[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 18, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S2554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

  Mr. SCHUMER. Next is the EEOC CRA. Today, the Senate will vote to 
overturn yet another terrible regulation approved during the final days 
of the Trump administration, a rule that actually makes it harder for 
victims of employment discrimination to get justice.
  For decades, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, 
has protected employees against workplace discrimination. If a worker 
believes they were targeted by their employer because of their age, 
their sex, their religion, their disability, or any other unlawful 
basis--their race--the EEOC can conduct an investigation and begin a 
conciliation process.
  Rather than force employees to sue in court, where well-heeled 
corporations can afford high-priced lawyers and the plaintiff almost 
has no chance of winning, conciliation gives the EEOC the power to 
fight on workers' behalf against discriminatory behavior and win some 
speedy and effective results.
  So, of course, the Trump administration, in another example of their 
callousness, another example where they talk about working people but 
don't care about them and do things to help them, sort of nastily--
almost viciously--changed the rules on conciliation at the EEOC to put 
a large thumb down on the scale in favor of corporations and against 
individuals who were discriminated against or at least who allege 
discrimination, making it easier for corporations to slow down 
investigations and even retaliate against workers.
  Today's vote will use the Congressional Review Act process to 
immediately repeal this rule change.
  At every opportunity, the Trump administration seemingly relished in 
making life harder for working Americans, while stacking the deck in 
favor of unscrupulous corporations. Now that Donald Trump is President 
no more--thank God, I say--we have a chance to undo this terrible rule 
and give workers the confidence that the Federal Government is in their 
corner.

                          ____________________