANCED BUDGET
BUT NOT CUT THE THINGS TO MATTER
FOR A PRODUCTIVE, STRONG MIDDLE
CLASS, FOR MIDDLE-CLASS
AMERICANS AND FOR ALL THOSE
PEOPLE IN OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA
AND AROUND THIS COUNTRY THAT
ASPIRE TO JOIN THE MIDDLE CLASS?
MR. PRESIDENT, I -- I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
I NOTICE THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
I ASK UNANIMOUS
SENATOR FROM OHIO.
CONSENT TO DISPENSE WITH THE
QUORUM CALL.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT WHEN THE
SENATE COMPLETES ITS BUSINESS
TODAY, IT ADJOURN UNTIL 10:00
A.M. ON TUESDAY, APRIL 5.
THAT FOLLOWING THE PRAYER AND
PLEDGE, THE JOURNAL OF
PROCEEDINGS BE APPROVED TO DATE,
THE MORNING HOUR BE DEEMED
EXPIRED AND THE TIME FOR THE TWO
LEADERS BE RESERVED FOR THEIR
USE LATER IN THE DAY.
THE SENATE PROCEED TO A PERIOD
OF MORNING BUSINESS UNTIL 11:00
A.M. WITH SENATORS PERMITTED TO
SPEAK THEREIN FOR UP TO TEN
MINUTES EACH, WITH THE TIME
EQUALLY DIVIDED AND CONTROLLED
BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS OR THEIR
DESIGNEES, WITH THE REPUBLICANS
CONTROLLING THE FIRST HALF AND
THE MAJORITY THE FINAL HALF.
AND THAT FOLLOWING MORNING
BUSINESS, THE SENATE PROCEED TO
CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4, 109
REPEAL UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER
ORDER -- 1099 REPEAL UNDER THE
PREVIOUS ORDER.
FURTHER, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT THE
SENATE STAND IN RECESS FROM
12:30 TO 2:15 TO ALLOW FOR THE
WEEKLY CAUCUS MEETINGS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT,
SENATORS SHOULD EXPECT TWO ROLL
CALL VOTES AT APPROXIMATELY
10:00 NOON IN RELATION TO 1099
REPEAL.
WE'RE WORKING TO REACH AGREEMENT
ON THE SMALL BUSINESS BILLS.
SENATORS WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN
ADDITIONAL VOTES ARE SCHEDULED.
MR. PRESIDENT, IF THERE'S NO
FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE SENATE, I ASK THAT IT
ADJOURN UNDER THE PREVIOUS
ORDER.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THE SENATE STANDS ADJOURNED
UNTIL 10:00 A.M. TOMORROW