Congressional Record, Volume 167 Issue 188 (Tuesday, October 26, 2021)

[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 188 (Tuesday, October 26, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H5917-H5923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

HONORING RICHARD TRUMKA

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 4, 2021, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I come before you with many
wonderful colleagues to honor the life and legacy of Richard L. Trumka.
Rich was a passionate and steadfast leader who committed himself to
bettering the lives of working men and women in every nook and cranny
of this country.
Like many made-in-America stories, Richard Trumka's had humble
beginnings. He grew up in southwest Pennsylvania's coal country, the
son and grandson of coal miners. He worked the mines himself, and he
was able to go to college and then to law school. His talent and his
charisma were hard to miss, which I guess helps explain how he came to
lead one of our great and historic unions, the United Mine Workers of
America, at a very young age.
As President of the United Mine Workers, Rich led the iconic Pittston
Coal strike, a difficult but ultimately successful effort to fight off
cuts to healthcare benefits of workers and their families. As a young
activist, this labor struggle made a huge impression on me.
I knew Rich Trumka for over a quarter of a century, and I enjoyed
working with him in numerous capacities. In 1995, I had the honor of
running the field operation of his historic campaign to become
secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, along with president John Sweeney
and executive vice president Linda Chavez-Thompson. Their victory was
historic because it represented the only insurgent takeover of the AFL-
CIO leadership since the American Federation of Labor and the Congress
of Industrial Organizations joined to create the AFL-CIO in 1955. That
remains true to this day, 66 years later. Rich brought earthiness and
oratory to the ticket, complementing the widely loved but more taciturn
president John Sweeney from SEIU.
A mine worker from western Pennsylvania, a service worker from New
York City, and a public sector champion in Linda Chavez-Thompson from
Texas, they made a perfect combination and they brought big change to
the labor movement in many ways.
For the next 11 years, I served as assistant director of organizing
at the AFL-CIO, working closely with Rich and seeing his drive through
innumerable organizing legislative and political campaigns throughout
the Nation.
The picture next to me represents one such effort and one such
opportunity for me to help Rich and the other officers carry out their
missions.

[[Page H5918]]

