[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6397-6401]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 375) supporting the goals and ideals of 
Workers' Memorial Day in order to honor and remember the workers who 
have been killed or injured in the workplace, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 375

       Whereas, each year, about 5,000 workers are killed due to 
     workplace-related injuries in the United States, and more 
     than 2,000,000 workers across the world die of workplace-
     related accidents and diseases;
       Whereas, each day, an average of 14 workers are killed due 
     to workplace injuries in the United States;
       Whereas there are about 3,700,000 occupational injuries and 
     illnesses in the United States annually;
       Whereas tens of thousands of Americans with workplace 
     injuries or illness become permanently disabled;

[[Page 6398]]

       Whereas more people are killed worldwide each year at work 
     than in wars;
       Whereas, on February 7, 2010, 6 workers were killed and 26 
     injured when there was a massive natural gas explosion at the 
     Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown, Connecticut;
       Whereas, on April 2, 2010, 7 workers were killed by a fire 
     at the Tesoro oil refinery in Anacortes, Washington;
       Whereas, on April 5, 2010, 29 miners were killed and 2 were 
     injured in a massive explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine 
     in Raleigh County, West Virginia, in the worst coal mine 
     disaster in 40 years;
       Whereas, on April 20, 2010, there was an explosion and fire 
     on the British Petroleum- leased Transocean Deepwater Horizon 
     drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico 50 miles off the coast of 
     Louisiana in which 17 workers were injured and 11 workers 
     went missing;
       Whereas observing Workers' Memorial Day allows us to honor 
     and remember victims of workplace injuries and disease; and
       Whereas observing Workers' Memorial Day reminds us of the 
     need to strive for better worker safety and health 
     protections: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day 
     to honor and remember workers who have been killed or injured 
     in the workplace;
       (2) recognizes the importance of worker health and safety 
     standards;
       (3) encourages the Occupational Safety and Health 
     Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, 
     industries, employers, and employees to support activities 
     aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of preventing 
     illness, injury, and death in the workplace; and
       (4) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     such a day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 
375 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 375, which 
supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day.
  A number of recent tragedies serve to remind us of the importance of 
occupational and mine safety. In early February, six workers were 
killed and 26 injured in a natural gas explosion at the Kleen Energy 
Power Plant in Middletown, Connecticut. On April 2, seven workers were 
killed in an explosion and fire at the Tesoro Refinery in Anacortes, 
Washington. On April 5, 29 miners lost their lives in a massive 
explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. This incident 
was the worst U.S. coal mining disaster in 40 years.
  And, finally, Mr. Speaker, today our thoughts and prayers remain with 
the friends and families of those 11 miners who went missing after an 
explosion last week at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of 
Mexico. Seventeen workers were also injured, and we wish for their 
speedy recovery.
  Too many workers in this Nation are subjected to dangerous conditions 
at work and have sacrificed their lives and health as a result. 
Everyone is entitled to a safe and healthy workplace. Every family 
deserves to know that when they send their loved one off to work, that 
loved one will come home that evening.
  Mr. Speaker, with this resolution we remember and we honor all of 
these fallen workers, and we redouble our commitment to make our 
Nation's workplaces safe and healthy for all workers.
  I thank Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas for 
introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Today we honor the men and women who have lost their lives on the 
job. With this resolution, we honor their sacrifice and offer our 
condolences to their families. And as ever, we use this occasion to 
recognize the importance of policies and practices that will encourage 
safe workplaces and prevent on-the-job illnesses, injuries, and 
fatalities.
  Bringing this resolution at this time is particularly important given 
the recent tragedies and loss of life in the mining accidents in West 
Virginia.
  Our diverse economy sometimes place workers in challenging 
situations. Some jobs are inherently more dangerous than others. Yet 
all workers should know the utmost precautions are being taken to limit 
dangers on the job. Employers must work diligently every day to provide 
safer work sites, free of hazards to ensure that all employees come 
home to their families at the end of the day.
  This resolution speaks to preventing accidents and injuries on the 
job. A proactive approach to safety creates a safe working environment. 
By working together, employers, employees, and government safety 
officials involved can ensure safer work sites.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the author of H. 
Res. 375.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I thank the presiding Member for 
yielding.
  On Wednesday of this week, which is tomorrow, millions of people 
worldwide recognize Workers' Memorial Day.
  Each year in this country, thousands of workers are killed due to 
workplace-related injuries, and tens of thousands more die of 
occupational illnesses. It is staggering to think that every day an 
average of 14 workers are killed due to injuries on the job. Worldwide 
more than 2 million workers die of occupational illness and injuries 
annually. That means more people are killed on the job each year than 
in wars.
  The bottom line is that everyone deserves a safe and healthy 
workplace. Many of us take this basic right for granted. But for 
millions of Americans, the threat of being permanently disabled or even 
killed on the job is very real.
  Workers' Memorial Day not only recognizes and honors those who have 
been killed or injured on the job, it also reminds us of the 
overwhelming need to improve health and safety standards in our 
Nation's workplaces.
  It has been 40 years since the creation of OSHA, and over this time, 
worker health and safety standards have vastly improved. However, there 
is still work to be done, as evidenced by several recent workplace 
disasters.
  The month of April has been particularly devastating for workplace 
deaths in the United States. On April 2, seven workers were killed by a 
devastating fire at Tesero Refinery in Washington. And just last week, 
as has been mentioned, we also saw a large explosion and fire on the 
Deepwater Horizon drilling rig 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana. 
Seventeen workers were injured and 11 are missing and thought now to be 
dead.
  April 5, as has been mentioned, the explosion at the Upper Big Branch 
coal mine in West Virginia where 29 lives were lost. Additionally, a 
miner was killed this past week at Pocahontas Mine in West Virginia. 
Both of these mines had a pattern of repeat safety violations. It 
appears that these companies were not dedicated to the safety of their 
employees. Rather, they were dedicated to staying open by doing the 
bare minimum to meet regulations.
  Chairman Miller, Congresswoman Woolsey, and Congressman Rahall have 
been diligent in working to bring to light repeated violators and 
holding those who continue to operate unsafe mines accountable.
  I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families and loved 
ones of those who were killed and injured in these tragic events, as 
well as all those workers who were injured or killed worldwide. These 
are our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. They 
left home for work in the morning like all of us do, only never to 
return.

