Date: 2015-10-28
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you very much. As always. you have shared information with us which is illuminating and edifying and. hopefully. convincing of our colleagues that they shall adhere to those things that you were suggesting and recommending. Mr. Speaker. one of the stories tonight that I have comes from Armando in New Brunswick. New Jersey. For 31/2 years. Armando worked at a gas station 7 days a week on the night shift. He got one day off every 3 months. Despite working 46 hours each week. he didnt get overtime pay. In 2007. when his wife Silvia developed eye problems that required a number of doctors appointments. Armandos request to leave work early to help with her treatment and recovery was denied. In order to care for his wife. Armando would come in from work at 6 a.m.. leave at 7 a.m. to head to the hospital with Silvia. return home at 7 p.m.. and sleep for just 2 hours before doing it all over again. When he filed a complaint with the Department of Labor. Armando lost his job. On his way out the door. Armandos employer told him he was a good worker. He liked his work. but not the complaint. Mr. Speaker. no one should have to endure this. No one should have to work endlessly with just 4 days off each year just to make ends meet. No one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and losing his or her job. I would like to take this opportunity and share another story with you from New Jersey. This story comes from Josefa. also from New Brunswick. New Jersey. She works in a restaurant in the kitchen and occasionally as a cashier. When Josefa became pregnant. she had to take 2 months off of work without pay. When she returned. she asked for the morning shift so that she could go home to be with her newborn baby. They obliged her request. but 2 weeks later they moved her to a 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. shift. With so few hours and traveling long distances to get to the restaurant. Josefa was stuck. She asked her boss for more hours. not a raise or a handout. but the chance to work enough hours to make ends meet. Despite 5 years in her job. Josefa was told that. if she didnt like it. she could leave. In Josefas own words: "I was a single mom. so it was very difficult. and things like this dont just happen to methey happen to many others. We just make enough to pay the babysitter and rent. but there are so many expenses." Mr. Speaker. in the greatest Nation in the world. which we are. we canand we mustdo better. We must stand up for those hardworking Americans who dont want a handout but who simply want a level playing field. We have got to stand up for those working Americans who have to work 46 hours a week. who get 3 or 4 days a year off. who are not able to make the decision to be able to care for a sick child. a sick spouse. or a sick parent. We can do better than that. It doesnt take a lot for us to simply be decent to those who hold up our economy. who do the jobs that we take for granted every single. solitary day. but without those jobs. we would see what is lacking in our lives. So I ask. Mr. Speaker. that our colleagues in this Houseand particularly on the other side of the aislespend some time reflecting on what little it is they need to do to simply give our working Americans a fair shake. a fair chance. time with their families. and time to be able to bring their families into the middle class. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.