David Obey: “this resolution is a disgrace. I do not agree with every aspect of the rule that OSHA adopted; but if one disagrees with…”

“this resolution is a disgrace. I do not agree with every aspect of the rule that OSHA adopted; but if one disagrees with it, the proper way to change it is to have the Department of Labor propose changes, have an open hearing and comment process and then come up with changes to the rule. Instead, what this action does is it represents a blanket wipe-out of virtually every protection that workers have in this country from repetitive motion injuries. It was done without notice, without hearings, without consultation and without any spirit of compromise whatsoever. If there is any remaining illusion in this House that the House leadership is interested in bipartisanship, this is exhibit number one in the fact that that is pure fiction. It is very easy for Members of Congress to vote to do away with these protections for workers because the only repetitive motion injury that Members of Congress are likely to get is to their knees from consistent genuflecting to every special interest in this country. But the real workers of this country, the people who work with the sweat of their brows, the people who lift weight that is too heavy, the people who go through motions that are too injurious over time, the people I meet every day in plants as I go through my district, those are the people who expect us to do our duty and stand up for them because they are too busy to stand up for themselves. Do what is right. Vote no on this resolution.”