[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ON PROTECTING AMERICA'S WORKERS ACT OF 2007

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                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 26, 2007

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration Act (OSHA), passed in 1970, promised America's workers 
safe and healthy workplaces.
  However, OSHA has gaps in coverage and approximately 8.6 million 
State, county and municipal employees are not covered by the law. 
Public employees have the same health and safety problems as do 
private-sector workers but have no protection in more than 20 States 
and the District of Columbia.
  In addition, millions of airline and railroad employees, as well as 
Department of Energy contractors, are inadequately covered.
  Another sad reality is that many employees already covered by OSHA 
are afraid to report health and safety violations for fear of 
retribution. When an investigation does occur, however, workers and 
families are often left in the dark about the progress of the 
investigation, and too often, even when an employer commits multiple 
violations, penalties are weak and ineffective.
  The Protecting America's Workers Act improves upon OSHA in a number 
of ways: It raises civil penalties on employees and makes felony 
charges available against employers who commit willful violations. It 
also expands coverage to include public employees and millions of other 
workers who are inadequately covered by other laws. In addition, the 
Act improves upon current whistleblower protections, specifically 
giving workers the right to refuse to do hazardous work and protecting 
against employer retribution. Finally, it requires OSHA to investigate 
all cases of death and serious injuries and gives workers and families 
the right to meet with investigators.
  Since the passage of OSHA in 1970, much progress has been made. It 
has been reported that over 349,000 lives have been saved. Nonetheless, 
too many workers are still dying--5,764 in 2005--and millions of others 
are injured or become ill by working in unsafe and unhealthy 
conditions. The provisions of the Protecting America's Workers Act 
strengthen OSHA so that it can meet its promise to ensure safe and 
healthy workplaces for all Americans.

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