[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8617]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  ORGANIZED LABOR LEADING THE FIGHT FOR ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR AMERICA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kuhl of New York). Under a previous 
order of the House, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation struggles with soaring 
health care costs, bankrupt pensions, and devastating job loss, it is 
organized labor that leads the fight to protect, defend, and advance 
the economic security of our Nation.
  I was recently meeting with leaders from the Ohio Association of 
Public School Employees, and we talked about all of the issues facing 
our Members and their members in my home district and throughout the 
State of Ohio. We talked about the contract-by-contract struggle to 
hold health care costs down. We talked about the impact of the State 
budget and the devastating ideas to expand privatization, make it 
easier to lay off workers, and force school districts to minimize or 
diminish health insurance, and to limit collective bargaining.
  The answer to Ohio's problems is not to weaken labor unions like 
OAPSE, but to strengthen them and to let all of our communities share 
in the benefits that labor has worked so hard to achieve. I am proud of 
unions like OAPSE, and I am proud to share in their fight for dignity 
and respect.
  Right now, in my State, we have a crisis for our retirees, the very 
people who gave their entire working lives to serve children in Ohio's 
schools. They need a retirement that offers a good quality of life and 
one that relieves the pressure of deciding between food and medicine.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to take care of the people who take care of our 
kids; and if what is happening in Ohio is any indication, we are 
failing miserably.
  On Monday of this week, I was at a school in my district; and while 
at that school, I learned of schools in our region terminating 
breakfast programs in order to save money. I learned of art and music 
classes being canceled. I learned of libraries being closed in some 
schools, and operating on a half-time basis in others. I learned of 
teachers of gifted students being laid off. I learned of high schools 
where all foreign language classes have been canceled. In short, I 
heard about conditions which, left unabated, will lead to the 
disintegration of our great State.
  But standing here in the people's House, I am hopeful. I am hopeful 
because the people of Ohio are fighters, and unions like OAPSE are 
leading that fight. Because of their efforts, we will bring back Ohio 
and Ohio will once again lead the Nation in building a better future 
for our kids.

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