[[Page 6399]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I thank the gentlewoman.
  We hear again and again that those who died knew the risk of what 
they were doing, a risk many felt was necessary to provide for their 
families. Yes, accidents do happen. But often accidents are 
preventable, and we must do all that we can to prevent injury and death 
on the job.
  I would like to thank House leadership and Chairman Miller for their 
support in bringing this resolution to the floor today, and I would 
also like to thank Congressman Bruce Braley and Congresswoman Linda 
Sanchez for their assistance in bringing this resolution forward.
  I urge my colleagues to support the recognition of Workers' Memorial 
Day.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Braley), who has played a significant part in 
making this bill come forward.
  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution 
honoring Workers' Memorial Day.
  The recent mining disaster in West Virginia serves as a strong 
reminder of the millions of Americans who put their lives on the line 
every day they go to work. Workers' Memorial Day commemorates those who 
have been injured or killed on the job. And, Mr. Speaker, this is 
personal to me because when I was 2 years old, my father was severely 
injured in a workplace accident, and one of the things I am proudest of 
was setting up a scholarship fund in his name to help injured workers 
and their families in Iowa get a new start on life.
  Over the past several decades in the United States, we have made 
great progress in preventing injuries and deaths in the workplace. 
However, there is still much work that needs to be done, and each year 
more than 5,000 Americans are killed due to workplace injuries and 
millions more experience occupational injuries and illnesses. Work-
related accidents are still too common in the United States. On 
average, 16 Americans are killed every day due to workplace injuries. 
We need to continue to work to ensure that every workplace is a safe 
one.
  While in the United States we have improved workplace safety in 
recent decades, the numbers across the globe are overwhelming. It's 
estimated that nearly 2 million workers die each year due to work-
related accidents or diseases worldwide. More people are killed due to 
workplace injury or disease than are killed in war.
  As a founder of the Populist Caucus, dedicated to strengthening the 
middle class, I will continue to fight for workplace safety. I am also 
committed to recognizing this holiday and the millions of workers 
across the world who have given their lives on the job. That's why I 
was proud to work with my friends, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson 
and fellow Populist Caucus member Congresswoman Linda Sanchez as we 
continue to honor the millions of men and women who have given their 
lives for the continued progress of humankind.
  I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honored to yield 4 minutes 
to the chair of the Education and Labor Committee, the number one champ 
for workers in our Congress, the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller).
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding 
and I thank the subcommittee chair for all of her work on behalf of 
workers in our country and her leadership on not only worker issues but 
also family issues as workers struggle to keep family and the workplace 
together and in sync from time to time.
  I also want to thank Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson for her 
introduction of this resolution for Workers' Memorial Day and to all of 
the members of the committee who have supported it, to Mr. Petri for 
his support.
  This is the 21st annual Workers' Memorial Day, a day to honor workers 
who have lost their lives or become sick or injured because of the 
unsafe and unhealthy workplaces in the past year.
  Our Nation's workers have had a tough year. Last Sunday, our Nation 
paused to remember 29 fallen miners in the Upper Big Branch mine, the 
worst U.S. coal mining accident since 1970. Upper Big Branch was not 
the only horrific workplace catastrophe this year. Last week 11 workers 
died in an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of 
Mexico.