{time} 1700

In their campaign to take over the AFL-CIO, they said that they were
going to get young people involved in the labor movement in
unprecedented ways. And so we created something called Union Summer,
and they told me without a whole lot of notice that I had to put it
together and lead it.
In fact, we recruited young people from across the Nation, had over
3,500 applicants, and put 1,000 young people, which was the commitment
they made--and they fulfilled it--1,000 young people on union
organizing and bargaining campaigns throughout this Nation, and they
were incredibly diverse. Something like two-thirds were women, and over
half were people of color.
This picture comes from the launch of the Union Summer campaign, and
after Union Summer was over, the officers gave me a little framed copy
of this picture, and Rich Trumka's comments were classic Trumka. He
said, ``Levin, you did a good--no, an outstanding job on this effort.
But thank God those kids of yours look like Mary.'' That was Rich
Trumka. I still remember it.
It is no secret that Rich was elected to be president of the AFL-CIO
in 2009 at a difficult moment for the labor movement. Due to a
confluence of many different factors, working men and women faced a
string of complex challenges. Becoming the head of the AFL-CIO was no
easy task, but Rich was not one to pass up critical fights.
Instead, he was able to rely on his character and conviction and his
relationships to forge a path of consensus and solidarity among the 57
unions representing 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO.
Regardless of whether he was talking with workers on a factory floor
or to the President of the United States in rooms of the White House
few people ever see, even on TV, Rich was grounded in his pursuit to
improve the material life of all working people and their families. The
AFL-CIO was truly made better through his many contributions and his
strong leadership.
Coming to Congress and working with Mr. Trumka as president of the
AFL-CIO was a real highlight for me. I, and all who knew him, will miss
him dearly.
I am grateful to my colleagues for being with me here tonight to pay
tribute to Rich and to his remarkable life.
At this time, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the
chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Michigan for his hard work on the Education and Labor Committee and for
his strong support for working men and women in Michigan and across the
country.
I rise today in honor of Richard Trumka, the late AFL-CIO president
and one of the Nation's fiercest and most effective champions for
workers and their families.
As a former coal miner and leader of the storied United Mine Workers
of America, Richard Trumka deeply understood the power of the labor
movement and the importance of defending workers' rights to organize.
His commitment to improving the lives of workers and their families
never waned and has inspired countless people from all walks of life.
To honor Mr. Trumka's legacy, I remain committed to championing
legislation that supports hardworking Americans and strengthening their
rights in the workplace. To that end, the House has twice passed the
Protecting the Right to Organize Act.
Our Nation's labor unions are critical to rebuilding the middle class
in America, but decades of antiunion attacks have eroded workers' basic
rights to organize and negotiate for better wages, benefits, and
working conditions.
Among other things, this legislation would ensure effective sanctions
for those who violate the law by retaliating against those who exercise
their legal rights; and require workers whose rights have been violated
to be temporarily reinstated while their cases are pending. The bill
would lift restrictions on workers' First Amendment rights to engage in
boycotts and strikes; and ensure workers can win a first contract, if
they vote to support a union.
It is a fitting tribute that the PRO Act will be named after him. The
next most important step to honor his legacy is for the Senate to pass
this historic legislation. I look forward to the day when the Richard
L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act is signed into law.
But we also have an opportunity to strengthen and protect our
workforce through the Build Back Better plan. Notably, the Committee on
Education and Labor's section of the plan will increase enforcement of
labor law and civil rights violations and set meaningful civil monetary
penalties for violations of wage and hour, worker safety, and labor
laws.
The plan also includes a major investment in proven workforce
development programs to ensure that Americans can access the training
they need to find a rewarding career and earn fair wages.
These historic provisions advance Mr. Trumka's vision: to ensure that
all workers have a good job and the power to determine their wages and
working conditions.
Even up to his final days, Mr. Trumka was fulfilling that mission,
rallying workers across the country and demonstrating the spirit and
solidarity that defined his tenure as president of the AFL-CIO.
I hope my colleagues in the House and the Senate will join me in
honoring Mr. Trumka's legacy by passing both the Richard L. Trumka PRO
Act and the Build Back Better Act. I thank the gentleman from Michigan
for his hard work and dedication.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Scott. That is
really amazing, the idea that the PRO Act would be named for Rich
Trumka. It is so fitting. It is really moving to me, as somebody who
worked for him for so long.
I now yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the
chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee of the House of
Representatives.
Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Levin,
for yielding and for organizing this tribute this evening. I also thank
Congressman Bobby Scott for the honor that we are looking to bestow on
Rich Trumka.
Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to honor Rich Trumka. Throughout his
life, he never backed down from fighting for workers. As the leader of
the 12.5-million-member American Federation of Labor and Congress of
Industrial Organizations, he championed workers every day.
He followed in his father's footsteps. He worked in the coal mines of
Pennsylvania, as his father and his grandfather before him had. He rose
to become president of the United Mine Workers and later president of
the AFL-CIO with one singular focus, protecting and fighting for the
right to organize and to collectively bargain.
Earlier in my congressional career, in 1996, during one of his many
visits to my district--and I can remember it poignantly because he sat
in my kitchen along with John Wilhelm, head of the Hotel and Restaurant
Workers--we were on our way to the people's graduation on the New Haven
Green because we were fighting, and he was there to help fight for
better contracts for the workers at Yale University.
We were told that we wouldn't have very many people that day on the
Green, and I will just tell you that they were 10,000 strong, led by
Rich Trumka, John Wilhelm, and other labor leaders in this country.
They gathered to advocate for new contracts, and he joined that chorus
to support their efforts.
Together, I had the opportunity to work with him hand in hand to
defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, because it would
outsource jobs overseas; it would hurt American workers here. We worked
in solidarity to renegotiate the new NAFTA agreement in 2019. I was
proud to be at the center of these fights with Rich and so many more.
He once said to me, as we talked about working together on this, he
said, ``My dear, we are like two coats of paint. We are together.'' I
will never forget that conversation.
While I always valued his counsel, it was his friendship that I came
to value most. Our shared Italian-American heritage, our commitment to
fighting for better working conditions were rooted from the lessons
that we learned at our kitchen tables. My mother was a garment worker
in the sweatshops of the city of New Haven. He was a mine worker's son
and understood how difficult that life was and what it meant

[[Page H5919]]

