[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 15, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H5555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   PROTECTING INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

  (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, with inflation at a 40-year high and a 
sluggish economy, attacking workers' freedoms should be the furthest 
thing from the President's mind.
  President Biden's Department of Labor is in the process of changing 
the definition of an employee to include independent contractors. This 
would be devastating for the 19 million Americans who currently enjoy 
the flexibility that comes with building wealth by participating in the 
American Dream.
  Under this change, workers classified as independent contractors 
would be subject to the same employment-related restrictions as 
traditional employees. This is an assault on the modern American 
worker.
  Independent contractors were responsible for over 70 percent of the 
job growth during the last economic expansion before COVID. If we want 
to spur economic growth, we must remove barriers and allow our 
workforce to flourish.
  Fortunately, my legislation, the Employee Rights Act, would codify 
protections for independent contractors, shielding them from these 
overreaching classifications.

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