[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1539-S1540]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 WORKERS' DECLINING STANDARD OF LIVING

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I think we all ought to listen to the 
Senator from North Dakota. I think the Senator from North Dakota laid 
it out very well and if we listen to what he says and the direction he 
wants to go, he has within him the American dream. It was instilled in 
him as a boy. He could be my son. That's the difference in age. I hope 
I have instilled into my son that he has that opportunity.
  But, Mr. President, our Nation's economy is strong and it is growing. 
Home ownership, when you read the records, is at its highest rate in 15 
years. Mr. President 7.8 million new jobs have been created in the last 
3 years. And the administration's 1993 economic plan has cut the 
deficit nearly in half. However, for the first time--and I underscore 
first time--in our country's history, productivity is surging but real 
wages for workers are declining. That is unacceptable. That is just 
unacceptable, that productivity is surging and real wages for workers 
are declining.
  The majority of Americans are working longer and harder, as my friend 
from North Dakota said, without the promise of higher wages or job 
security from their employers.
  The days of having one parent at home with the child, or children, 
are becoming a distant memory for many, many families in this country. 
American working families need both parents' incomes now, in order to 
make ends meet. The number of two-worker families rose by more than 20 
percent in the 1980's and more than 7 million workers--think about 
this--7 million workers are holding more than one job. At least two. 
The largest increase in population of working spouses was among 
families earning the least money.
  There is no question the standard of living of American working 
families is declining. Workers have invested their hard work, their 
time--and let me underscore--loyalty to the company they work for, and 
employment in the companies, and are being repaid with layoffs, 
downsizing, and relocation by these same employers.
  The American dream is fast becoming a distant vision for many 
American working families.
  Society is changing with the growth in technology. Computers are 
replacing jobs that were once done by hand. We need to change the 
outlook for the American work force by adjusting our education and 
training opportunities to reflect the needs of the marketplace.
  We can no longer view the development of a skilled work force 
separately from development of the business community. By adjusting to 
the needs of the business community we can provide our workers with 
good jobs at real wages. Government cannot solve this problem alone.
  Let me give an example. In my home State of Kentucky the business 
community, the educational community and local leaders are working 
together through school-to-work, and work force development programs, 
to create jobs for the future. We are creating high-technology jobs at 
high-technology wages. This is a partnership: Education, partnership 
with business; partnership with government.
  Government cannot be all things to all people but it can be an honest 
partner.
  Kentucky has taken the approach that students not entering college 
should have both a high school diploma and certified skills, enabling 
them to enter the work force at a living wage.
  So, Mr. President, in order to prepare our work force of the future 
we must maintain the tools such as school-to-work that have succeeded 
in places like my State of Kentucky. The President has requested that 
funding for school-to-work be restored and I think it should be in the 
next continuing resolution. I ask my colleagues to support this add-
back, which will assist 27 States in building statewide school-to-work 
transition systems.
  I appreciate the efforts of my colleagues, Senator Bingaman, Senator 
Daschle, Senator Dorgan. I feel their report addresses issues that are 
foremost in the minds of American families.
  I read the other day a statement, I do not know who to attribute it 
to, but I

[[Page S1540]]

am going to repeat it. ``A cut in education never heals.''
  A cut in education never heals, and in there lies our responsibility.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senator from New 
Mexico, Senator Bingaman, is recognized to speak for up to 30 minutes.

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