                              {time}  1430

  Three days before the blast at Upper Big Branch, seven workers 
perished in an explosion at a refinery near Seattle. This comes after a 
devastating explosion at a power plant under construction in 
Connecticut, which cost six workers their lives. These explosions are a 
reminder that while we have made some strides in workplace safety, 
unacceptable risks still remain for our workers. Fourteen workers die 
on the job every day. We have to do better.
  Take the Upper Big Branch mine: 2 months ago, my committee learned 
about how many mine operators managed to avoid some of the tougher 
sanctions implemented after the Sago mine explosion. While some have 
made safety a priority, others have responded by indiscriminately 
challenging nearly every safety citation. By flooding the system with 
unwarranted appeals, these companies have been able to avoid full 
accountability for their actions. The consequences of these delays can 
be deadly.
  Last August, the Mine Safety and Health Administration identified 48 
mines that were able to escape the possibility of tougher scrutiny 
because of these unresolved appeals. Upper Big Branch mine was one of 
them. So was the nearby Pocahontas mine, where a worker was killed last 
week.
  Loopholes in our safety laws aren't exclusive to mining. Sadly, 
penalties for companies that violate health and safety laws are 
woefully outdated. Multimillion-dollar corporations often face little 
more than a slap on the wrist for potentially fatal violations. Without 
effective enforcement, it's easy for bad actors to become repeat 
offenders. Without adequate whistleblower protections, workers who want 
to report hazards often live in fear of retribution. According to the 
New York Times, one Upper Big Branch foreman recalled, ``I have had 
guys come to me and cry,'' because they were too afraid to report 
concerns about high methane levels in the mine. Workers shouldn't have 
to choose between losing their lives and losing their jobs.
  These tragedies call for immediate reforms that will make all 
workplaces safer. First, we must allocate funding that will start to 
clear the backlog of the mine safety appeals. Second, we need to look 
at outdated and ineffective laws that continue to allow companies to 
put workers in harm's way. In 2008, I authored legislation that would 
have strengthened the mine disaster prevention efforts, improved 
emergency responses, and reduced long-term health risks to miners. The 
S-MINER Act passed the House, but died in the Senate because of a veto 
threat. We don't know yet if it would have prevented the Upper Big 
Branch tragedy, but it certainly could have helped.
  Finally, Congress should pass the Protecting America's Workers Act. 
This bill will modernize safety protections for workers across all 
industries through stronger penalties, effective whistleblower 
protections, and meaningful accountability when employers break the 
law.
  Four years ago, I made a promise to the families who lost a loved one 
in the Sago, Darby, and Aracoma Alma mine disasters. I told them we 
would do everything we could to heed the lessons of those disasters and 
keep miners safe. Unfortunately, I've had to make the same promise to 
families at the Crandall Canyon mine disaster and now the Upper Big 
Branch mine disaster. This has got to stop.

[[Page 6400]]

