[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 20, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S4479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SCREEN ACTORS GUILD 75TH ANNIVERSARY

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the important 
work and accomplishments of the Screen Actors Guild as the organization 
celebrates its 75th anniversary. Founded on June 30, 1933, the Screen 
Actors Guild was established in part as a reaction to the restrictive, 
long-term studio engagement contracts. Since then, it has helped to 
protect and improve the lives of actors and their families by fighting 
for fair wages and health and retirement benefits.
  The Screen Actors Guild has a unique position in labor history. It 
claims a former Senator, George Murphy, and a former President, Ronald 
Reagan, as former union presidents, as well as James Cagney, Charlton 
Heston, Edward Asner, Patty Duke, Dennis Weaver, and many other notable 
actors. Its current president is Alan Rosenberg.
  The founding meeting of the Screen Actors Guild included just six 
actors. Yet, 75 years later, it has more than 127,000 members with 20 
offices across the United States. It represents a broad variety of 
members from motion pictures, television programs and commercials, and 
nonbroadcast industries such as video games, music video, Internet, and 
other new media formats. The Screen Actors Guild has also taken a 
leading role in combating movie and new media piracy, while working 
toward increased privacy protections, child labor laws, and health care 
reform. With the rapid expansion of so many alternative forms of 
entertainment, it has also met the challenge of representing its 
members in new challenging contract issues. And, of course, its 
esteemed Screen Actors Guild Awards honor its members each year for 
outstanding performances.
  I invite all of my colleagues to join me in commending the Screen 
Actors Guild for its dedication to improving workers' rights on its 
75th anniversary.

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