Dear Representative:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I urge you to support the following amendments to H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. These amendments will support working families while ensuring a pathway to good, family-sustaining, union jobs.
Jones Amendment (Floor #2)
Ensures that employers who have violated National Labor Relations Act in the previous 3 years do not receive Department of Defense contracts unless the employer is in compliance with National Labor Relations Board settlement requirements or the employees’ collective bargaining representative certifies that the employer is in compliance with the relevant collective bargaining agreement (CBA) or is bargaining in good faith towards a CBA.
Schakowsky Amendment (Floor #3)
Establishes a contracting preference for contractors who (1) have a neutrality agreement, (2) agree not to close or hire permanent replacements in response to workers’ concerted refusal to work, or (3) have a union workforce.
Garamendi Amendment (En Bloc #1, Floor #159)
Requires the Department of Defense to standardize procedures for all personnel who require valid base access, including labor organizations.
Thompson Amendment (Floor #390)
Amendment #390 provides the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) workforce of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) the same workforce protections and collective bargaining rights under title 5 as other federal workers and ends the TSA Administrator’s authority to create a separate personnel system applying only to the TSO workforce.
Perlmutter Amendment (Floor #408)
Incorporates the bipartisan SAFE Banking Act to allow state-legal cannabis businesses to access the banking system and help improve public safety by reducing the amount of cash at these businesses.
Wild Amendment (Floor #440)
Requires the Secretary of State to issue a report focusing on human rights violations committed by Philippines police, military, and paramilitary forces and assessing these forces’ role in the current Philippines human rights climate.
Connolly Amendment (Floor #454)
Amendment #454 prohibits the Executive Branch from moving competitive service positions to excepted service without the agreement of Congress and prevents the politicization of civil service jobs.
McGovern Amendment (En Bloc #5, Floor #580)
Amendment #580 eliminates the VA Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission. The AIR Commission recommended closing one-third of VA medical centers without providing assurances to replace the facilities.
Wild Amendment (Floor #650)
Provides that Department of State funding cannot be made available to the Philippine National Police until the government of the Philippines meets basic human rights standards.
We urge you to support these amendments to H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.
Sincerely,
William Samuel
Director, Government Affairs