for struggling families and why the unions were the way out and the way
for them to get what they earned and what they deserved.
Rich Trumka's legacy stretches far and wide. I do not know where we
would be without him. Rich's relentless efforts to end unfair trade
practices and restore U.S. manufacturing strength made him a tireless
advocate for the labor movement in the United States and around the
globe, and I was honored to call him a colleague and a dear friend.
To his family, I say that my thoughts and prayers are with you. To
his brothers and sisters of the AFL-CIO, I say, solidarity. And I thank
Rich, my dear friend. I thank him for his endless pursuit on behalf of
those struggling for justice. I thank him for his counsel and thank him
for his friendship.
Now it is our turn to carry on his legacy, a legacy of championing
the dignity of all workers. He has shown us the way, and his fight
continues in all of us. Solidarity now and solidarity forever.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank Rosa. That was really
moving. I remember that 1996 day on the New Haven Green.
I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer), a great ally
of the working people of this country.
Mr. KILMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Richard
Trumka, a relentless champion for working people.
When I heard from labor leaders across the State of Washington
following his passing, without exception they spoke about what a
substantial loss his passing was.
But in the brief time that I have here to reflect on his life, I want
to talk about what a gain it was to have him as a leader in our Nation:
A gain for folks who, because of his work, can retire with dignity, a
gain for workers who, because of his leadership, are safer and better
compensated, a gain for every worker who can collectively bargain.
In fact, when I spoke to him last, we talked about how important it
was to support our Federal workers throughout the region I am proud to
represent, the brave public servants that protect our sailors through
their work at the shipyard, that prepare our timber sales in the
Federal forests, that welcome visitors to our national parks, that care
for our veterans, that ensure citizens get the services that they need,
and that keep us safe. We agreed that we need to do everything we can
to have their backs, and throughout his life, he did.
I also admire that not only did Mr. Trumka advocate for our
workplaces to work better for the American people, but he also wanted
our country and our democracy to work better for working people.
Advocating to protect access to the ballot box and to get big money out
of politics.
As president of the AFL-CIO, he proudly represented millions of
workers throughout our country and hundreds of thousands of workers in
Washington State: Shipbuilders and electrical workers, ironworkers,
letter carriers, machinists and pipefitters, and paper workers and
teachers and healthcare workers. I could go on and on and on. These
workers are the heartbeat of our Nation.
In honor of his life, we should commit to continuing his legacy to
ensure workers have dignity, to ensure workers have the right to
organize, so that they can seek fair pay and better benefits and safer
working conditions and to make our democracy work better for all
Americans.
Madam Speaker, my sincere condolences to his family, to his friends,
and to every worker and American who was touched by his life.

General Leave

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this
Special Order.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from
Illinois (Ms. Newman).
Ms. NEWMAN. Madam Speaker, it is good to see everyone here tonight.
This is a very special evening, although I wish it wasn't happening. I
wish we weren't saying good-bye to Rich Trumka.
I remember the first time I saw him speak. I thought about, wow,
there is a lot of intensity there, a lot of intention, and, yeah, he
scared me a little bit.
I was very inspired to join a picket line that day. I had been on
many picket lines before that, but he delivered his comments and what
he intended to do for labor in such a way that made me feel like things
were actually possible, that it was possible to make change at an
employer, it was possible to make change at a plant.
And so specifically I joined a plant and their picket line. I didn't
know anybody. I just showed up because I thought, wow, this guy is
someone that I will follow, I will follow into fire. And I did, at
least long distance for a long time.

{time} 1715

And I have to tell you one other thing about Rich. One of the things
that is immediately obvious--and I frequently see this in friends of
mine that are in the military--he is a servant leader true and true and
through and through. And I think that is the best kind of leader to be.
So I learned a lot from him and all of his work, but mostly I believe
he inspired the movement to be stronger and more vibrant in the last
decade.
So we say good-bye to Rich with heavy hearts but thank him for his
amazing work and his ability to inspire.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Suozzi), one of the co-chairs of the Labor Caucus in the
House of Representatives.
Mr. SUOZZI. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Levin for yielding and
for organizing this special order. We are so grateful to you for making
sure we take this time to stop and honor the great legacy of Rich
Trumka.
I first came to Congress in 2017, and one of the first things I did
was request a meeting with Rich Trumka, and he took me to breakfast. I
have always been a prolabor person through my time as mayor and county
executive of Nassau County. And I talked to him, and he made it very
clear that what he was looking for and what the labor movement is
looking for are champions that will be with you no matter what; not
with you on some issues and not on other issues, but with you 100
percent.
Everything he said to me that morning really resonated with me. And I
decided from that moment on that I would make it clear that I would be
a true friend of labor because of the instruction of Rich Trumka.
The country has changed so much from the time from when he served as
president of the United Mine Workers Union in the 1980s. And since the
1980s, we have seen tremendous growth in wealth in America. We have
seen the Dow Jones go up 1,900 percent. We have seen the GDP go up 900
percent. But workers' wages during that same period of time have gone
up less than 20 percent. So we have created enormous wealth in our
country, but we are not sharing it with the men and women who go to
work every day.
Rich Trumka has reminded us how important it is that for this great
system of capitalism to survive in our country, the best system that
has ever been in human history, which has created more wealth, more
innovation, has lifted more people out of poverty, for it to survive
for the long-term future, we have to learn how capitalism and our
economic system can share the great production of wealth with the
people who go to work every day.
Because the American Dream is based upon a very simple concept: if I
go to work, I will make enough money. And with that money I can buy a
home; I can educate my children; I can have health insurance; and I can
retire one day in security without being scared.
Rich Trumka reminded us of that every day of his life, that we need
to recreate the American Dream for people in this country; that hard
work will be rewarded with sufficient wealth so that you can live the
American Dream.
So my condolences to the Trumka family. Thank you to my colleague for
setting this up. And thank you to Rich Trumka, a good and faithful
servant, who has made our country a better place. And let's honor him
by making

