[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 87 (Thursday, June 5, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3476-S3477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SCOTT:
  S. 2436. A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that 
agencies may not deduct labor organization dues from the pay of Federal 
employees, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, the Empower Employees Act prohibits Federal 
agencies from automatically deducting union dues from the pay of 
Federal employees. The current system provided for under title 5 of the 
United States Code permits taxpayer resources to be used for the 
collection of these dues, which in turn are often used for political 
purposes. This legislation takes an important step in eliminating this 
taxpayer subsidy to organized labor by shifting the administrative 
burden of funding public sector unions to labor organizations and away 
from the American taxpayer. Federal union employees enjoy benefits far 
greater than those in the private sector and the unions' power to 
bargain is supported by the dues they automatically collect from 
employees' paychecks. This bill in no way prohibits Federal workers

[[Page S3477]]

from joining a union or paying dues, but rather increases freedom and 
choice for American workers while decreasing the strong-hold that labor 
unions have on American politics and the Federal budget.
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