[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 7 (Friday, January 12, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H505-H509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
30-SOMETHING WORKING GROUP
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Altmire). The gentleman from Florida
(Mr. Meek) is recognized for 60 minutes.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to address the
House, and I will concur with my colleague, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee, in
honoring the legacy and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King and his
contributions, and I must add Ms. Coretta Scott King and the entire
King family and the King Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. This country
will be forever grateful for the contributions of the King family and
those who carry their memory.
Many of us know that Ms. Jackson-Lee is going to have a special order
on Tuesday. Many of us know that service is the way the King family
wanted us to address this upcoming Monday, being able to carry out not
only public service, which is random acts of goodwill throughout the
country and your community where you live, but especially the day that
we recognize his birthday. For his birthday to have birth here on this
House floor and in this Congress is recognized as a Federal holiday, is
something that this Congress should always hold on to.
I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me compliment the gentleman for
beginning his special order with the reference to Dr. King. Might I
just add how excited I am that Members are going home to their
districts to be able to commemorate this holiday.
Might I just cite, for the first time in Houston, Council Member Ada
Edwards and many other elected officials and myself will be walking
silently. We love parades, and we will be commemorating that, but we
will be walking silently. I want to pay tribute to that.
The AFL-CIO will be in Houston, its national officers and
representatives, the Reverend Al Sharpton, commemorating.
Finally, we will have what we call the Frontiersmen breakfast, an
annual event, for corporate Houston. I only cite that not to highlight
Houston, but to say all over America, different representations,
different communities, will be celebrating and commemorating his
holiday, which shows the broadness of his legacy.
I thank you for allowing me to speak and I thank the King family as
well.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so much, Ms. Jackson-Lee. I know that
many Members of Congress hopefully on both sides of the aisle will be
joining you during your special order in recognition of the
contributions of Dr. King and the entire King family, including Ms.
Coretta Scott King.
Mr. Speaker, I want to take an opportunity to come down, and I have
already given comments on the memory and legacy of Dr. King and the
entire family for the record, and I know that that will be entered. I
wanted to come to the floor just to sum up this week.
As you know, those of us in the 30-Something Working Group, we work
to not only let the Members know what the Congress is doing and what we
are leading in the direction of that the American people would like for
us to go in in all areas, need it be defense, need it be standing up on
behalf of our most vulnerable members of our society, our children and
our elderly, those that have put forth opportunities so that we would
have a better America. When we think about and reflect just on the last
few hours here in the House and we reflect on what happened last week
and the beginning of this week, I can't help but what we say in the
Baptist Church, since I am Baptist, testify for a moment.
I have been in Congress now two terms. I believe we have done more in
the last week and one or two days than we have done in a very long time
as it relates to the 109th and 110th Congress.
I come today to report, because I know that some would say that while
everything is happening and everything is going in reverse and people
are not being included and goodness gracious, why didn't we have 10,000
hours of committee work, well, I would just say for everything that has
passed, it seems like the American people are happier and pleased with
the way this Congress is moving with its work.
I just want to make sure, because you can't say it enough, because it
is important that the record is correct. When Members come to the
floor, it is important that Members reflect on what they say before
they come to the floor.
This is America. You are elected from your district. You can come and
voice your opinion, not only of your constituents, but of all
Americans, but I think it is important when we look at the
Congressional Record that we are as accurate as possible.
Historians will look back at this time and say, let me see what took
place during that time in this country's history. I think it is
important that the American people know that even though we represent
individual districts, like I represent Miami Dade County and Broward
County in Florida, I have to make sure that I carry not only the will
of the people from that district, but also the American people. That is
the reason why we have to make sure that the Members are informed of
what actually took place, in case some forgot, and that the American
people know what is going on. I say all of that to lay the facts out,
and the facts are the facts.
