[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3325]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      DISAPPROVING DEPARTMENT OF LABOR RULE RELATING TO ERGONOMICS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TIM ROEMER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 7, 2001

  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, the ergonomics issue is not new. It was 
first proposed by Secretary Elizabeth Dole under the Bush 
administration and has since been subjected to over a decade of intense 
scientific analysis. It did not surprise anyone last year, because we 
have had many hearings on the topic, received hours of testimony, gone 
through a lengthy public rulemaking process, and debated the matter 
extensively here on the floor of the House.
  This joint resolution, on the other hand, has been launched with no 
public hearings, no committee markups, no committee reports, no 
committee study, and almost no debate. Forcing this resolution through 
is a backdoor attempt to undermine the legitimate public rulemaking 
process in a way that has never been done before.
  Thousands of employers have successfully implemented ergonomics 
programs resulting in the significant reduction of ergonomic injuries 
and illnesses and the savings of millions of dollars. Companies as 
diverse as 3M, Ford Motor Co., Fieldcrest-Cannon, Red Wing Shoes, 
Perdue Farms, and the Fresno Bee have implemented ergonomics programs 
that not only substantially reduced injuries and illnesses, but 
produced significant productivity improvements as well.
  The fact is that ergonomics works. The National Academy of Sciences 
has said so, hundreds of successful businesses have said so, and the 
American public has said so.
  If there are problems with the existing ergonomics standard, then the 
appropriate way to address them is through rulemaking. Passage of a CRA 
resolution not only dooms the existing standard, but delays for years 
and perhaps indefinitely the development of any general ergonomics 
standard. This is not just bad for workers, it is bad for business, and 
it is bad government.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this resolution.

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