Date: 1998-03-30
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. Thomas Jefferson once said that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for fhe propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical. Mr. Speaker. this really is the quote that epitomizes House Resolution 2608 that is before us now. the Paycheck Protection Act. and I would commend it to the Houses consideration and urge its adoption. The Paycheck Protection Act is a piece of legislation that came to many of us here in Congress at the urging of working men and women from throughout the country. working men and women who are fed up and tired of seeing portions of their wages. their paychecks. being siphoned off and directed toward political purposes of various causes without their consent. many times without their knowledge. The Paycheck Protection Act applies to all wage earners acrosi the country. all paychecks. This is not an act that singles out any one group or organization. It is not a bill that proposes to place a greater burden on one organization or another. This is a bill that speaks directly to paychecks and wage earners. The fact of the matter is that many people who join various groups and organizations pay for their dues associated with those clubs and groups through wage deductions out of their paychecks. They may sign up for collective bargaining. for agency representation. for various sorts of worthwhile causes. and are frustrated to find that a portion of those funds are frequently and routinely siphoned off to pay for politics. Mr. Speaker. this bill puts an end to that. It protects paychecks for all wage earners in America. Let me say this. there are people who do not like this. There are many people throughout the country who are political operatives of various sorts who pay for huge campaigns of various kinds. ballot initiatives subsidizing candidates. various political messages. This bill does add one more step of inconvenience to their lives because it requires them to go seek the permission of those who are working hard to earn the cash to pay for these various political games. But I say. Mr. Speaker. that it is high time that we depoliticize peoples paychecks. In fact. survey after survey that has been conducted throughout the country on this topic suggest that the American workers are squarely with us. the proponents of this bill. Eight percent of union households agree with us that they would like to see legislation passed by this Congress that would shut off the practice of siphoning off portions of wages for political purposes. Today I ask the Congress to stand with me. to stand with the 165 cosponsors of H.R. 2608. to stand with the hardworking men and women throughout the country who work hard to put bread on the table. to put shoes on the feet of their children. to live the American dream. and who would like to be participants in a political process on a voluntary basis. Who believe that Thomas Jefferson was absolutely right years ago when he said. and once again I repeat. to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time