The fact is that in the last Congress, the 109th Congress and the
Congress before that one, the American people were very disappointed in
what was not taking place, Mr. Speaker. It so great we have a 30-
Something Working Group in this U.S. House of Representatives. I think
I said the last time we were on the House floor, I believe just the
night before last, we said we didn't create this 30-Something Working
Group just to get in the majority. We didn't create the 30-Something
Working Group, thanks to the Speaker, who then was minority leader at
that time. We wanted to make sure the American people and the Members
of this Congress knew that we wanted to work in a bipartisan way
towards tackling the issues that the American people wanted us to
tackle and represent them and not the special interests.
Now, there are some folk that are still on the other side of the
aisle that are disappointed that the American people are getting what
they have been asking for, need it be polling or what have you. I can
tell you, some of my friends on the other side, a lot of my friends on
the other side agree with us, and when I say ``us,'' I am saying the
Members on the Democratic side, on issues that are bipartisan.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for us to reflect on the fact
that there are some Members on the majority side that have been asking
for that all along. A majority of the Members on the minority side have
been asking for bipartisanship. Now we have it.
Now you have the minority party, or the minority leadership, I must
add, on the Republican side, they are so concerned that so many of
their Members are working in a bipartisan way. It is not because they
like the Democratic Members on the majority side. It is because they
are voting on behalf of their constituents.
Well, what is wrong with that? I came down to the floor because, you
know, I was with my daughter and we are in the office, it is the end of
the
[[Page H506]]
week, we are about to get some things together, and I said, you know, I
want to continue to have the minority spirit that I had in the 108th
and the 109th Congress, to say that this is historic in recent times,
and working in a bipartisan manner.
Now, if I wasn't serious about bipartisanship and if the Democratic
leadership wasn't serious about bipartisanship, I wouldn't be here. We
are serious about this. We have got work to do. We don't have time to
sit around here and say, I come here with a donkey hat on and say I am
a Democrat and hail to the Democrats, whatever, you know. Bow down,
what have you. We are in charge, and, you know, walking around here and
looking important and not saying ``hello'' when I walk by people in the
hall. That is not what this is about.
This is about working in a bipartisan way on behalf of the American
people. I am so glad the Democratic leadership has embraced that. I am
so glad that all Democrats here on this floor have embraced that.
I am also very pleased and glad that many of the Republicans have
embraced that. Maybe not their leadership, because as far as I am
concerned, on many of the issues that we passed on this floor a good
number of Republicans have voted for it in this past week, Mr. Speaker
and Members, but the Republican leadership are not voting for it.
Why? They want to show the difference between us and them. Well, we
are not in the business of us and them anymore. And I think it is
important that the American people and the Members understand that
there is a public out there that is paying attention. There is a public
out there. We have an escalation of troops out there now.
Well, we are going to separate the Members of Congress from the
followers. Members are going to have to have a choice in what they want
to be. We have to stand up on behalf of the people that have elected us
and federalized us to serve in this U.S. House of Representatives on
their behalf.
Mr. Speaker, case in point. I will just make my point with this, and
I would move on to other things. I think it is important that we
understand in adopting the rules of the 110th Congress, there were many
carrying on and saying, well, why do we have to do that? We have a new
set of rules and we want to be better than you, when the Republican
leadership had an opportunity to set those rules.
Mr. Speaker, I hold in my hand four pages of how under Republican
control on more than 14 or 15 or even 20 examples, as a matter of fact,
it is not four pages, it is six pages, of how Democrats were blocked,
how Democrats weren't even allowed to offer amendments. House votes
were held open for 3 hours, making U.S. history on behalf of special
interests while they twisted arms. That is the past.
I got it right here. If any Member wants to come down on the floor
and debate me on this, we can get a time and talk about this, because,
you know something, we are right on this one. The people are right.
So, if you want to talk, these are the facts. The Congressional
Record, you can go and cite it, because we in the 30-Something Working
Group on this side of the aisle, we don't talk fiction, we talk fact,
because that is the only thing that will hold up; not only the test
here on this floor but the test of the American people, that challenge.
I want to commend some of the Republicans and all of my caucus for
voting for some of the good things. The rules of the House, like I was
mentioning, 232 Democrats with one Democrat not voting because they
weren't here on the rules of the House.
