[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1809-S1810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL RIGHT TO WORK ACT, S. 764

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I recently reviewed a video tape of some 
of the violence that occurred during the labor dispute between Overnite 
Trucking and the Teamsters. I am shocked and disturbed by the violent 
attacks that have been carried out against

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Overnite drivers simply because they have decided to work and provide 
for their families.
  Under a legal loophole created in federal law, union officials, who 
organize and coordinate campaigns of violence to ``obtain so called 
legitimate union objectives,'' are exempt from federal prosecution 
under the Hobbs Act. An update of a 1983 union violence study, released 
by the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School Industrial Research 
Unit entitled: ``Union Violence: The Record and the Response of the 
Courts, Legislatures, and the NLRB,'' revealed some disturbing news. 
While the overall number of strikes has been on the decline, union 
violence has increased. The study also showed the violence is now more 
likely to be targeted toward individuals.
  Mr. President, violence is violence and extortion is extortion 
regardless of whether or not you are a card carrying member of a union. 
I am proud to be a cosponsor of S. 764, the Freedom from Union Violence 
Act. This legislation would plug the loopholes in the Hobbs Act and 
make all individuals accountable for their actions. I believe that 
people should be reprimanded for using violence to obstruct the law. We 
should not give special treatment to union violence cases or union 
bosses. Senator Thurmond has set out to clarify that union-related 
violence can be prosecuted. I commend Senator Thurmond for introducing 
this much-needed legislation.
  During the 105th Congress, the Judiciary Committee conducted a 
hearing on the Freedom from Union Violence Act. After listening to and 
reviewing the wrenching testimony of victims of union violence at this 
hearing, I am now more certain of the need to eliminate these 
loopholes. For these reasons I respectfully urge my colleague Senator 
Hatch, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to schedule hearings 
and a markup of S. 764, the Freedom from Union Violence Act, as soon as 
possible. I also urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
important legislation. It is time to end federally endorsed violence. 
Conducting hearings on this issue would be a step in the right 
direction.

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