[[Page H5920]]

sure we do everything we can to support the labor movement in this
country.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), a true champion of workers in this country for
decades in this House, the longest serving woman in the history of the
House of Representatives, and my good friend.
Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Levin so very much, my
Great Lakes buddy, for sponsoring this very deserved tribute this
evening to Richard Trumka.
It truly is an honor to be here today in fellowship with my
colleagues and those who are unyielding in their commitment to creating
a better world for the hardworking men and women who build our Nation
and world forward.
No one embodied that devotion more deeply than the man whose life we
celebrate here today: Richard Trumka.
For nearly 50 years, President Trumka was steadfast in his dedication
to advancing the dignity and worth of American and guest workers who
clock into work every day to earn a living to provide for themselves
and their families and do the work before them.
Each bring about their own version of the American Dream.
I knew Rich from his earliest days leading the United Mine Workers of
America from 1983 to 1995 as its president, and I was blessed to call
him a friend.
I well recall when the mine workers conducted a national strike
against Peabody Coal in 1993 to achieve better wages and working
conditions in this dangerous industry.
I always respected Rich as an ally in the battles against job-
outsourcing trade agreements like NAFTA, which opened up the chutes for
corporations to ship jobs overseas, unleashing a devastation of
America's middle class and industrial America, the likes of which we
had never seen before.
Having stood alongside him for many of these fights over the years, I
witnessed firsthand how global his reach truly was.
I recall one convening in particular that he organized with workers
from across the world.
There I saw how acutely he understood the need for working people to
band together across national boundaries in common cause to better
working conditions for all. He saw the future.
From the coal mines to Congress, workers had no fiercer advocate than
when they were attacked by special interests or antiworker lawmakers.
We shall all miss him and his passion immensely.
I take heart in the knowledge that he left behind a coalition that is
well prepared to take on the challenges that lie ahead.
America's unions are strong as the cause they pursue is just.

And in his memory, let us push forward on the path to building back
better for the American people.
The working men and women of labor are poised and will distinguish
themselves in retooling our Nation for the century ahead. And there
will be many pylons that will be installed that will be done in the
memory of Richard Trumka.
May God carry him high and give him deserved rest.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi), Rich Trumka's great partner in the House of
Representatives.
Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Levin for organizing
this Special Order for a very special person. It is my honor to
participate. I know you were a great friend and ally of President
Trumka, and he would be so proud that you are leading the way for us
this evening.
Richard Trumka. That name is synonymous with workers' rights. Richard
Trumka, fairness for everyone. Richard Trumka, middle class with a
union label on it. Richard Trumka, fighter for the people.
As we are engaged in our negotiations now, I think of Richard every
day because he always said, when you get down to the end of the
negotiation, that is when you have to be the strongest. Never tire.
Never tire. Always save energy for that final negotiation. Because
sometimes people relax and say, well, let's just get it over with, but
Richard Trumka would never adopt that attitude when he was there
working for the workers.
Richard Trumka was an unsurpassed titan of the labor movement. A
third-generation coal miner, Richard dedicated his life for the right
to organize from his work at the United Mine Workers of America to his
decades-long leadership of the AFL-CIO.
In everything he did, Richard Trumka was always thinking about the
workers. What can we do to give them more certainty in their lives in
terms of good pay, jobs, benefits, and working conditions?
Richard Trumka was a great patriot, and he fought always to
strengthen the middle class, as I said, and lift up those who aspire to
it, understanding that the middle class--again, which is the backbone
of our democracy--has a union label on it.
Richard carried his values into other realms of public policy, as he
recognized and respected the dignity of all people, whether speaking
out against Apartheid in South Africa or fighting bigotry and racism at
home. His leadership transcended any single movement.
Richard's courage in speaking truth to power made a difference for
millions. And it made Richard a respected ally in Congress' mission to
advance the health, financial security, and well-being of working
families.
After his passing, many members immediately called for the PRO Act--
the cornerstone of Democrats' proworker agenda--to be renamed in his
Honor. Doing so would be a fitting way to pay tribute to this great
hero for workers. We did pass the pension bill in the rescue package
and now the PRO Act.
While we remain heartbroken over Richard's passing, we take comfort
in knowing that Richard's leadership gives a legacy that will inspire
countless people for years and generations to come.
I know I share the same impression when we heard that he died. It was
like, it can't be. He is a giant. He is so strong. It can't be, but it
was.
Again, the legacy that he left is something we will always build on
in his memory. May it be a comfort to his wife, Barbara, their loved
ones, and the 11 million men and women of the AFL-CIO that so many
mourn their loss. We are praying for them at this sad time.
Richard Trumka, we love you. We miss you. May you rest in peace.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Tonko), another person like Marcy Kaptur and me who
represents a district full of gritty, working-class factories and
neighborhoods that Rich championed so fiercely.
Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank
Congressman Levin for arranging this evening's special order.
Today we honor the remarkable life of Richard Trumka, a person who
poured his entire heart and voice and passion into what is right for
workers and what is right for union workers. Rich emboldened that
mission and fought with great fierceness in order to achieve. Rich
taught us that anything worth fighting for deserves our efforts beyond
belief, and he poured himself passionately into his mission.
A fierce champion of the labor movement and fearless proponent of the
rights of working people, Rich revolutionized collective bargaining and
civil disobedience as a mechanism for meaningful change in our modern
era.
I was deeply saddened and stunned to learn of Rich's sudden passing
back in August.
A great friend to so many of us, myself included and my district, we
worked together to build strong enforceable labor standards into the
heart of the new NAFTA agreement, which gives American workers a fair
shot and level playing field on the global stage.
That kind of fight was at the heart of Richard's lifelong work, using
unionism as a tool to build a fairer economy, a more just economy, a
more robust and competitive economy for our society.
We must honor his indelible legacy and deliver the kind of
generational change for which he fought day in and day out by creating
good-paying union jobs and tackling the climate crisis, racial
injustice, and economic injustice that disproportionately hurts working
people.
My sincerest condolences go out to the entire Trumka family and all
of his loved ones.

