HR 842 · 117th Congress 2021–2023, ended

Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021

Latest action · Mar 11, 2021 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedFeb 4, 2021
  2. Passed HouseMar 9, 2021
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021

This bill expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace.

Among other things, it (1) revises the definitions of employee, supervisor, and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards; (2) permits labor organizations to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); and (3) prohibits employers from bringing claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes.

The bill also allows collective bargaining agreements to require all employees represented by the bargaining unit to contribute fees to the labor organization for the cost of such representation, notwithstanding a state law to the contrary; and expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of, or discrimination against, workers who participate in strikes.

The bill makes it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership and prohibits employers from entering into agreements with employees under which employees waive the right to pursue or a join collective or class-action litigation.

The bill further prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against an employee, including employees with management responsibilities, in response to that employee participating in protected activities related to the enforcement of the prohibitions against unfair labor practices (i.e., whistleblower protections). Such protected activities include

  • providing information about a potential violation to an enforcement agency,
  • participating in an enforcement proceeding,
  • initiating a proceeding concerning an alleged violation or assisting in such a proceeding, or
  • refusing to participate in an activity the employee reasonably believes is a violation of labor laws.

Finally, the bill addresses the procedures for union representation elections, provides employees with the ability to vote in such elections remotely by telephone or the internet, modifies the protections against unfair labor practices that result in serious economic harm, and establishes penalties and permits injunctive relief against entities that fail to comply with National Labor Relations Board orders.

Recorded votes 4

Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.

Roll callQuestionResultDate
House 70Passed225–206Mar 9, 2021
House 69Failed206–218Mar 9, 2021
House 68Failed185–243Mar 9, 2021
House 67Agreed to227–196Mar 9, 2021

Cosponsors 213

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 4, 2021 to Mar 8, 2021; 195 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-VAA. Donald McEachinOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAAdam B. SchiffOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WAAdam SmithOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYAdriano EspaillatOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXAl GreenOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLAl Lawson, Jr.OriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAAlan S. LowenthalOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJAlbio SiresOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLAlcee L. HastingsOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NCAlma S. AdamsOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-INAndré CarsonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJAndy KimOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MIAndy LevinOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MNAngie CraigOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-AZAnn KirkpatrickOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NHAnn M. KusterOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAAnna G. EshooOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MDAnthony G. BrownOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYAntonio DelgadoOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MAAyanna PressleyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CABarbara LeeOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MSBennie G. ThompsonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MNBetty McCollumOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILBill FosterOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJBill Pascrell, Jr.OriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILBobby L. RushOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJBonnie Watson ColemanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CABrad ShermanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILBradley Scott SchneiderOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MIBrenda L. LawrenceOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PABrendan F. BoyleOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYBrian HigginsOriginalFeb 4, 2021
R-PABrian K. FitzpatrickOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MDC. A. Dutch RuppersbergerOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYCarolyn B. MaloneyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLCharlie CristOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MEChellie PingreeOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILCheri BustosOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NHChris PappasOriginalFeb 4, 2021
R-NJChristopher H. SmithOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PAConor LambOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MOCori BushOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-IACynthia AxneOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MIDaniel T. KildeeOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILDanny K. DavisOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLDarren SotoOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NCDavid E. PriceOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MDDavid J. TroneOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-RIDavid N. CicillineOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-GADavid ScottOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MIDebbie DingellOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLDebbie Wasserman SchultzOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NCDeborah K. RossOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NMDebra A. HaalandOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WADerek KilmerOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CODiana DeGetteOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NVDina TitusOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJDonald M. Payne, Jr.OriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJDonald NorcrossOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-VADonald S. Beyer, Jr.OriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CADoris O. MatsuiOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PADwight EvansOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-OREarl BlumenauerOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-COEd PerlmutterOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXEddie Bernice JohnsonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-VAElaine G. LuriaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-DCEleanor Holmes NortonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MIElissa SlotkinOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MOEmanuel CleaverOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAEric SwalwellOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXFilemon VelaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-INFrank J. MrvanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJFrank Pallone, Jr.OriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLFrederica S. WilsonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-VAGerald E. ConnollyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAGrace F. NapolitanoOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYGrace MengOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-AZGreg StantonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MPGregorio Kilili Camacho SablanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYGregory W. MeeksOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WIGwen MooreOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYHakeem S. JeffriesOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MIHaley M. StevensOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-GAHenry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.OriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MNIlhan OmarOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJackie SpeierOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CTJahana HayesOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MAJake AuchinclossOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYJamaal BowmanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MAJames P. McGovernOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-RIJames R. LangevinOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MDJamie RaskinOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILJanice D. SchakowskyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MEJared F. GoldenOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJared HuffmanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-COJason CrowOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYJerrold NadlerOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJerry McNerneyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILJesús G. "Chuy" GarcíaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TNJim CooperOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJim CostaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJimmy GomezOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJimmy PanettaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXJoaquin CastroOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CTJoe CourtneyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-COJoe NeguseOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-KYJohn A. YarmuthOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CTJohn B. LarsonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJohn GaramendiOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MDJohn P. SarbanesOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYJoseph D. MorelleOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJJosh GottheimerOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJosh HarderOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-OHJoyce BeattyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJuan VargasOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJudy ChuOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAJulia BrownleyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-HIKaiali'i KaheleOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAKaren BassOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MAKatherine M. ClarkOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLKathy CastorOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NCKathy E. ManningOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAKatie PorterOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WAKim SchrierOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILLauren UnderwoodOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CALinda T. SánchezOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-DELisa Blunt RochesterOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXLloyd DoggettOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLLois FrankelOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MALori TrahanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CALucille Roybal-AllardOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PAMadeleine DeanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXMarc A. VeaseyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-OHMarcy KapturOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILMarie NewmanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAMark DeSaulnierOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WIMark PocanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAMark TakanoOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PAMary Gay ScanlonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PAMatt CartwrightOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PAMichael F. DoyleOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAMike LevinOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILMike QuigleyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAMike ThompsonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJMikie SherrillOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYMondaire JonesOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CANanette Diaz BarragánOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-GANikema WilliamsOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CANorma J. TorresOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYNydia M. VelázquezOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYPaul TonkoOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CAPete AguilarOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ORPeter A. DeFazioOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-VTPeter WelchOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WAPramila JayapalOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILRaja KrishnamoorthiOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MIRashida TlaibOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-AZRaúl M. GrijalvaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CARaul RuizOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WARick LarsenOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYRitchie TorresOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CARo KhannaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILRobin L. KellyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WIRon KindOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CTRosa L. DeLauroOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-AZRuben GallegoOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CASalud O. CarbajalOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-GASanford D. Bishop, Jr.OriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CASara JacobsOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ILSean CastenOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYSean Patrick MaloneyOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MASeth MoultonOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXSheila Jackson LeeOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MDSteny H. HoyerOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MAStephen F. LynchOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TNSteve CohenOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NVSteven HorsfordOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-PASusan WildOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ORSuzanne BonamiciOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXSylvia R. GarciaOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CATed LieuOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NMTeresa Leger FernandezOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-ALTerri A. SewellOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLTheodore E. DeutchOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYThomas R. SuozziOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-OHTim RyanOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NJTom MalinowskiOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-AZTom O'HalleranOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-CATony CárdenasOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-FLVal Butler DemingsOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXVeronica EscobarOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-TXVicente GonzalezOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-MAWilliam R. KeatingOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-NYYvette D. ClarkeOriginalFeb 4, 2021
D-WAMarilyn StricklandFeb 5, 2021
D-GUMichael F. Q. San NicolasFeb 5, 2021
D-CAZoe LofgrenFeb 5, 2021
D-VAAbigail Davis SpanbergerFeb 8, 2021
D-WASuzan K. DelBeneFeb 8, 2021
D-PAChrissy HoulahanFeb 15, 2021
D-CTJames A. HimesFeb 15, 2021
D-NJJefferson Van DrewFeb 15, 2021
D-VAJennifer WextonFeb 15, 2021
D-MDKweisi MfumeFeb 15, 2021
D-MARichard E. NealFeb 15, 2021
D-KSSharice DavidsFeb 15, 2021
D-NCG. K. ButterfieldFeb 22, 2021
D-CAMaxine WatersFeb 23, 2021
D-GACarolyn BourdeauxMar 1, 2021
D-SCJames E. ClyburnMar 1, 2021
D-NYKathleen M. RiceMar 1, 2021
D-HIEd CaseMar 8, 2021

