A historic debate that lasted more than five hours in the House of Representatives concluded with the passage of the most important labor law reform legislation in 70 years. By a margin of 241-185, the House passed H.R. 800, which would level the playing field when workers decided to form a union and have collective bargaining. Thirteen Republicans joined 228 Democrats in voting for the bill. Two Democrats and 183 Republicans voted against the bill. This historic event will be the turning point in the growing movement to restore our nation's middle class. The blue-collar workers across America had enough of corporate greed and decided to hold their elected officials accountable for the apparent attack on the middle class, raising their voices against the corporate machines that were keeping the middle class down trodden.  The voices of tens of millions of working people, who deserve the right to make a free choice for the right to collective bargaining for a better life, have been heard and heeded on Capitol Hill.

The future looks brighter to all Americans who have watched corporations celebrate record profits, but have themselves been shut out of obtaining a piece of the pie, left with stagnant wages or wage cuts, loss of medical benefits, loss of retirement, and facing soaring living costs. Thanks to the Employee Free Choice Act, working people may finally have the chance to be part of a union.

Congress today has recognized that collective bargaining is critical in this democracy, as it is in every other democracy around the world. Passage today of the Employee Free Choice Act by the House of Representative is a first step towards restoring the core of the preamble of the National Labor Relations Act passed 70 years ago that commits our government to promote collective bargaining in the workplace, not an endless legal battle with management declaring war on their own employees.

In a last minute, desperate effort to delay passage of the bill, Republicans tried to get the bill recommitted or sent back to committee. Republicans wanted to add a provision that only U.S. citizens be allowed to sign union authorization cards. The Employee Free Choice Act has strong bipartisan support. Introduced by Miller, the bill has 233 co-sponsors. Democrats made it clear that the purpose of the bill was not pro-union or pro-business, but pro-worker. During the debate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-C

said Democrats believe we must make our economy fairer. We took the first step in our first 100 hours, with a strong bipartisan vote to increase the minimum wage. And today, we take the next step, with a strong bipartisan vote to ensure that America's working families have the right to organize. The right to organize means a better future for them, and for all us. It means a future that is economically and socially just, a future where the workplace is safe, a future where our retirement is secure.

The vicious attack on unions by corporations and the Republican Party has caused the once strong unions of America to be disabled in recent years. The number of American jobs that have been out-sourced in recent years easily sees this. Polls have shown that the unions are coming back, people want representation from unions, workers want the good wages and benefits that unions' offer, workers want the choice to be union, American workers want American jobs to stay in America, Americans want corporations to share some of the profits which the workers have made possible. With the passage of this bill the unions will once again have enough members who will have a loud voice in promoting their own welfare.  Voice's that may change elections in this country, voice's that will not allow corporations to be the only kid on the block. Voices that will not be silenced by the threat of losing their jobs, Voices that will demand fairness for the workers of America.

Voices that will echo across this great land,

Union workers built America,

Union workers will continue to keep America 1st

In the world market, if given the chance.