31694 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS November 10, 1987 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS SUPPORT FOR JOBS WITH happening in Massachusetts or California, but PERSIAN GULF CONFLICT JUSTICE CAMPAIGN about what is happening in every State and every town in America. Try telling the people HON. JIM JONTZ HON •.ROBERT E. WISE, JR. of Appalachia that they are experiencing an OF INDIANA OF WEST VIRGINIA economic recovery, and they will tell you IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES about the 90-percent unemployment rate in Tuesday, November 10, 1987 Tuesday, November 10, 1987 Gary, WV. In testimony given before the Education and Mr. JONTZ. Mr. Speaker, as conflict in the Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, the time has arrived Persian Gulf continues, we should listen care­ for working people to speak out against the Labor Committee in Nashville, TN, Dr. John Gaventa presented figures produced by the fully to what the people across our Nation are erosion of fundamental labor rights, which are saying about this matter. being excused in the name of economic ne­ Appalachian Regional Commission. These fig­ Allen Maxwell of Kokomo, IN, recently wrote cessity. This Nation has great wealth and ures described how in "the first 4 years of the a letter to the editor on the subject of the War power and there is no need for its workers to 1980's, the Appalachian region lost two and Powers Act which I'd like to give my col­ suffer disproportionately every time the coun­ one-half manufacturing jobs for every one that leagues the opportunity to review. I ask that try faces economic difficulty. had been created in the 1970's." Further, "at this letter be printed in the RECORD at this I returned recently from an Education and the end of 1985, four-fifths of the regions point. Labor field hearing in Nashville, TN, where we counties had an official unemployment rate PERSIAN GULF DECISION Is Too MUCH FOR discussed the adequacy of current labor laws higher than the national rate of 6. 7 percent; ONE PERSON in protecting the rights of workers and the 85 counties had double the national rate, and Although the Kokomo Tribune and the consequences of inadequate protection on 28 had triple the rate-for an official unem­ the well-being of American society. I was dis­ President may disagree with the wisdom of ployment rate of over 20 percent." the War Powers Act, it is unquestionably tressed by the extent to which the economic The policies of the Reagan administration the law of the land and the President has and labor policies of the current administration sworn to "take care that the laws be faith­ have negatively impacted American workers. have undoubtedly played a significant part in fully executed." To state that he "quite In response to the continued multifaceted . the economic decline of that area. The rightly" declines to obey the law of the land attack upon basic labor rights, different organi­ present administration argues · that labor is to suggest a dangerous precedent-that a zations including trade unions, as well as reli­ unions represent an unnecessary and undesir­ President can pick and choose which laws gious, civil rights, and community groups, have able obstacle in the way of free market oper­ he wishes to obey and which he wishes to joined together to form the Jobs With Justice ations. Further, it is argued that union at­ ignore. That is not the way it is done in America. campaign. The aims of this movement are tempts to secure for its workers a level of The framers of the Constitution carefully threefold. It seeks to achieve: wages sufficient to provide them with a decent delineated the power to make foreign First, the right to job security for all Ameri­ standard of living will necessarily result in job policy-which they clearly gave to the Con­ can workers, both union and nonunion. losses. gress as the body representing the people­ from the power to execute or carry out for­ Second, the right for an adequate and fair Given its attitude toward unions, the standard of living; and eign policy-which they gave to the more Reagan administration has used the National remote, less responsive, and less accountable Third, the right to organize on the job. Labor Relations Board as part of, its strategy President. I do not believe these demands are unrea­ to undermine the ability of labor unions to rep­ The question of whether the United sonable. Indeed, I believe what the Jobs With resent their members effectively. I agree with States is going to war in the Persian Gulf indisputably involves the making of foreign Justice campaign asks for are rights which the sentiments expressed by UMW president, policy and such a grave commitment should should naturally be afforded every American Richard Trumka, in the West Virginia Law be based on the best judgment of the elect­ worker. The basic industrial rights possessed Review: ed representatives of the people-the mem­ by American people have been hard won, and bers of the House and Senate. If the Presi­ deserve protecting. It is without question that the National dent and his foreign policy advisors cannot Labor Relations Board has transformed convince our elected representative of the The Jobs With Justice campaign will under­ itself under Ronald Reagan into an active wisdom of going to war in the Gulf, then take to educate and mobilize people to and conscious proponent of the destruction the United States should not go to war in defend labor rights. Rallies and hearings are of labor unions, of American industrial de­ the Gulf through presidential subterfuge taking place throughout the country so that mocracy, and ultimately, of workers' rights and a willful disregard for the law. the widest possible audience can be reached. and prosperity. The intention of the War Powers Act was This is an issue which I firmly believe should to "ensure that the collective judgment of receive a high priority ranking on the national The present multifaceted attack on the in­ both the Congress and the President," not just the will of the President, would apply agenda. terest of working people needs to be resisted. to the introduction of U.S. forces into hos­ We are constantly told about our "sustained It is for this purpose that I urge you to support tile or potentially hostile situations. One economic recovery," but it is a recovery many the Jobs With Justice campaign in its attempt reason that more than 50,000 Americans working people have great difficulty relating to. to secure widespread recognition of the rights were killed in Vietnam was that the process Certainly, in my district in West Virginia people of workers. We cannot have economic free­ of "collective judgment" involving the Con­ see little evidence of improvement. On the gress and the American people in the deci­ dom without worker protection. This extends sion to go to war was not followed. contrary, we are more familiar with the advent to every aspect of American society-the cur­ Once Congress makes the momentous de­ of plant closings and layoffs than with industri­ rent takeover mania, airline deregulation, trade cision to go to war, or to start the process al recovery and employment growth. While legislation, and labor-management relations. that may pull us into war, it is of course some may indeed "have never had it so To every degree possible we must -see that proper for the President, as Commander in good," West Virginia suffers from one of the the workers of America are guaranteed a fair Chief, to execute that policy by overseeing highest unemployment rates in the country. the day-to-day tactical military decisions. reward for their productivity, or productivity will A decision to send American men and Therefore, I emphasize that the so-called decline. The key to a secure economy is the women to the Persian Gulf or to the jungles economic recovery is not just about what is stake every individual has in preserving it. of Central America to fight and to die is too e 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. November 10, 1987 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 31695 critical a decision to be left up to the Presi­ Nevertheless, many still claim that Zionism HONORING OUR VETERANS dent alone. The intent of the War Powers is racism, and so forth, that Zionism-and Act was and is to require that the critical determination to take the nation into war thus Israel-discriminates against all who are HON. GEORGE MILLER be a nationally debated and decided commit­ not Jewish. This assertion is absurd. Those ment, and not simply the action of one indi­ who make it conveniently ignore the fact that OF CALIFORNIA vidual, even if he is the President. Jews from over 100 countries, of all back­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The War Powers Act is the law. The Presi­ grounds and colors, are presented in Israel's dent should obey it. population. Upwards of a half million Moslem Tuesday, November 10, 1987 ALLEN B. MAxWELL, and Christian Arabs, Druze, Bahai's, Circas­ Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, to­ KOKOMO, IND. sians, and other ethnic groups are also citi­ morrow we pay tribute to the millions of Amer­ zens of Israel, minorities living under full and icans who have served in our Armed Forces. I IN SUPPORT OF SENATE JOINT vigorous protection of their democratic and re­ take this opportunity to assure our veterans RESOLUTION 205 ligious rights.