Mark Takano: “I thank the ranking member for yielding and for his continued leadership on behalf of America's workers. Mr. Speaker…”

“I thank the ranking member for yielding and for his continued leadership on behalf of America's workers. Mr. Speaker, more and more employees today are working for a company whose name is not on the front of their office building. Instead of hiring employees directly, companies are renting employees from staffing agencies. Let me say that again. Companies are renting employees from staffing agencies and then evading responsibility for upholding the rights of those workers, even as they profit from their work. For decades, sensible joint employment standards under the Fair Labor Standards Act have ensured that workers can hold employers accountable for violating wage and hour laws. Instead of refining those standards to reflect the complex relationship between workers and employers in today's economy, this legislation sets a dramatically and intentionally narrow standard so that no large corporation can be held accountable if their contractors violate workplace laws. Mr. Speaker, I include a letter of support in the Record, a letter by the National Employment Law Project and signed by more than 200 organizations opposing H.R. 3441 because it opens the door to widespread wage theft and hurts law-abiding small businesses. Hon. Paul Ryan, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Virginia Foxx, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Robert C. Scott, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.…”