Extensions of Remarks E1867 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS
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October 11, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1867 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING MATTHEW M. LEWICKI THE DISABLED FEDERAL Mr. Speaker, I believe that everyone in this EMPLOYEES PROTECTION ACT body wants to protect employment opportuni- ties for the severely disabled. I urge my col- HON. DALE E. KILDEE HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN leagues to support and cosponsor the Dis- abled Federal Employees Protection Act. OF MICHIGAN OF MARYLAND ECORD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES I am submitting for the R an article IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that was published by The Washington Post Thursday, October 7, 2004 on October 14, 2003 that describes the situa- Thursday, October 7, 2004 Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud tion involving the scullery workers at the Na- Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to introduce the Disabled Federal Em- tional Naval Medical Center. today on behalf of the members of the Michi- ployees Protection Act. [From the Washington Post, Oct. 4, 2004] The Disabled Federal Employees Protection gan Department of the Polish Legion of Amer- IN BETHESDA, HIRING POLICY, ‘‘COMPETITIVE Act (DFEPA) simply states that in cases SOURCING’’ CLASH ican Veterans, USA to pay tribute to Matthew where federal jobs are contracted out, a Fed- NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER CONSIDERS REPLACING M. Lewicki, World War II veteran, for his serv- eral employee should not lose his or her job DISABLED WORKERS ice in the United States Army’s 45th Infantry if that employee is an individual with a signifi- (By Christopher Lee) 179th Infantry Division from May 1, 1943 to cant physical or developmental disability and President Bush’s efforts to make govern- November 5, 1945. On Saturday, October 16, had been hired under a program designed for ment run more like a business collided this 2004 the Polish Legion along with family and individuals with such disabilities. month with the reality that, in many ways, friends will gather to present Mr. Lewicki with The DFEPA was drafted to respond to a government is not a business. medals he earned during his military career. particular situation that occurred at the Na- For the past 2 years, the Navy, as part of the Bush administration’s initiative, has On May 1, 1943 Mr. Lewicki entered into tional Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, been studying whether a private contractor the U.S. Army during World War II. He was Maryland. Last fall I visited the Hospital, which should take over the custodial and food serv- assigned to the 45th Infantry 179th Infantry Di- has developed an innovative and successful ices provided by 21 Federal employees at the vision as a Private Infantry Auto Rifleman. He program hiring developmentally disabled indi- National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. viduals from our local community to work in its It is just one small example of Bush’s was wounded at Anzio Beach, Italy. Dunlop kitchen and cafeteria. Many of these individ- ‘‘competitive sourcing’’ initiative, which re- Acting Adjutant General sent notification to Mr. uals have worked there for more than 20 quires hundreds of thousands of civil serv- Lewicki’s family on April 11, 1944 stating that ants across the government to prove they years. They are hard-working, reliable, and can do their work better and more cheaply he had been captured by the Germans and beloved by the naval officers and staff. I was was a Prisoner of War. He had been missing than a private contractor, or risk seeing the shocked to learn that the Administration had work outsourced. in action since February 18th. The Germans selected these positions to be subject to com- But in one important way the 21 workers sent him to a warehouse in Italy for three petitive sourcing. In other words, these hard- in the hospital scullery are different: All are weeks, after which he was transferred to a working disabled employees, who had been mentally retarded, beneficiaries of Federal prison camp in Germany where he was as- hired under a federal program designed spe- policies that promote the employment of signed to work on a farm. His Prisoner of War people with disabilities. cifically to hire the severely disabled, would be To their supporters, the administration’s number was Stalag 7–B, #11689. Mr. Lewicki forced to compete for their own jobs against requirement that they compete for their jobs spent a total of 14 months in captivity. Cor- people who were not disabled, leaving them misses the point that government employ- poral Lewicki was honorably discharged on on the verge of losing their jobs. I wrote the ment has always been about more than the November 5, 1945. Mr. Lewicki, after his dis- President about this injustice and am pleased bottom line. Through various policies and charge from the service, returned to his em- that as a result of our timely intervention, laws, Federal agencies for decades have gone out of their way to hire members of certain ployment at General Motors Buick Motor Divi- plans to compete these jobs have been with- drawn and these individuals have been able to populations, from veterans to disabled peo- sion. He retired in 1980 after 44 years of em- ple to welfare mothers and students. ployment. keep their jobs and the sense of dignity that ‘‘There are different goals of the Federal comes with them. Matthew M. Lewicki was born on June 13, government, and one of those goals is to get But it is unconscionable that other severely different people into real jobs,’’ said Rep. 1915 in Troy, New York. The Lewickis relo- disabled Federal workers might have to suffer Chris Van Hollen (D–Md.), who met last cated to Flint, Michigan in 1917 when Matthew through the same thing. The DFEPA will pro- month with the scullery workers at the hos- was 2 years old. Mr. Lewicki met his lovely tect Federal employees with severe disabilities pital, which is in his district. ‘‘And this [pol- wife, Albina Piotrowski, in 1940 and they were from losing their Federal jobs as a result of icy] will undercut that goal.’’ married on May 3, 1941. To this blessed union Bush has strongly defended ‘‘competitive contracting out. The bill does allow for jobs to sourcing,’’ calling it one of his most impor- were born two sons, Matthew and David. Mrs. continue to be contracted out to organizations tant management initiatives. He says forc- Lewicki passed away on March 6, 1992 at the like NISH (formerly known as the National In- ing government workers to compete with age of 70. Matthew Lewicki is a lifelong char- stitute for the Severely Handicapped) and the private contractors for their jobs promotes ter member of Dom Polski and the Sea National Industries for the Blind covered under government efficiency and saves taxpayer League. In his spare time Mr. Lewicki enjoys the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (JWOD). JWOD dollars—even if the jobs stay in-house. An bowling and fishing. established specific programs to hire the se- Oct. 3 report by the Office of Management verely disabled; it is not the intention of the and Budget said Federal agencies have iden- Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I tified 434,820 jobs that are ripe for such com- DFEPA to interfere with JWOD. petition, of which 103,412 are being evaluated consider it my duty and my privilege to protect The DFEPA is supported by many organiza- and defend human dignity and the quality of for possible contracting out. tions, including ANCOR (The American Net- ‘‘We are confident that the savings and life for our citizens. I am extremely grateful to work of Community Options and Resources), service benefits expected from this effort have a person like Matthew M. Lewicki who The Public Policy Collaboration of United Cer- will soon follow,’’ Clay Johnson III, OMB’s shares these beliefs, and has made it his life’s ebral Palsy and the Arc of the United States. deputy director for management, said that work to see this task achieved. I honor Mr. The DFEPA also has the support of the Pro- day. Lewicki for his commendable service to our fessional Services Council, one of the principal That provides scant comfort to employees Nation and its mission of spreading peace. I such as Devorah Shapiro, 30, who has worked organizations representing government con- at the hospital scullery for 10 years and wor- ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to tractors, because they agree that supporting ries what will happen if she loses her job. please join me in congratulating Mr. Lewicki, employment opportunities for the disabled is ‘‘I like working here,’’ Shapiro said the and wishing him the best in future endeavors. important. other day while taking a break from the first ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Aug 04 2004 02:50 Oct 13, 2004 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A09OC8.074 E11PT1 E1868 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 11, 2004 half of her 8-hour shift. ‘‘I work on the belt. than half the time, according to the OMB. you can’t have a member of Congress or a I help push carts upstairs sometimes. I wash Even in the cases where the private sector member of the press visit every site where plates, pick silverware—I do everything.’’ has won, the employees often have gone to you’ve got .