[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 102 (Thursday, July 11, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H7269-H7270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      STRIKING THE ERGONOMIC RIDER

  (Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, later this morning the House will vote on my 
amendment to the Labor, HHS bill which would strike the extreme rider 
which ties OSHA's hands on reptitive

[[Page H7270]]

motion injuries and prohibits them from even developing voluntary 
guidelines.
  This extreme rider prohibits even, as I say, voluntarily guidelines 
requested by many concerned businesses and would prohibit the 
collection of data on the frequency of such injuries.
  Mr. Speaker, repetitive stress injuries are the fastest growing 
health problem in the American workplace. This year 2.7 million workers 
will file workers compensation claims for repetitive motion injuries 
costing Americans employers at least $20 billion. Nonetheless, OSHA 
would be prohibited from even answering questions about how to prevent 
these injuries.
  Adopting my reasonable amendment would help businesses reduce their 
workers compensation costs, reduce injuries to the American worker and 
increase U.S. productivity in the workplace. I urge my colleagues to 
support my amendment on ergonomics.

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