Forty-eight Republicans joined us on PAYGO, which brought about the
kind of accountability that we needed in this House to be able to stop
the out-of-control spending that the Republican Congress has built up.
That was this chart. There are so many people that are familiar with
this. The record, $1.05 trillion that was spent under Bush and the
Republican Congress in just 4 years, that trumped 42 presidents and 224
years of history. $1.01 trillion.
{time} 1645
That vote started moving this in reverse, Mr. Speaker, saying that we
would no longer spend, and I wouldn't even say the Federal tax dollars
because we borrow from all of these countries to carry out that out-of-
control spending, which we put together this chart to show all of the
countries that we owe because of reckless spending and not living under
PAYGO rules, pay-as-we-go rules. And so I think that is important for
the Members to know and reflect upon. So if it was so bad, Mr. Speaker,
why did 48 Republicans vote for it?
Now, I can tell you right now, I am pretty sure there are Members on
the other side saying I am not voting with Democrats just to vote with
Democrats. They are voting because that is what their constituents
want. And if we are to work in a bipartisan way, I think it is
important for them to continue to join us on great ideas. There will be
times when there will be partisan votes on this floor, but they should
be few, especially when it comes down to issues of the Federal
Treasury.
Mr. Speaker, on implementing the recommendations of the 9/11
Commission, we were here on this floor talking time and time again
about following the bipartisan commission report on making America
safer. What is wrong with screening containers coming into this country
before making it to U.S. ports? What is wrong with making sure we carry
out all of the 9/11 recommendations? This was 9/11. We went to the war
in Afghanistan, running after al-Qaeda and doing away with the Taliban
because of 9/11.
Now, 9/11 Commission members and the American people, Democrats,
Republicans and independents, are happy that we voted on this. Again,
all the Democrats voted for it, with 68 Republicans voting for it. Mr.
Speaker, that is the reason why we have some Members on the other side
of the aisle running to the floor complaining. They are not complaining
because they happen to be upset with us, and when I say us, I mean the
Democrat majority, they are complaining because their Members are
voting for their constituents.
I am sure there are Republican Members that are saying, I am a member
of the Republican Caucus, I am not trying to caucus with the Democrats,
but they are trying to represent their constituents. So let them. And
so for the 68 Republicans who voted on behalf of the 9/11
recommendations, why not? It is protecting their constituents in
America. Good for you.
So much work has been done, very little talk but so much work, on the
minimum wage. Mr. Speaker, I cannot say enough about this. We have the
charts from the 109th Congress, because I think it is important that
Members don't get amnesia. We have a lot of new Members trying to
figure out how to get around the office buildings here in Washington,
D.C. I have been here now going on my third term, and I am still trying
to figure out a few things myself, but I think it is important when it
comes down to the business of the House, and you want to stay in the
House and you want to have this honor to represent not only the people
in your district but the American people, and you want to do right on
behalf of the American people, then it is important, Mr. Speaker, that
we share this good information not only with the new Members but the
present Members that have been here, because the American people have
spoken.
Let me share these figures. These are the pay increases of Members of
Congress. In 1998, $3,100; in 2000, $4,600; 2001, $3,800; 2002, $4,900;
2003, $4,700; 2004, $3,400; 2005, $4,000; and 2006, $3,100.
Now, here is the point that is very, very important, Mr. Speaker and
Members. I am not here to say that, well, you know, this is not
justified. Just as a Member who is financially challenged, like myself,
I will tell you there are some Members here, this cost-of-living
adjustment, whatever the case may be, maintaining two households, I
don't want to make an argument there. But if Members felt it was
important to give themselves a raise and at the point when you start
getting in the back years, the Democrat leadership made the decision
that we will not give ourselves a pay raise unless the American people
get it because we are tired of fighting for a pay raise for them, yet
when it comes to Members of Congress, please join us in making sure we
get a cost-of-living adjustment.
We put our foot down. And now, this week, Mr. Speaker, we were able
to
[[Page H507]]
give the American people a pay raise. Not because Republicans said we
should do it. It is because we have a Democratic controlled Congress.
And that is the problem that some Members on the minority side have
with progress on behalf of the American people.
