[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 160 (Thursday, October 29, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                      FOCUSING ON WORKING FAMILIES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 28, 2015

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, thank you, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, 
for your tireless advocacy for working families. I'd also like to thank 
Ranking Member Bobby Scott for leading the way, as ranking member of 
the Education and Workforce Committee, and with this important agenda.
  Let me start by telling Andre's story.
  Andre is from California, he's 31 and a father of four boys. He was a 
trained apprenticed carpenter.
  When he began to look for work, he learned quickly that without a 
personal connection, it was nearly impossible to get a job in the 
construction industry. Every morning, he hustled to get to work sites 
by 5 AM to introduce himself to employers and show them his skills.
  Seldom did he receive the opportunity to actually apply for a job.
  As a result, he could barely sustain his family. Any income he had 
went to food, transportation and rent. So, he began volunteering with 
the Los Angeles Black Workers Center, which connected him to a good-
paying job building new rail lines that let him provide for his family.
  The unemployment and underemployment that Andre and other Black 
workers experience is not unique. The use of informal networks in 
hiring means that Black workers are often excluded and discriminated 
against before they even get a shot. Andre said: ``Too many people are 
out there talking about training, like we're not trained enough. 
Training is not the issue. I was trained really well. The issue is 
access.''
  Andre is right--all the training in the world won't help if in the 
end, employers won't give people like Andre a fair shot.
  And this agenda is designed to give Andre, his family and all 
families, a fair chance.
  Andre's struggle reflects the divide in our economy and our country: 
while some have recovered fully from the Great Recession, too many 
working families are still struggling.
  And in communities of color, which were the hardest hit by the Great 
Recession, unemployment and underemployment remains sky-high--and wage 
discrimination and formal and informal barriers to employment continue 
to slow economic growth.
  For example, African American women in my home state of California 
still earn just 64 cents for every dollar paid to white men. And 
Latinas earn a mere 44 cents. This persistent wage gap is a reflection 
of our economy, which is leaving too many working families behind--
especially communities of color.
  That's why the Working Family Agenda is so important.
  It takes long overdue steps to level the playing field for all.
  Specifically, this agenda would: raise the wage for millions, 
strengthen collective bargaining and improve working conditions, 
provide paid sick and family leave, and expand access to childcare.
  Furthermore, it would provide long overdue protections for women and 
LGBT Americans in the workplace.
  And as a former small business owner, I know the importance and value 
of providing your employees with a living wage: it's better for your 
company and for retaining good workers.
  Mr. Speaker, now is the time to take action on this agenda--families 
need it and our economy needs it. Let's boost wages, make it easier for 
families to balance work and family life, and bring an end to workplace 
discrimination.
  That's what American families want--and it's what Congress should be 
working on.

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