[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 106 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H5671]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CUTTING AMERICAN WORKERS

  (Mr. GREEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GREEN. Mr. Speaker, the Republican majority has placed a 
provision in the budget bill to expand the definition of independent 
contractor. Because of the negotiation on tax cuts and health insurance 
for children and Medicare, not much has been said about this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, this provision goes a long way toward taking away many 
of the benefits that employees need. We are not talking about personal 
parking spaces or perks. We are talking about health insurance 
coverage, pensions, and employer contributions to Social Security and 
unemployment insurance.
  Employers say they want clear rules on how to classify an independent 
contractor. We can clarify those rules very easily without leaving a 
hole that one can drive a Mack truck through.
  If this provision passes, perhaps millions of workers will lose their 
benefits and be classified as working for themselves, even though this 
is not the case. Outside of Washington people are concerned about and 
oppose this systematic downsizing and lowering of our standard of 
living. That is what this provision will do.
  There is lots in that tax bill to be concerned about, but one of the 
things I am concerned about is the complaint of the American people 
that their standard of living is being lowered. They are doing it with 
this Republican bill.

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