[[Page H5921]]

May Richard rest in peace.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader of the House of
Representatives.
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, who has
been a dear friend of mine as his father was for a very long period of
time. And we share in common a lot of things, but one of those things
that we share in common is a great respect for Richard Trumka, a great
appreciation for the leadership that Richard Trumka showed, not only in
the labor movement but in our country as a citizen representing our
best values.
And we share respect for the labor movement.
Richard Trumka, Madam Speaker, walked with the weight of America's
workers on his shoulders, but he wore that weight lightly in one sense
and with a great sense of responsibility in another sense.

{time} 1730

He carried them with him always in his mind and in his soul. His life
was devoted to the labor movement and to each and every worker who was
part of the labor movement.
His loss, in my view, is a grievous one for our country, and he
leaves behind a legacy for which we can all be grateful: the men and
women in labor who have a better wage, a better place to work, and
greater security because of Richard Trumka.
Thanks to Mr. Trumka, workers across the United States today have
stronger representation and safer working conditions.
Madam Speaker, 12.5 million union members and countless others have
looked up to him for decades as a force for our positive change, an
unrivaled leader in the labor movement.
Few people epitomized the ideas of the workers' rights movement,
which are also core values of the Democratic Party, in the way Mr.
Trumka did. He was a fighter, but he was also a great tactician and
strategist. Those, of course, are the determination and attributes that
everyone who works hard ought to be able to get ahead and that working
families ought to be able to access opportunities and economic
security.
From the beginning of his career, first as a coal miner and then as
president of the United Mine Workers of America, he was committed to
forging closer ties between workers and their union representatives. He
ultimately became president of the AFL-CIO because not only was he
committed to do that, he did it. He accomplished it.
He made a difference for workers, for their families, and for
America. He knew that union action was the greatest tool available to
achieve labor reforms and to make economic security more attainable for
workers and their families.
As American workers continue to face new challenges as a result of
the pandemic, it is essential that policymakers continue to work
closely with organized labor and leaders like Richard Trumka.
Madam Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed so many of our
workers and their families in situations dangerous to their health and
also to their economic well-being. More than ever, workers need
champions for their rights, their fair wages, and their fair benefits,
and they are missing that champion they called President Richard
Trumka.
We need to ensure that workers continue to have a strong voice in
Congress, and we need to do everything we can to keep them and their
families safe and able to access opportunities.
Madam Speaker, in his last major speech, Mr. Trumka told Texas AFL-
CIO members that inequality is the greatest threat to democracy. He
said this: ``Without the right to vote and without the right to
organize, there is no democracy.''
I share that view with Richard Trumka. Our Democratic House majority
will not waver in our work to secure both the right to organize and the
right to vote. They are really two of the same principle.
We look forward to working just as closely with Liz Shuler--I might
say a historic figure in her own right, like our Speaker, who spoke a
little while ago--the first woman to lead the AFL-CIO. She has worked
alongside Richard Trumka for years, helping him realize his goals for
the organization in its fight for workers' rights in this country.
Richard Trumka's vision for the future was one of dignity and justice
for all working Americans.
Madam Speaker, we remain committed to that vision and will continue
to honor his memory by fighting to realize his dream for all working
Americans.
God bless Richard Trumka, and may God keep his family in the hollow
of his hand.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 23 minutes remaining.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Levin), the better half of the Levin caucus, my
brother.
Mr. LEVIN of California. Madam Speaker, I thank my dear friend from
Michigan and the other half of the unofficial Levin caucus.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the late Richard Trumka, a
fierce fighter for the hardworking men and women of America's labor
movement.
Rich Trumka dedicated his life to protecting the safety of workers,
ensuring the right to organize, and upholding the principle that each
and every person is to be treated with dignity and respect in the
workplace.
For many years, Richard worked with Presidents and Members of
Congress on both sides of the aisle to advance workers' rights. Richard
approached legislation with clear intent, passion, and purpose, to
ensure that no worker was left behind or abandoned.
Simply put, Rich Trumka's life was a testament to the amazing power
behind organizing and fighting for progress. America's workers are
better off, thanks to his many years rallying for those without a
voice. I know his legacy will live on in all of us who he inspired.
With Richard's legacy in mind, I am recommitted, as are many of my
colleagues, to creating a better America that lifts up working people
and promotes a society that treats every person with kindness, dignity,
and respect.
We now have an extraordinary opportunity, right now, to honor
Richard, not just in words, but in deeds, by creating good-paying union
jobs as part of the Build Back Better agenda. Let's get this done for
him.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
Madam Speaker, I have to say that this tribute to our great friend,
Rich Trumka, would not be complete truly without hearing from the
representative of his home district, his home area in Nemacolin,
Pennsylvania.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Lamb),
my brother.
Mr. LAMB. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Michigan.
This is the mask of the Allegheny-Fayette Labor Council, which
represents the coal miners that President Trumka loved so well.
Madam Speaker, before he was the president of the AFL-CIO and an
internationally known figure, he was a western Pennsylvanian. Rich
Trumka was a football player, a deer hunter, a member of a great
family. What I respected about him so much is that the western
Pennsylvania part of Rich Trumka never went away. It always shone
through.
I heard him speak one time where he said one of the problems with our
opponents in politics is that they want you to think the economy is
just like the weather. It is just something that happens to people, and
we might be able to predict it and prepare for it, but there is nothing
we can do to change it.
He knew that in parts of the country, like ours in western
Pennsylvania, people had heard versions of that for so long at such
high volume with so much corporate money and messaging behind it that
it threatened the basic fabric of our community.
The unions built the middle class not just in America but
particularly in western Pennsylvania, and that has eroded over time.
The benefits and the value of the labor movement have receded in a lot
of people's minds. To me, the most western Pennsylvania thing about
President Trumka was that he never gave up on it because he knew that
our people never really accepted

