[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 111 (Thursday, July 16, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H5242]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING DON NEWTON

  (Mr. FOSTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Don Newton, a proud 
40-year member of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied 
Craftworkers, Local 56, of West Chicago, Illinois--and a friend of 
mine--who passed away recently.
  There was a time when workers fighting for their rights were met with 
lead pipes and management-paid gangs. Today, they fight for their 
rights with picket lines, elections, and the rule of law and with icons 
like Scabby, the inflatable rat.
  Scabby the Rat, a towering, inflatable mascot of labor protests, was 
dreamed up by Don Newton and fellow organizer Ken Lambert during labor 
disputes of the 1990s. Today, Scabby can be seen throughout the 
country, reminding us of the constant struggle for fair wages and safe 
working conditions and the importance of unity and solidarity in labor 
disputes.
  On the front lines of protests, as workers fight to hold on to the 
protections they need to maintain fair wages and a healthy middle 
class, Scabby the Rat and the memory of Don Newton will never be 
forgotten; and you can now follow Scabby the Rat on Wikipedia and 
Facebook.

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