IV 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 182 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 17, 2011 Mr. Nadler (for himself, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Rangel, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Engel, Mr. Israel, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Owens, Ms. Richardson, Mr. Berman, Mr. Payne, Mr. Sires, Ms. Woolsey, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Olver, Ms. Wilson of Florida, and Mr. Lewis of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce RESOLUTION Recognizing the historical significance of the Triangle Fire in the struggle to improve worker safety standards and protections on the 100th anniversary of the fire.

Whereas, on March 25, 1911, a fire, commonly referred to as the Triangle Fire, broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory; Whereas the factory was located on the top floors of the Asch Building on the corner of Greene Street and Washington Place in New York City; Whereas fire inspections and precautions proved woefully inadequate; Whereas the fire swept through the factory in under a half hour; Whereas employees were unprepared for the fire because the Triangle Shirtwaist Company did not conduct fire drills and locked doors hindered the evacuation; Whereas 146 of the 600 factory employees died in the fire; Whereas the factory conditions had also been deplorable, and included poor sanitation and overcrowding; Whereas the victims were predominantly European Jewish and Italian immigrants who had recently emigrated with their families to the United States in search of a better life; Whereas in the wake of the Triangle Fire tragedy, people throughout the Nation demanded restitution, justice, and action to safeguard the vulnerable and oppressed; Whereas the Triangle Fire sparked massive protests by people angry at the indifference and greed that led to the Triangle Fire tragedy; Whereas over the next 20 years, there was a substantial effort to alleviate the most dangerous aspects of sweatshop manufacturing in New York and throughout the Nation; Whereas the labor movement and progressive organizations fought a long and difficult battle to secure a right to safe and decent working conditions in factories; Whereas, on February 17, 2001, the last survivor of the Triangle Fire, Rose Freedman, passed away at the age of 107; Whereas although the public outrage resulting from the Triangle Fire eventually subsided, the Triangle Fire and its victims were not forgotten; Whereas the Triangle Fire raised awareness of the many difficult conditions endured by factory workers and paved the way for worker protection laws; and Whereas March 25, 2011 is the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Fire: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)recognizes the historical significance of the fire that occurred on March 25, 1911, at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory, commonly referred to as the Triangle Fire, in the struggle to improve worker safety standards and protections; (2)honors the victims of the Triangle Fire; and (3)commends all the government agencies, labor unions, and industry groups that attempted to aid the victims of the Triangle Fire and played instrumental roles in facilitating lasting improvement in worker safety standards and protections.