[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8435-8436]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE COOPERATION ACT

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, we are debating a number of measures in the 
next couple of days, and one of them that is before the Senate right 
now is the Public Safety Employer-Employee

[[Page 8436]]

Cooperation Act. I wish to speak for a couple of moments about that 
legislation.
  This legislation would allow States that do not currently provide 
first responders with collective bargaining rights 2 years to revise 
their State law to do that. After 2 years, the Federal Labor Relations 
Authority would become responsible for protecting the rights of first 
responders in those States that still don't provide these rights. The 
Federal Labor Relations Authority would issue regulations to establish 
procedures for employees to choose whether to form a union for 
collective bargaining but would not have any say in the terms of the 
agreement.
  This legislation is critically important for us to respond to 
emergencies across the country. There are some States that can do it 
better than others because of limitations. We think at times such as 
this of the tragedy of 9/11, and it is important at this time to 
remember that every New York City firefighter, emergency medical 
person, every police officer who responded to the disaster at the World 
Trade Center on that horrific day in American history was, in fact, a 
union member under a collective bargaining agreement. So their unions 
strengthened their ability to respond to this crisis.
  The bill before us, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation 
Act, would give public safety officers the right to bargain over wages, 
hours, and working conditions, and would ensure that these rights are 
enforceable in State court. It also provides an efficient and effective 
dispute resolution mechanism for labor-management conflicts.
  It is important to note that this bill does not force any specific 
regulatory scheme on the States. It gives States plenty of leeway to 
adopt new collective bargaining laws that make sense for their States. 
States that choose not to craft their own system can get the help of 
the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
  I guess in summary form, we think of the importance of this 
legislation in the context of the threats we face: the threat of 
terrorism, the threat of disasters, all kinds of threats our 
communities are faced with. I and a lot of other Americans, I believe, 
want to make sure those who are putting their lives on the line every 
day, whether they are firefighters or police officers or other 
emergency personnel, have the peace of mind to know they are protected 
under law and that they also have the ability to negotiate and watch 
out for their own wages, benefits, and working conditions.
  That is what this legislation seeks to do: To bring States that don't 
currently have this in place--this labor relations authority in place--
to make sure we are doing that in every State of the Union so no matter 
where you live, those who are protecting us--the police officers, 
firefighters, and others--have the ability to benefit from the 
protections they should have under law.
  I urge my colleagues, as so many others who have already done so, to 
support the Public Safety Employer-Employees Cooperation Act. It is 
very important legislation, and it is important that we pass it here in 
the Senate.
  With that, I yield the floor, and note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________