Al Franken

The condition of BIA's schools is an unconscionable threat to the health and well being of children in Indian Country.

I also speak today in strong support of S. 3295, the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections, also known as the DISCLOSE Act. In particular, I want to talk about the provisions in title III that will create much…

It seems like every time we want information that should be readily available to the public, we have to turn up the heat and hold a hearing.

The budget for Indian school construction has been consistently cut since 2004, and this year is unfortunately no exception.

Unfortunately, Bettye is just one of many nurses who have lost their careers due to the lack of safe patient handling standards.

Most people do not know this, but the U.S. consistently takes more refugees than most industrialized countries combined.

Workers would be protected from employer retaliation if they refuse to accept assignments which do not meet safety standards.

Workers would receive training on safe patient handling and injury prevention.

Health and Human Services would administer a $200-million grant program to cover costs of acquiring safe handling and equipment for eligible facilities.

This is not a one-size-fits-all.

These are lifesavers, these machines.

I rise to speak again on the problem of credit rating agencies and the inherent conflicts of interest that drive the industry. The underlying Wall Street reform bill takes some steps in the right direction, but I believe we can go much…

We have a serious problem on our hands. We've got a nursing shortage, a nursing workforce that's growing older, and a general population growing heavier, with the obesity epidemic.

Under this legislation, OSHA would issue a standard on safe patient handling and injury prevention that requires the use of lift equipment to move patients, except in cases which would compromise patient care.

Nurses' back injuries cost about $16 billion in worker compensation benefits each year, and another $10 billion in medical treatment and lost productivity.

This is a recipe for disaster, and we must take action now.

I cannot imagine waiting 16 years to see your family.

I'm happy to introduce Bettye Shogren, a specialist in occupational health and safety from the Minnesota Nurses Association, and the Minnesotan who inspired S. 1788, the Nurse and Health Care Work Protection Act.

I'm proud that Minnesota hospitals understand that worker safety is part and parcel of good patient care.

I rise to speak about an issue of great importance, the foreclosure crisis, and the fears and frustrations of American families who are at risk of losing their homes. Wherever I go in Minnesota, people tell me horror stories about losing…

I rise to speak about the need to further address the problems of the credit rating agency industry. Senator Dodd has presented us with a very good bill that takes major strides in addressing many of the problems that brought our economy…

I hope very much that he was not saying that Gross advantaged plaintiffs, because that is certainly not the case.

the Gross rule undermines Congress' efforts to stop and deter workplace bias.

S. 1756 would replace the Gross standard with a uniform standard that furthers Congress' interest in preventing and deterring workplace bias.

Last year, I passed an amendment to the Defense appropriations bill that prohibits taxpayer money from going to contractors who force their employees to arbitrate discrimination claims.