  On this Workers' Memorial Day, it's time to live up to this promise 
for all the families of workers who have lost their lives on the job--
and all working men and women across this country. We cannot afford to 
let another year go by without meaningful reform.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare).
  Mr. HARE. I want to thank Chairman Woolsey for her leadership on the 
Workforce Protection Subcommittee, who I have had the pleasure of 
serving with.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 375. On April 
28, we observe Workers' Memorial Day, when people all over the world 
gather to remember and mourn the workers killed or injured on the job. 
April 28 also commemorates the creation of the Occupational Safety and 
Health Administration. Since its inception in 1970, OSHA has been a 
driving force in improving workplace safety and health conditions 
across the country. Over the past several decades, through the work of 
OSHA, we have made enormous strides in protecting workers, yet there's 
still much work left to be done.
  Mr. Speaker, worker safety has been at the forefront of our social 
conscience lately. We've seen devastating tragedies from West Virginia 
to Connecticut to Washington State and now Louisiana. While we grieve 
for those lost in these tragedies, we should never forget those who are 
killed on the job but never make the front pages. Their families' pain 
is no less substantial and our obligation to protect them is no less 
important. Each of these deaths should remind us that failing to give 
OSHA the tools it needs to regulate the workforce efficiently leaves 
our constituents, the American workforce, in jeopardy.
  The government alone cannot fully protect our workers. Workers' 
Memorial Day must also be a reminder to our Nation's employers of their 
obligation to keep their employees safe. The days of certain companies 
skirting safety just to save a buck must come to an end once and for 
all. For those employers that fail to comply, we must strengthen worker 
protections and make penalties more severe.
  On behalf of all of those who we honor on Workers' Memorial Day, I 
ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join Chairman Woolsey 
and me in the fight to modernize OSHA to protect the lives and health 
of America's workers. Let us all stand together today in solidarity in 
recognizing Workers' Memorial Day, honor all those we have lost, and 
vow to take the steps necessary to make every American safer at work.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, February 7, 2010, while a lot 
of families were returning from church, myself included, an explosion 
occurred at the Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown, Connecticut, a 
plant that was under construction--a new natural gas plant--where 
workers, particularly from Local 777 of the Plumbers and Pipefitters, 
were there as almost a nonstop series of shifts to get the plant online 
since a lot of the power credits had already been sold to the owners.
  It was an explosion which took place in the middle of the State of 
Connecticut. It was heard as far away as Long Island Sound. That was 
the size and violence of the explosion. They were purging the natural 
gas power lines. There was a buildup of natural gas. Unfortunately, 
there was some ignition that caused the explosion to take place. Six 
workers were killed. Twenty-six more were injured. Among them was 
Raymond Dobratz of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, someone who was a father 
and a grandfather, a beautiful family. He was very active in the 
community. The other was Ronnie Crabb of Colchester, Connecticut. 
Ronnie is a friend of mine. His wife, Jodi Thomas, is the probate judge 
in Colchester, Connecticut. A young family. Ronnie was somebody who was 
so devoted to his wife and child and also would do anything in the 
community, whether it was raising money for charities, being involved 
in Little League, being involved in his union. The loss is something 
that is still felt so deeply in the community because of what a 
wonderful person he was.
  The Education and Labor Committee, under Congresswoman Woolsey's 
leadership and Mr. Miller, is going to conduct a study because there 
are certain rules that have now been recommended by the Chemical Safety 
Board for power plant construction because there is a wave of natural 
gas power plants that are under construction because of the Energy Act. 
The fact of the matter is, the law has not caught up with the 
technology that surrounds this very dangerous work.
  I, again, applaud Congresswoman Woolsey for bringing this motion 
forward. But to honestly honor these individuals who lost their lives, 
we need to make sure that the laws are enacted to make sure that there 
are real protections for workers and their families and we don't have 
situations like the Crabb family and Dobratz family are experiencing 
today.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).
  Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership on this 
extremely important issue. I rise in strong support of this resolution. 
This Thursday, April 28, 2010, millions of workers and their families 
throughout the world will gather to commemorate Workers' Memorial Day. 
We will remember and honor those injured or killed on the job, and we 
will renew the call for stronger workplace protections.
  Since 1970, when the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed, 
more than 410,000 workers' lives have been saved due to improvements in 
working conditions. However, the number of workplace-related illnesses, 
injuries, and deaths remains far too high. In 2008, more than 4 million 
workers were injured and 5,214 workers were killed due to job hazards. 
In Ohio, 168 workers lost their lives in the workplace in 2008; 168 
Ohioans went to work and lost their lives as a result of workplace 
hazards. One hundred and sixty-eight men and women went to work and 
never returned to their families. This is about more than statistics. 
This is about lost lives.
  This Workers' Memorial Day we pause and remember the thousands of 
lives lost in workplaces around the world. In the past 3 months alone, 
we have witnessed four major workplace tragedies that claimed the lives 
of 41 workers. Eleven workers are still missing after an oil rig 
explosion last week. We must act to ensure our workplaces are safe and 
our workers are protected. We must continue to fight to create well-
paying, safe jobs for the American people. We must continue to fight to 
protect our workers' safety and health and to hold those who put their 
employees at risk accountable.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from California is 
recognized for 2\1/2\ minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, as we've heard, every year about 5,000 
workers are killed and 4 million are injured on the job, with an 
additional 50,000 dying each year from occupational diseases. There are 
about 4 million cases of reportable workplace injuries and 3.7 million 
occupational illnesses and injuries on an annual basis. While coal 
mining remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, 
every single day hardworking miners show up to the mines in order to 
provide for their families. We need to do whatever we can to ensure 
that they and other workers return home safely each and every night.
  To honor those who have sacrificed their lives, their health, and 
their loved ones who sacrificed the lives of those that went to work 
and didn't come home, we must do more. We have to do more than talk. We 
have to bring