[[Page H5922]]

the result of the recession of the labor movement, the inequality and
injustice that has grown, the way so many of our towns have been
hollowed out, and the way people looked to the future now sometimes
with cynicism instead of optimism and hope.
Madam Speaker, to me, what he represented was that he really lived
out the kind of abstract idea we have that the interests and the
struggle of a coal miner can be the same as the interest and struggle
as someone who works in home healthcare or someone who survived a
nursing home during the pandemic working for less than $15 an hour.
We have a lot of those in western Pennsylvania now. Healthcare is one
of our biggest economic drivers, and those people are not paid well for
the risks that they take and the hard, backbreaking work that they do.
Coal miners know something about that. I think that the best way we
can honor President Trumka is to set aside some of the many differences
that we have, even within the Democratic family and the labor family,
and refocus ourselves on the core economic issues that tie together all
the working- and middle-class people in this country that, themselves,
represent such a powerful force that they really can't be stopped when
people unite with each other.
Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Levin for pulling this together, and may
God protect Richard Trumka.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Lamb.
Madam Speaker, it is really fitting that we are honoring Rich Trumka
during what has come to be called Striketober. This month has seen more
workers in motion in more industries across more regions than at any
time in modern history.
We have people in the healthcare industry, nurses, on strike.
We have miners in Alabama, members of Rich Trumka's home union, the
United Mine Workers of America, toughing it out for a better life in
their workplace.
We have agricultural and industrial workers.
We have workers like those at John Deere represented by the UAW
striking for better conditions.
We had stage and production workers, members of IATSE, go right up to
a strike deadline to demand a better and fairer contract.
We have food production workers, like those from Kellogg's, a company
based in my home State of Michigan.
Rich Trumka knew that workers never want to go on strike, but the
right to withhold your labor is a sacred right that every worker should
possess, and it should be protected by law.
When he had to lead a strike, he showed that he was up to it in order
to get fairness for workers he represented and workers all over this
country.
Madam Speaker, I want to also mention--and Leader Hoyer mentioned
this--that Rich's passing was so unexpected. A number of people have
mentioned this. It was shocking to us because he seemed like such a
strong, strong figure. It is hard to imagine him passing from the
scene.
But I do have to commend the executive council of the AFL-CIO, the
officers of the AFL-CIO, for carrying on. That is what we do in the
labor movement. We carry on the struggle for justice, for the workers
of this country, and in particular, Liz Shuler, who was chosen by the
executive council to step up and become president for the remainder of
Rich's term.
I have known Liz since she was an assistant to the president at IBEW
back when Ed Hill was president there. She was a really important ally
when I was on the AFL-CIO staff, and she was IBEW staff in those days,
then her election as secretary-treasurer, her years of working with
Rich Trumka. I didn't know what to do when he passed, on the morning
that he passed, so I called Liz. She was heartbroken. Yet, she just
immediately stood up and said we will not miss a beat. We will fight on
for the workers of this country.
I know she will do a tremendous job in leading. She is a historic
figure, as Steny Hoyer said, the first woman to lead the national labor
union movement in this country.
In terms of Rich, himself, and his passing and how we should take it,
I want to quote the words of one of my favorite union songs called ``I
Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night,'' a song about a union leader who
was murdered unjustly by the copper bosses. The premise of the song is
Joe Hill appears to someone in a dream, and these lyrics say:

Joe Hill ain't dead, he says to me,
Joe Hill ain't never died.

