Janice Schakowsky: “I thank Mr. Courtney for yielding, and I proudly rise today in support of his legislation. The frequency and scale of…”

“I thank Mr. Courtney for yielding, and I proudly rise today in support of his legislation. The frequency and scale of workplace violence are alarmingly high, but no statistic, even the startling ones that we have learned about, can fully reflect the pain, loss, and suffering that these incidents can cause. As we consider the bill before us today, I ask that you remember and honor Pamela Knight. Pamela was an AFSCME Council 31, Local 448 member. She worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a child protection specialist. She had been sent to take a 2-year-old child into protective custody from an abusive father. As she got out of her car, Pamela was attacked by the boy's father. Brutally beaten, Ms. Knight suffered blunt force trauma to her head. After 11 years on the job, she succumbed to her injuries, paying the ultimate price for protecting children from abuse and neglect. Pamela and her fellow DCFS employees are the front line of defense in protecting children in Illinois and around the country. In this vital work, they can encounter families in crisis stemming from poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence. For two decades, OSHA has worked with employers on voluntary guidelines to address workplace violence, yet the rate of violence has gone up. Enough is enough.…”