[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 162 (Thursday, November 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1664]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE INTRODUCTION OF THE LOW-WAGE FEDERAL CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE BACK PAY 
                              ACT OF 2013

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 14, 2013

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Low-Wage Federal 
Contractor Back Pay Act of 2013, to grant back pay to federally 
contracted retail, food, custodial and security service workers who 
were furloughed during last month's federal government shutdown. The 
bill, which would amend the current continuing resolution, would apply 
to all three branches of the federal government. The idea for the bill 
was brought to my attention by these federally contracted service 
workers, some of whom work here on the Capitol grounds providing 
Members of Congress and congressional staff with daily services.
  Many federally contracted workers in federal agencies earn little 
more than the minimum wage with few, if any benefits, and while others 
are unionized with little better wages, all are the lowest paid workers 
in the federal government and should not be punished because Congress 
failed to do its job and keep the government functioning for 16 days. 
Congress did the right thing when it gave back pay to federal 
employees, who work in the same buildings as these low-wage service 
workers. However, both groups of workers were victims who deserve to be 
made whole. I recognize, of course, that contract workers are employees 
of contractors, but the distinction between federal workers and at 
least the lowest-paid service workers who serve the federal government 
and its employees and keep, for example, their premises clean, fails 
when it comes to a deliberate government shutdown. Unlike many other 
contractors, those who employ low-wage service workers have little 
latitude to help make up for lost wages. Low-wage federally contracted 
service workers could least afford the loss of pay during the shutdown, 
and should not now have to go to work every day with everyone else in 
their federal buildings having received back pay except for them.
  The nation's capital is the high-profile home of the federal 
government's collusion with those that pay low wages through leases and 
contracts with federal agencies. At least this legislation would 
provide some parity to these low-wage federal contractor workers.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

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