VOTES IN THE U.S. HOUSE

HR 842: PROTECTING LABOR’S RIGHT TO ORGANIZE Voting 225 for and 206 against,

the House on Tuesday passed a bill that would protect and expand employee rights to collectively bargain for better pay, benefits and working conditions. The bill would establish the right to organize as a civil right enforceable in federal court, prohibit the permanent replacement of striking workers and enable employees to file class-action lawsuits over working conditions. The bill also would negate state right-towork laws allowing nonunion employees to benefit from negotiated contracts without paying union dues. In addition, the bill would:

„ ▪ Make it difficult for employers to classify “gig economy” workers as independent contractors to prevent them from joining unions.

„ ▪ Authorize stiff National Labor Relations Board fines for employers who unlawfully disrupt organizing campaigns.

„ ▪ Impose personal liability on corporate directors who knowingly sanction their company’s union-busting tactics.

„ ▪ Allow immediate reinstatement in court, through injunctive relief, of workers fired for union activity.

„ ▪ Allow mediation and arbitration to resolve disputes between newly certified unions and companies in drafting their first contract.

„ ▪ Permit unions to conduct secondary boycotts. „

▪ Allow union elections to be conducted at neutral sites and prohibit employers’ “captive audience” meetings to persuade workers.

„ ▪ Permit workers with multiple employers to negotiate directly with the one exercising the most control over their employment.

„ ▪ Prevent employers from using a worker’s immigration status to determine his or her terms of employment.

A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. Yes: Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1st (Bucks, parts of Montgomery and Philadelphia); Madeleine Dean, D-4th (Montgomery, parts of Berks); Susan Wild, D-7th (Lehigh, Northampton, parts of Monroe); Matt Cartwright, D-8th (most of Monroe)

No: Dan Meuser, R-9th (Schuylkill, parts of Carbon and Berks)

HR 8: EXPANDING CHECKS ON GUN SALES Voting 227 for and 203 against, the House on Thursday expanded federal gun background checks to cover sales conducted at gun shows, over the internet or through classified ads, with an exception for sales between family members. The bill would plug loopholes that allow millions of U.S. firearms sales to skirt the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which is structured to deny guns to the mentally ill, individuals with criminal records and domestic abusers. A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.

Yes: Fitzpatrick, Dean, Wild, Cartwright

No: Meuser

CHECKS ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS

Voting 207 for and 217 against, the House on Thursday defeated a Republican motion to HR 8 (above) requiring undocumented immigrants to be reported to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when federal background checks detect they are attempting to buy a firearm. A yes vote was to adopt the GOP requirement.

Yes: Fitzpatrick, Meuser

No: Dean, Wild, Cartwright

HR 1446: EXTENDING GUN BACKGROUND CHECKS

Voting 219 for and 210 against, the House on Thursday passed a bill that would allow more time for the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System to complete reviews of impending gun sales. Now, sales automatically go through if the check is not finished within three business or weekend days. The bill would extend the window to as many as 20 business days. A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.

Fitzpatrick, Dean, Wild, Cartwright Meuser

Yes: No: HR 1319: GIVING FINAL OK TO VIRUS RELIEF Voting 220 for and 211 against,

the House on Wednesday gave final congressional approval to a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that would add $300 per week to unemployment checks through Sept. 6; deliver payments of $1,400 per person to 150 million Americans; increase the Child Tax Credit in a way designed to cut child poverty nearly in half; deliver $350 billion to state, county, city, tribal and territorial governments; provide $25 billion in grants to the restaurant industry; increase Affordable Care Act premium subsidies; fund the reopening of K-12 schools; provide $25 billion in rental aid to avert evictions and $10 billion to help landlords meet their expenses; and fund programs to vaccinate against COVID-19 and slow the spread of the virus. A yes vote was to send the bill to President Biden.

Yes: Dean, Wild, Cartwright

No: Fitzpatrick, Meuser