{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5285", "Rep. Rick Allen on Democrats' labor bill: \"This is not the American way\"", "2022-09-20", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick W. Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", "allen", "https://allen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "AUGUSTA \u2013 Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) spoke on the House Floor, outlining the harmful provisions in House Democrats\u2019 PRO Act which would eliminate Right-to-Work protections currently active in 27 states, including Georgia.\n\nDuring his remarks, Congressman Allen urged his colleagues to instead support the Employee Rights Act, legislation he introduced with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) to protect the independent contractor and franchise models while reforming labor laws to counter union abuses and overreach.\n\nCongressman Allen\u2019s full remarks are available below:\n\nWE SHOULD EMPOWER OUR WORKFORCE TO FLOURISH.\n\nHOWEVER, WASHINGTON DEMOCRATS ARE FIXATED ON DRAGGING US BACK TO AN OUTDATED MODEL VIA THEIR PRO ACT, WHICH WOULD STRIP WORKERS OF THEIR FREEDOMS AND FORCE EVERY AMERICAN WORKER TO EITHER JOIN A UNION OR PAY DUES TO A UNION IN ORDER TO KEEP THEIR JOBS.\n\nTHIS IS NOT THE AMERICAN WAY. FREEDOM OF CHOICE IS WHAT MAKES OUR ECONOMY STRONG \u2013 AND EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD HAVE THAT CHOICE.\n\nOUR WORKFORCE IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AND WE NEED CREATIVE, FORWARD-THINKING LEGISLATION THAT GIVES WORKERS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BOTH STABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY.\n\nTHAT\u2019S WHY SENATOR TIM SCOTT AND I INTRODUCED THE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS ACT.\n\nOUR BILL PROTECTS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, ENTREPRENEURS, GIG WORKERS, FRANCHISEES, AND ANYONE ELSE SEEKING TO EARN A LIVING ON THEIR OWN TERMS.\n\nTHE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS ACT PUTS WORKERS IN THE DRIVER\u2019S SEAT BY GIVING THEM THE PROTECTIONS THEY NEED TO CHOOSE FOR THEMSELVES HOW TO EARN A LIVING AND BUILD A FUTURE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.\n\nREPUBLICANS STAND WITH THE 21ST CENTURY WORKER, IT\u2019S TIME OUR LABOR LAWS DID THE SAME.\n\nTHANK YOU AND I YIELD BACK.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5285"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.619867980480194, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}