Kaptur joins Blue Collar Caucus to speak on issues impacting workers
Speech comes after Kaptur voted to block Trump Administration rollback of rules that would boost access to retirement opportunities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) this week joined her colleagues in the newly formed Blue Collar Caucus to speak out on issues impacting workers under the Trump Administration. The Blue Collar Caucus was founded by Reps. Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Brendan Boyle (PA-13).
The speech comes after Kaptur voted against the House GOP-led roll back of several critical Department of Labor rules (H.J. Res 66 and 67) that are already boosting access to retirement savings for American workers. Kaptur also joined her Ohio colleagues U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13) to oppose President Trump's efforts to roll back Labor's Fiduciary Rule which provides accountability and protections for individuals seeking financial counsel on their retirement accounts.
Excerpts from Kaptur's speech:
"Workers in northern Ohio, since the year 2000, earn on average $7,000 less than at the beginning of the century. These are hardworking people, they are fighting back, but they need our help.
"In the last three weeks, if we take a look at President Trump's term thus far, we begin to see ‘the real Donald' at work. After months of grandiose campaign promises to renegotiate NAFTA, bring back American manufacturing jobs and ‘make America great', we can begin to assess where he is putting his attention.
"As we represent blue collar America, what is he doing for them? The proof is in his actions or lack thereof. After roughly 20 executive orders and actions, we see President Trump has a penchant for media-genic events and moments, […] but apparently not sending any legislation up here yet.
"And most striking, is his clear motivation to assist his friends on Wall Street, with appointments to the Administration such as Secretary of Treasury, rather than paying attention to average Americans who voted for him. He has filled his cabinet with billionaires and multi-millionaires who simply cannot figure out how to walk in the shoes of blue collar America. His actions to help the wealthiest Americans will have significant consequences. So, what happened to his promise to drain the swamp?
"While all of this happens just miles away at the White House, our Republican Congressional colleagues remain either silent or they are moving the car in reverse."
Watch Kaptur's full speech here.