Donald M. Payne: “Let me first thank Congressman Scott for hosting tonight's Special Order hour and his continual dedication to making…”

“Let me first thank Congressman Scott for hosting tonight's Special Order hour and his continual dedication to making sure that working families are represented by his great leadership. Tonight, the Janus-Council 31 case and the value of unions is what we are here to speak about. As we hold this Special Order hour, there are efforts across the country working to trample workers' rights. The Supreme Court case, Janus v. AFSCME, aims to take away the freedom and the opportunity for working people to join together and strong unions to speak up for them, their families, and their communities. {time} 2100 Any effort that threatens to undermine public sector collective bargaining rights is an attack on working people and their ability to negotiate with a strong voice in their workplace. We must be unwavering in our support of workers' rights. Over the decades, unions were vital in our communities, particularly for women and communities of color. African-American women in unions earn an average of $21.90 an hour, while nonunion women earn $17.04 an hour. In addition, more than 72 percent of women in unions have health insurance, while less than 50 percent of nonunion African-American women do. The important work that unions do every day is improving our economy and the lives of countless working families in this country. Mr. Speaker, I had much more to say, but in the interest of time, I will say I know how important it is to be represented.…”