I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5218
To promote the fulfillment of basic unmet needs and to protect certain
basic economic rights of the people of the United States, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 6, 1994
Mr. DELLUMS (for himself, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. EVANS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr.
OWENS, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. CONYERS, MS. NORTON, Ms.
VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. NADLER, and Mr. BONIOR) introduced the
following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Education
and Labor, Foreign Affairs, Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, Gov-
ernment Operations, Armed Services, and Ways and Means
A BILL
To promote the fulfillment of basic unmet needs and to
protect certain basic economic rights of the people of
the United States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘A
Living Wage, Jobs For All Act’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents is
as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Basic economic rights and responsibilities under the 1944 ‘‘Economic
Bill of Rights’’.
Sec. 3. Program to implement basic economic rights and responsibilities.
Sec. 4. Grants and incentives to States and local governments to encourage
public works and public services planning.
Sec. 5. International economic policy to increase worldwide living standards.
Sec. 6. Establishment of conversion planning fund.
Sec. 7. Implementation.
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. BASIC ECONOMIC RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
UNDER 
THE 
1944 
‘‘ECONOMIC 
BILL 
OF
RIGHTS’’.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Congress affirms the respon-
sibility of the Federal government to implement and, in
accordance with current and foreseeable trends, update
and extend, in accordance with subsection (b), the state-
ment by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the State of
the Union message of January 11, 1944: ‘‘In our days
these economic truths have become self-evident. We have
accepted so to speak a second Bill of Rights under which
a new basis of security and prosperity can be established
for all—regardless of station, rank or creed. Among these
are the following:
‘‘(1) The right to a useful and remunerative job
in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the
Nation.
‘‘(2) The right to earn enough to provide for an
adequate living.
‘‘(3) The right of every farmer to raise and sell
farm products at a return which will provide a de-
cent family living.
‘‘(4) The right of every business, large or small,
to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair
competition and domination by monopolies at home
or abroad.
‘‘(5) The right of every family to a decent
home.
‘‘(6) The right to adequate medical care and
the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.
‘‘(7) The right to adequate protection from the
economic fears of old age, sickness, accident and un-
employment.
‘‘(8) The right to a good education.’’.
(b) UPDATE AND EXTENSION OF BILL OF RIGHTS.—
In updating and extending the 1944 ‘‘Economic Bill of
Rights’’ described in subsection (a), the following require-
ments should be met:
(1) Every adult American able and willing to
earn a living through paid work has the right to a
free choice among opportunities for useful and pro-
ductive paid employment (part- or full-time) at de-
cent real wages or for self- employment.
(2) Every adult American unable to work for
pay or find employment has the right to an adequate
standard of living that rises with increases in the
wealth and productivity of the society.
(c) RESPONSIBILITY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.—
Each Federal agency and commission, including the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, has the re-
sponsibility to plan and carry out its policies, programs,
projects, and budgets in a manner designed to help estab-
lish and maintain conditions under which all adult Ameri-
cans may freely exercise the economic rights described in
subsection (a). Each such Federal agency or commission
shall not directly or indirectly promote recession, stagna-
tion, or unemployment as a means of reducing wages and
salaries or inflation.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT BASIC ECONOMIC
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall establish
a program to implement the basic economic rights
and responsibilities described in section 2 in the
United States for the purpose of improving the qual-
ity of life in the United States by the year 2000 and
the early years of the 21st Century.