And now I add working women.

Where working men are out on strike,
Joe Hill is at their side.
Joe Hill is at their side.
From San Diego up to Maine,
In every mine and mill,
Where workers strike and organize,
It's there you'll find Joe Hill.
It's there you'll find Joe Hill.

And Rich Trumka will be there with us in every labor struggle. His
spirit, his militancy, his insistence on justice for working people
will always be with us.
Madam Speaker, I yield to my good friend, the gentleman from Oregon
(Mr. Blumenauer).
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Levin for the
courtesy of yielding to me and for organizing this recognition for
Richard Trumka.
As has been documented here on the floor this evening, he was truly a
giant in terms of organized labor, for social justice, his passion, his
energy. But I wanted to just note one item that I thought was really
remarkable.
As I became chair of the Trade Subcommittee on Ways and Means, Mr.
Trumka arranged for me to have lunch with him and a half dozen
different leaders, with six international union presidents talking
about the need to be able to have a worker-centered trade policy.

{time} 1745

It was a remarkable exchange of ideas and opinions and commitments to
work together. And we took a NAFTA agreement that could not pass on the
floor of the House and worked together to be able to have a process
that was worthy of support. There was nobody who was more essential to
that than Richard Trumka, who was tireless in his efforts to make sure
that that legislation moving forward would respect workers' rights,
that we would deal with enforcement of labor agreements. They should be
worth the paper they were printed on.
I'll go to my grave convinced that if we had had that opportunity
earlier with the Obama administration, we wouldn't have had some of
those concerns, we could have resolved issues of investor-state and
worker rights.
Rich Trumka was tireless in terms of his determination. He was a
tough negotiator. He was fair. He was honest. As I say, reaching out
even to a new subcommittee chair. He took the time, brought people
together so that we could fashion an area of common cause going
forward.
It struck me, as the measure of the man, with all the things that
were on his plate, that he would take the time to deal with these
important details and be able to expose it to other labor leaders. It
is the measure of his leadership, the legacy that he leaves, and we are
all fortunate that we have had an opportunity to work with him over the
years. He will be missed but his legacy will linger on.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), another great colleague who knew Richard
Trumka.
Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of
Richard Trumka, one of the most dedicated champions of labor and
working families in our Nation's history. Like so many others--I don't
have a photo like Andy has--but I will tell you, my moments in time
where I got to speak to and visit with a legend were ones that are
seared in my memory because he just brought out the best in everyone
around him. The lives he impacted and the people he moved will never be
forgotten.
We all know that he started his career as a union man in the mines in
Pennsylvania, like his father and grandfather before him, working his
way through college and law school as a miner.
After law school, instead of leaving the world he knew behind, Rich
decided to use his skills to fight on behalf of it and dedicated the
rest of his career to the labor movement, to the hardworking men and
women of labor,

[[Page H5923]]

