[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NATIONAL TELEWORK WEEK

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 2, 2007

  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, today my colleague Rep. John Sarbanes is 
joining with me in introducing a resolution to promote the 
establishment of National Telework Week and provide an opportunity to 
encourage more employers to consider telework for their employees. 
Telework should be a regular part of the 21st century workplace. The 
best part of telework is that it improves the quality of life for all.
  Nearly 20 million Americans telework today, and according to experts, 
at least 40 percent of American jobs are compatible with telework. 
Telework reduces traffic congestion and air pollution. It reduces gas 
consumption and our dependency on foreign oil. Telework is good for 
families--working parents have flexibility to meet everyday demands. 
Telework provides people with disabilities greater job opportunities. 
Telework helps fill our Nation's labor market shortage. It is also a 
good way for retirees to pick up part-time work.
  Companies save significantly when they have a strong telecommuting 
program. At one national telecommunications company, nearly 25 percent 
of its employees work from home at least one day per week. The company 
found positive results in the way of fewer days of sick leave, better 
worker retention, higher productivity, and increased morale.
  According to a George Mason University (Fairfax, VA) study, for every 
1 percent of the Washington metropolitan region workforce that 
telecommutes, there is a 3 percent reduction in traffic delays. George 
Mason University completed another study which suggests that on Friday 
mornings there is a 2 to 4 percent drop in traffic volume in the 
Washington metro region, a so-called ``Friday effect.''
  This is promising news because it means that with just a 1 to 2 
percent increase in the number of commuters who leave their cars parked 
and instead telework just one or two days per week, we could get to the 
so-called ``Friday effect'' all week long.
  Just a few weeks ago the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M 
University released its annual traffic congestion study which 
calculates that congestion creates a $78 billion annual drain on the 
U.S. economy due to 4.2 million lost hours of productivity and 2.9 
billion gallons of wasted gas. That's not even considering the air 
pollutants caused by idling vehicles around the Nation.
  I have stated before that work is something you do, not someplace you 
go. Hopefully we can make telework as commonplace as the morning 
traffic report. There is nothing magical about strapping ourselves into 
a car and driving sometimes up to an hour and a half, arriving at a 
workplace and sitting before a computer. We can access the same 
information from a computer in our living rooms. Wouldn't it be great 
if we could replace the evening rush hour commute with time spent with 
the family, or coaching little league or other important quality of 
life matters?
  It is time that employers give telework a shot. National Telework 
Week is an ideal time for employers, for just one day during one week 
of the year to allow employees to work from home or an alternative work 
site. I know that telework may not work for every job. But, there are 
jobs today that lend themselves to telework for which employees make 
the trip into the office every day of the week. Resources abound to 
help employees and employers set up appropriate telework programs for 
their businesses. Calculations also can show savings to the 
environment, the employer and the employee.
  I encourage everyone around the Nation to give telework a chance, 
find out what it's about and how it can help make your business, our 
environment and our communities better.
  Madam Speaker, I hope our colleagues will consider signing on as a 
cosponsor of this resolution to promote telework and provide choices 
for employees and savings for employers.

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