It is going to be $7.25 that people are going to be making now.
Believe it or not, we are going to get it passed in the Senate and the
President will hopefully sign it. We had 82 Republicans that joined,
and all the Democrats on this side of the aisle, in voting to increase
the minimum wage. What we called the fair Minimum Wage Act. But, Mr.
Speaker, the Republican leadership voted against it.
How do you jump on top of the head of somebody making $5.15 an hour?
How do you stand on top of their head and say, well, you know, we can't
do it because it is gonna hurt somebody. CEOs are making, oh, boy, they
are making more than the minimum wage worker would make in their entire
lifetime, Mr. Speaker. In some instances, in a month. Yet we have
Members here standing on top of the head of folks making $5.25 an hour
and still carrying on about the vote.
If it is so bad, Mr. Speaker, why did 82 Republicans join Democrats
in voting for what was right? Why? Because they were representing their
constituents. So I commend all my Democratic colleagues that have been
waiting for an opportunity to vote on the floor on the minimum wage,
and I commend the chairman, Mr. George Miller. I am glad he lived long
enough to see this happen there in the Education and Labor Committee.
But 82 Republicans joined Democrats in that. And that is good and
that is bipartisan and it was the right thing to do, and I am glad they
did it. But I want to make sure, Mr. Speaker, while we are here setting
the record straight, not only talking about the vision of the
Democratic leadership and caucus but also talking about bipartisanship,
because that is the reason why I came to the floor today, to talk about
bipartisanship. That is the record.
I don't care what anyone else says. And I say again, these
Republicans voted for this Democratic movement to raise the minimum
wage because it was a part of our six in 2006 plan. Now, some may say,
well, let's have a committee meeting. Well, goodness, let me just show
you this, six pages, six pages where we did not have committee
meetings. In the 108th Congress I saw with my own eyes a bill filed in
the morning, went to the Rules Committee, and was on the floor and
passed by 2 p.m., and then passed in the Senate and went to the White
House the next day. For one person I watched it happen.
So don't come to the floor, especially when it comes down to
something like the Federal minimum wage that will help workers
throughout this country and start raising a ``yeah, but.'' It is
progress. I think the people like it. I think that is why they elected
us to come to Congress, to get something done.
Here is another point. The Medicare Prescription Drug Price
Negotiation Act. Why is the Republican minority so scared of this? I
can't understand it. Well, I look at companies, and I look at HMOs, and
I look at other folks that have price negotiating opportunities and
they are trying to drive down the price with their little group that
they are dealing with. And now we are saying, the Federal Government,
let's get the Secretary to try to see if he or she can make this
happen. What is the problem? I can tell you what the problem is, it is
that 24 Republicans voted with all Democrats to make that happen. What
is wrong with that?
While I talk about the fact that my Republican colleagues are joining
us in bipartisanship, you have to commend the Democratic leadership on
this side of the aisle for having the gumption to do what they said
they would do. Now, that may seem like something very small in American
households throughout the country, because usually when you say you are
going to do something, you do it. You know, I tell my mother, I tell a
family member that I am going to do something, I try my best to do it.
But when I make a promise, I have got to do it.
We made a promise, and it is not a secret, that the minimum wage
would be raised in the first 100 hours. We made a promise we would pass
a package on ethics. We made a promise that we would make sure that we
have price negotiations for prescription drugs. We made a promise, Mr.
Speaker, that we would reverse royalties and other tax breaks to large
oil companies and make sure that we have innovation in alternative
fuels. We made a promise, Mr. Speaker, that we would reduce the student
loan package; making sure that we reduce what the Republican Congress
did, taking money to give to the super wealthy in this country a tax
break.
We promised we would do these things. We promised, Mr. Speaker, that
we would do this in the first 100 hours. Everyone knew it. It wasn't a
secret. We promised that we would make sure we wouldn't de-fund the
troops when they are in harm's way. The troops. Then all of a sudden
you get this escalation in troops.
What is about to happen, Mr. Speaker, and I think the administration
knows, and I think the minority party knows that we are about to have
some committee meeting in a few minutes. We have just organized this
Congress and we are going to start asking some of the tough questions.