[[Page 6401]]

OSHA and MSHA into the 21st century. That is my commitment to the 
workers of America. That is what I'm working on with the support of my 
subcommittee in Education and Labor, the Workforce Protection 
Subcommittee, and our chairman, George Miller. That is what we know 
must happen.
  So I urge my colleagues, in closing, to support H. Res. 375, support 
the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, and I thank 
Congresswoman Johnson and Congressman Braley and those that worked with 
her on this amazing resolution. It is so important.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of 
House Resolution 375, supporting the mission and goals of Workers 
Memorial Day, introduced by my good friend, the gentlelady from Texas.
  On Workers Memorial Day, we pause to remember workers who have been 
injured, sickened, or even killed on the job.
  We were recently given a harsh reminder of the realities of workplace 
danger in West Virginia. The coal miners who lost their lives in that 
tragedy paid the ultimate price while working to support their families 
and supply energy to this great nation.
  Sixteen workers are killed on the job each day in America. In my 
home, Los Angeles County, that means that, on average, one worker dies 
every 3 days. We lose a neighbor on the job every 3 days.
  Accidents don't just happen in the most dangerous industries or on 
the most hazardous job sites. They also happen in offices, stores, and 
warehouses.
  The fact is, deaths and injuries at work are preventable. We just 
need to give the issue the attention it deserves. I applaud steps taken 
so far.
  President Obama's Labor Department has already raised the profile of 
this issue and OSHA and MSHA have been empowered to do much more than 
ask for compliance with voluntary standards.
  With passage of the Recovery Act, we were able to shift resources to 
agencies that enforce workplace safety and health laws.
  While the recent tragedy in West Virginia reminds us that we have far 
to go, my point is that it shouldn't take a disaster to put our eye on 
the ball. One preventable death at work is too many.
  Disasters, like the recent loss of so many lives in West Virginia, 
serve as a stark reminder of the inadequacies that still exist. No 
family should ever have to suffer loss because we do not properly or 
fully inspect a workplace.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this 
resolution.
  I also urge you to join the members of the Labor and Working Families 
Caucus as we continue our efforts to make it safe to go to work in 
America.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H. Res. 
375, which supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, 
recognizes the importance of worker health and safety, and encourages 
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, employers, and 
employees to support activities aimed at increasing awareness of the 
importance of workplace safety. This legislation serves as an important 
tribute to the men and women who have been killed or injured in the 
workplace and a reminder of the need for a national effort to ensure 
that workplaces across the country are as safe as possible.
  I thank Chairman Miller for his leadership in bringing this 
resolution to the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, 
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, for her dedication to ensuring a 
safe and healthy environment for all workers in the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, every year, about 5,000 individuals are killed due to 
workplace related injuries. That is an average of 14 workers each day 
that die due to an accident in the workplace. In an advanced, 
industrialized society, these numbers are simply unacceptable. Many 
workers in my district are employed by the Port of Long Beach, where 
they operate complicated machinery and move heavy equipment to help 
facilitate the movement of goods throughout the United States. They 
deserve our best effort to provide them with a safe workplace as they 
perform this important work. Recent workplace tragedies, such as the 
death of the 29 coal miners in the disaster at the Upper Big Branch 
Mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia, and the explosion of the 
Transocean Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that left 17 
workers injured and 11 missing, have made even clearer the need for 
increased workplace protections in the United States. Hopefully, we can 
take these horrible tragedies as a call to ensure that the necessary 
workplace safety and health regulations are in place for all Americans. 
Regardless of whether you work in an office complex or a textile mill, 
a steel plant or on an oil rig, every American deserves the assurance 
of knowing that he or she is safe at work.
  Mr. Speaker, our nation needs a sustained and heightened focus on 
safety in the workplace, so that every employee in the United States 
can work in a healthy environment and return home safely to his or her 
family at the end of the day. This resolution is an important step in 
that effort.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 375.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 375, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________