On the recordFebruary 6, 2020
I thank the ranking member for yielding. As a Virginian, I am proud that my State is currently one of the 27 that protects the fundamental right to work. Because of Virginia's pro- business and pro-employer stance, it has once again been ranked the number one State in which to do business by CNBC. Unfortunately, this is being threatened both at the State level in the Virginia General Assembly and now at the Federal level through this bill, the PRO Act. Every American should have the right to get a job or keep a job without being required to join a labor union. This bill would inappropriately preempt and prohibit that right, while concurrently violating the privacy of workers by forcing the sharing of their personal contact information with union organizers, even when this has been shown to enable harassment and intimidation of those very workers. This is unacceptable. The PRO Act would have grave impacts on workers and businesses at a great cost to the fabric of our workforce. Founding Father and fellow Virginian Thomas Jefferson said: ``To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical.'' Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill and to stand for the freedoms and success that our Founding Fathers believed in.