Where did this money go? Why was this company over here able to abuse
this contract and nothing was said? Why are they still receiving
Federal dollars? Why are these eight brigades of Army reservists going
back to Iraq for a fifth term? Why don't we have other coalition
partners joining us? Why won't we take the training wheels off the
Iraqi government? All of these questions have to be answered.
I like the bipartisan spirit that is going through the floor as a
Congress now, or in the halls of Congress. I think it is important that
we continue to encourage that, Mr. Speaker and Members. And I think it
is important that Members realize that, especially when they come to
the floor to start talking about issues that are facing the American
people. During the 109th Congress, one of the most partisan Congresses,
which passed no bipartisan votes, this week we passed bills with 60,
70, 80 Republicans joining us on these votes.
So I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that, again, we let the
facts roll out. Again, I challenge my colleagues. And the reason why I
can stand here with great confidence, Mr. Speaker, and the reason why I
can even challenge some of my Republican colleagues or those outside of
this great institution of ours, the House of Representatives, the
people's house, is that I speak of the truth. If I wasn't speaking the
truth, and if I wasn't citing the Congressional Record, you know, this
notebook is just not a page on the top and newspaper in the middle.
These are facts.
So as we move forth in this 110th Congress in a bipartisan way, and
making America stronger and better for our children and grandchildren,
let that happen. The Republican leadership can say whatever they want.
We are in the majority. But you know something, we still have a
minority spirit. The minority spirit is making sure that we fight on
behalf of those who need representation in this House. Not the special
interests.
The special interests have their representation, or they had it here
in this House. And those that continue to carry the water on behalf of
the special interests that are totally against or versus the American
people, Mr. Speaker, because it is right, they will lose. And that is
just where it is.
So when we start talking about the integrity of the U.S. House of
Representatives, we start talking about the things we would like to do
on behalf of the American people, then we are serious about it. Now, if
folks want to be serious about coming and representing special
interests against the will of the American people, have at it, because
there are Members of this Congress, or former Members of this Congress,
who did that. And guess what? They are reading what the Congress is
doing in the newspaper when it is dropped on their front door.
I am not going to be a part of that group. I am here to make sure we
represent the folk that sent us up here to represent them.
{time} 1700
I think it is important that we remember that. Have faith in the
American will. If every Member was to carry
[[Page H508]]
themselves in the way the night that they were elected or the day that
they were elected, of all the things they said they wanted to do before
they got here, then this would be a better country. I think it is
important, Mr. Speaker, that while we have that spirit, bipartisanship,
let's continue it. Let's continue the spirit. It's not about being in
the majority and we just want as a strategy to keep you in the
minority, no, it's not a strategy to keep the Republicans in the
minority. It's just representing the American people. They have had
their opportunity to do it. They had the last 12 years to do it. They
can't come here and say, we balanced the budget. All they can say is
that we have deficits as far as the eye can see.
What did we do? First order of business, Mr. Speaker, not only
passing a new rules package that cut out a lot of the stuff that went
on in the 109th Congress, the 108th Congress, the 107th Congress, but
we also passed the pay-as-you-go rule to make sure that we say we're
going to spend it, we show how we're going to pay for it.
I can tell you right now, that is a paradigm shift coming from this
side of the aisle that we have the only record in Congress in balancing
the budget. We on this side of the aisle are the only party that can
say that without one Republican vote that took place. When that happens
again, Mr. Speaker, as we work through trying to dig out of the ditch
that the Republican leadership put the American people in, we want to
do it in a bipartisan way. We don't want history to repeat itself
without one Republican vote we balanced the budget. We don't want that
to happen.
When we deal with Social Security again, we want it to happen just
like when Tip O'Neill was sitting in that seat, Mr. Speaker, and Ronald
Reagan was in the White House. They got together in a bipartisan way
and said, let's save Social Security together. We don't need to run
around here with a flag that says Democrat and says, we did it and they
didn't. Let's work together. Let's work together in making that happen.
