[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 55 (Wednesday, May 6, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORT THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO WORK ACT
(Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak for 80 percent of
Americans who support the National Right to Work Act, H.R. 59.
The National Right to Work Act repeals those sections of Federal law
that give union officials the power to force workers to pay union dues
as a condition of employment.
Compulsory unionism violates employers' and employees' constitutional
rights of freedom of contract and association. Congress has no
constitutional authority to force employees to pay union dues to a
labor union as a condition of getting or keeping a job.
Passage of the National Right to Work Act would be a major step
forward in ending Congress' illegitimate interference in the labor
markets and liberating America's economy from heavy-handed government
intervention. Since Congress created this injustice, we have the moral
responsibility to work to end it, Mr. Speaker.
The 80 percent of Americans who support right-to-work deserve to know
which Members of Congress support worker freedom. I, therefore, urge
the congressional leadership, the majority of which have promised to
place a National Right to Work Act on the floor, to fulfill their
promise to the American people and schedule a time certain for a vote
on H.R. 59.
____________________