eventually becoming the president of the largest labor union in the
United States of America.
He had an unrivaled sense of grit and determination that was paired
with a deeply-held belief in the dignity of all work, and the rights of
all workers. It was this combination that led him to spend his whole
life fighting to ensure that every American worker has access to the
wages, safety, healthcare, and finances that they deserve.
Rich spent every day pushing to ensure that the American worker could
build a good and honorable middle class life through their own hard
work. You could feel it when you spent time with him. He was just
somebody who cared deeply about the people around him, and then making
sure everyone's best days were ahead of them.
He was innovative and forward-thinking, constantly working to build
an AFL-CIO for the 21st century. In fact, I argue that the AFL-CIO and
the modern labor movement are what they are because of Mr. Trumka. The
hardworking women and men of labor are better off, and our country is
better off because of the legacy that he leaves behind.
He, in many ways, is irreplaceable and will be deeply missed by so
many men and women across our country for so many years to come. We
will never forget him. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in
remembering a great leader, Richard Trumka.
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I want to end, in the spirit of
Rich Trumka, by thanking my legislative assistant, Meseret Araya, for
doing an amazing job of organizing this Special Order and thanking all
the staff who work the floor of the House of Representatives for doing
such an amazing job of keeping this place running.
Madam Speaker, I want to say to Barbara and the whole Trumka family
that we are so grateful to you for sharing this person with us, with
the mine workers union and with all the unions of the AFL-CIO, and with
all the workers of America and of this world.
Rich, we love you. You will be in our hearts forever. Madam Speaker,
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, we lost a steadfast leader for hard-
working families and people across the country in Richard Trumka.
A union worker himself, serving as the President of the United Mine
Workers of America before becoming the President of AFL-CIO, he was a
giant among labor leaders and advocates and never once backed down from
fighting for workers' rights and speaking truth to power.
A steadfast champion for income equality, stronger benefits, and
robust protections on the job, he knew that fighting for workers not
only uplifts working families but drives our economy forward.
His commitment to a fair and just society that is built upon the
foundation of a strong middle class and provides for each subsequent
generation of workers remains unparalleled.
His passing is a profound loss for this movement, but his life and
his determination serve as a role model for all of us to continue his
critical work and remain dedicated to empowering and supporting workers
and their families across the United States.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, today, we honor the life of a fearless
labor leader, Richard Trumka. With his recent passing, the working
people of America lost an outspoken, powerful voice.
Mr. Trumka dedicated his life and career to serving American workers.
From his early days as a staff attorney for the United Mine Workers of
America and throughout his tenure as President of the American
Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, he was a
consistent champion for social and economic justice, fair wages, and
safe working conditions--and our nation is better for it.
During my time in Congress, I had the pleasure of meeting with Mr.
Trumka on several occasions to discuss the challenges facing American
families and union workers, and to explore the ways in which we could
lift up all people. He was a fierce advocate for policies that had the
power to produce real, meaningful results that would improve countless
lives.
Now more than ever, as our country and our economy grapple with the
devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will miss Mr. Trumka
's presence in the fight to fully recover from the economic downturn
and difficulties we've experienced, but we will never stop the work he
started. The way to honor his memory is by empowering workers and the
unions that represent them.
I offer my sincerest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues,
and loved ones of Mr. Trumka during this time.
Mr. KAHELE. Madam Speaker, Mr. Richard Trumka blessed our nation with
leadership, courage, and dignity, fighting for working men and women
throughout his life. Born into a coal mining family in Nemacolin,
Pennsylvania, near Pittsburg, Richard never forgot his working-class
roots.
At the age of 19, Richard followed the footsteps of his father and
grandfather--straight into the mine shafts, alternating several months
below ground and several months in school. He graduated from
Pennsylvania State and received a law degree from Villanova. Then for
13 years, he led the United Mine Workers of America as its elected
president before bringing his staunch advocacy to the AFL-CIO, first as
its secretary-treasurer, then as its president.
Many will remember Richard as a leader who opened the door of
opportunity for millions of Americans. I, too, will remember Richard in
the same vein. Today, Hawaii's working men and women share more of the
nation's wealth because of Richard's leadership at the AFL-CIO.
I will also remember Richard for his fight for social and racial
justice when in the early 1980s, he took a strong stand in solidarity
with Black mineworkers in South Africa. Richard chaired the U.S.
Boycott Committee, mobilized the support of other unions, and rallied
opposition to apartheid. He urged the AFL-CIO to support the boycott
against the Royal Dutch Shell, who, as he explained, was a critical
multinational corporation propping up the South African government.
At a 1988 rally in Chicago, Richard stated that ``true labor
solidarity cannot be limited by national boundaries or the color of a
person's skin. My opposition to apartheid comes not only from my
personal beliefs and values, but is also deeply rooted in the history
of my union.''
Richard was a true traditional union leader who fought for economic,
social, and racial justice for all. Richard stood for true solidarity.
Looking upon us from above, Richard just might be saying, ``Don't
mourn, Organize!'' Aloha oe, Richard. Mahalo for devoting your life to
uplifting the lives of all Americans and working people throughout the
world.
Mr. NORCROSS. Madam Speaker, today I pay tribute to my late friend,
Rich Trumka.
Rich was a labor giant who dedicated his life to fighting for workers
and giving them a voice.
His death was a huge and sudden loss for all of us, especially the
working people of this country--even those who never knew him.
Rich was a friend to all, and many of us were lucky enough to know
him personally.
I first met Rich at an AFL meeting in Cherry Hill, NJ, when I was a
labor leader in South Jersey, and he was raising money for coalminers
on strike back in the 80s.
From there, I was lucky to work with Rich for three decades, from his
time with the Mineworkers to his leadership at AFL-CIO.
Rich improved the lives of workers by leading winning battles across
the nation to secure better benefits, higher wages, and safer working
conditions.
His memory will live on as he has set the stage for workers to lead
the way in the economic recovery.
Specifically, Rich was a big proponent of the PRO Act, and now we
will work to honor his legacy and ensure this critical piece of
legislation becomes law. Because of Rich Trumka, the labor movement
will forever be changed for the better.
We will continue to push forward and follow the path he paved for so
many.
His steadfast leadership and powerful voice will be missed by all who
had the honor to work with him.
My condolences go to his family, loved ones, and all who knew him.

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