That is why it is very, very important, Mr. Speaker, that we work in
this bipartisan spirit as we move forward.
Mr. Speaker, as we reflect on the past, I just wanted to come down to
the floor and make sure that we set the record straight that there are
a lot of things that happened and did not happen in the 109th and 108th
Congress. I am only speaking for the Congresses that I have been here
for. My mother before me served in the five Congresses before that, so
there was a lot of dining room table talk about what was going on here
in Congress or what wasn't going on here in Congress. But I can tell
you as it relates to the Democratic side of the aisle and even the
Republican side of the aisle, Members voting common sense, Members
voting on behalf of their constituents back home, I like what I see.
The American people like what they see. If we didn't like the
bipartisanship, Mr. Speaker, there would be no reason to come to the
floor and share ideas and plans with the Republican Members of the
House because we said, well, we just want all the credit for what's
happening right now. No, we share that in a bipartisan spirit and we
stand on the mountain of bipartisanship in this new 110th Congress.
The Republican leadership is trying not to stand on that mountain of
bipartisanship. They want to stand on the mountain of us against them.
Well, this is the U.S. Congress. This is us. It's not us against them.
That is a debate for somewhere else. But these major, major, major,
major issues that I outlined here in the last 30 minutes, Mr. Speaker,
are bipartisan issues that we should be able to join elbow to elbow and
lock in together and work together on these issues. I look forward to
dealing with this, working with not only the American people on these
issues but also Members of Congress on dealing with this issue of doing
away with this issue of partisanship on major issues.
I wanted to let my Democratic colleagues and leadership know that we
are on the right track. We are on the right track and the reason why we
are here in the U.S. Congress. We are on the right track in working on
behalf of the American people, all of us. If someone tries to pull you
away from voting otherwise, against your constituents, you need to
share with them that you love being a Member of the U.S. Congress, want
to continue being a Member of the U.S. Congress, because those who
voted against the will of their constituents are no longer Members of
Congress. That's something to take into consideration.
As we have talked about the minimum wage, Mr. Speaker, I am so glad
to be joined by my colleague who represents the American Samoa islands.
I want to thank him for being here. We have worked together over the
last two Congresses. Before that he worked with my mother who was here.
They are good friends. I am so glad you came down to the floor to join
me.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank my colleague and dear friend for allowing
me to intervene in this special order and I really appreciate the
courtesy extended to me to discuss the issue of H.R. 2 which was
recently passed by this body yesterday. As you know, one of the
specific provisions of the bill provides for the application of the
Federal Labor Standards Act to the Northern Marianas territories. I do
want to say that in a response to recent comments made by our
colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry), saying to
the effect that something is fishy about this proposed legislation, I
would suggest that before he starts spouting off his mouth, perhaps he
should get the facts first before expressing an opinion to this issue.
The fact of the matter is the Fair Labor Standards Act does apply to
American Samoa, my district, since 1938. So this whole idea that
American Samoa has received a special exemption and the Fair Labor
Standards Act not being applicable to my district is totally wrong and
erroneous. The fact of the matter is since 1956, the Congress amended
the Fair Labor Standards Act requiring at that time most of the
territories, who are very difficult in terms of economic development
and in the process the other territories went on their own ways and the
Federal minimum wage law became applicable, except for my district.
The fact of the matter is under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the
U.S. Department of Labor every 2 years would constitute a committee
composed of those who were members of the labor union, someone
representing management, someone representing the local government
officials and for a whole week we would conduct hearings in trying to
determine what is the economic status of the territory relative to its
ability to provide what is considered fair and equitable salaries and
wages for both government workers as well as the private industry
workers.
It so happens that rather than being called a banana republic, I am a
tuna republic because that is our main industry. I happen to have the
two largest tuna canning facilities in the world. We export almost $500
million of canned tuna to the United States and provides 5,000 workers
employment opportunities. I have in my district Starkist Corporation
that was owned by Heinz Corporation, is now owned by Del Monte, whose
headquarters are based in San Francisco, and Chicken of the Sea's
headquarters is based in San Diego.
The fact of the matter is I wanted to note for my colleagues, the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) and also the gentlewoman
from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), that the reason why this provision is
to include Northern Marianas is because the Northern Marianas is not
included in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
I might also want to note the fact that our colleague, George Miller,
for years has been very concerned about the garment industry that
developed out of the Northern Mariana islands. And who were the best
patrons of the problems that we have in the Northern Marianas? A fellow
by the name of Jack Abramoff and former Congressman Tom DeLay. And
every time we talk about sweat shops, the way that expatriates were
being hired, cheap labor and the real serious problems that we have had
in the Northern Marianas, the Republican Congress did not take any
action on the matter.
The fact of the matter is there is a fellow by the name of Willie Tan
who was closely associated with Mr. Abramoff. After finding out that he
had violated how many Federal labor laws, he paid up front $9 million,
not even questioning whether or not that the investigators that went
there to
[[Page H509]]
find out if there were violations of labor laws, he went and he paid
off on this.
What has happened is that the garment industry in the Northern
Marianas has gone down. And where is Mr. Willie Tan now operating his
garment factories? In China. I think it would be important for our
Republican colleagues first to understand, we are not exempted under
the standards of the Fair Labor Standards Act. I want to make that
point clear and I really, really appreciate the gentleman allowing me
to correct these sweeping statements made by our colleagues from the
other side suggesting that our Speaker has made this special provision
just to exempt one of her corporate constituency which happens to be
Del Monte. This is not true. This is absolutely not true.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. There is so much going on right now that is
working on behalf of the American people. There are some Members of the
minority party that feel that they need to come to the floor and raise
objection to that, with the blessings of the Republican leadership.
Because when you come to the floor, you have to have the okay of the
leadership of your side of the aisle. I went through earlier this
afternoon about Republicans joining Democrats in these votes. This
bipartisan spirit, that is the only way I can figure this out because
the misinformation that is coming to the floor and that is being given
out to the American people, Mr. Speaker, you represent the area that
they are so concerned about and they don't even bother to pick up the
phone and say, is this true or that true or even doing the research.
You can look in the law.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Not even the courtesy, to my colleague from
Florida, to make such statements and to say that the honorable Speaker
from San Francisco is being hypocritical in saying that one of her
constituent companies is being let off the hook in this exception for
American Samoa because we have the presence of Del Monte through the
Starkist Company that does the packing of canned fish in my district.
It is right there. I wanted to be very plain and clear on this and
wanted to note, also, that Mr. George Miller for the last 15 years as
the senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee has
brought this to the attention of the Republican Congress how many
times, to say something is going on that is wrong with the sweat shops
that were developed out of some of these business people only to take
advantage of the cheap labor.
I say that, yes, the beginning salaries of the workers that we have
there is below Federal minimum wage. But there is a reason for it and
that is the reason why the Federal Government through an act passed by
the Congress since 1956, we followed that religiously for the last 2
years. I have disagreements also at times with the two major corporate
companies that do business in my district, but that is part of the
process and I have always advocated that we should get better, higher
salaries for our workers. But in the process, the point that I wanted
to make to our colleagues and friends in letting them know is that,
yes, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Federal law relating to Federal
labor standards does apply to the territory of American Samoa. However,
in the Northern Marianas there is nothing.
There is a real interesting question. Because the Northern Marianas
came into this unique political relationship with the United States
which is called a covenant relationship, there may be some provisions
in there that are going to be questioned. It is my intention that I am
going to call Chairman Rahall as well as Mr. Miller. We hope to have an
oversight hearing on this issue as soon as we can at the earliest
possibility, maybe sometime next month. We want to find out exactly the
whole thing.
But for them to say that there is a double standard that our side of
the aisle have taken is utterly not true. I want to make that firmly
established in the Record. I will elaborate on this issue more
specifically sometime next week when I take a special order, but I do
want to thank my good friend and colleague from Florida for giving me
this opportunity to clarify this, I wouldn't call it a misunderstanding
but a misaccusation, I suppose, is a better word for saying it. But I
do want to thank my good friend for allowing me to say this.
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