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseEducation and Workforce Committee
Referred Feb 4, 2021
SenateHealth, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Referred Mar 11, 2021

Actions 21

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Mar 11, 2021Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  2. Mar 9, 2021Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 188. (consideration: CR H1134-1163; text: CR H1134-1137)
  3. Mar 9, 2021Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 842, H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446. Rule provides for one hour of general debate for H.R. 842, H.R. 8, and H.R. 1446. The rule provides for a motion to recommit on H.R. 842, H.R. 8, and H.R. 1446.
  4. Mar 9, 2021DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 842.
  5. Mar 9, 2021DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 188, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment en bloc No. 1.

In the Congressional Record 12

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
ExtensionsDebate and remarks E1302Sheila Jackson Lee D-TXDec 15, 2022
HouseDebate and remarks H8054Glenn Grothman R-WISep 21, 2022
HouseDebate and remarks H5738Virginia Foxx R-NCJun 22, 2022
HouseDebate and remarks H5918, H5920Nancy Pelosi D-CA, Robert C. "Bobby" Scott D-VAOct 26, 2021
HouseDebate and remarks H5682Jesús G. "Chuy" García D-ILOct 20, 2021

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 21, February 4, 2021, page H388.

Printed hearings 7

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
Serial No. 117-56IN SOLIDARITY: REMOVING BARRIERS TO UNION ORGANIZING252 pagesEducation and Workforce CommitteeSep 14, 2022
Serial No. 117-35INDUSTRY AND LABOR PERSPECTIVES: A FURTHER LOOK AT NORTH AMERICAN SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES191 pagesTransportation and Infrastructure CommitteeNov 17, 2021
Serial No. 117-34CLOSING THE COURTHOUSE DOORS: THE INJUSTICE OF FORCED ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS135 pagesEducation and Workforce CommitteeNov 4, 2021
Serial No. 117-20THE IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES TO OUR NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN203 pagesAgriculture CommitteeNov 3, 2021
S. Hrg. 117-197THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE: EMPOWERING AMERICAN WORKERS IN A 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY88 pagesHealth, Education, Labor, and Pensions CommitteeJul 22, 2021

CRS reports 1

Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.

Cite it 1

Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.

Amendments 3

Amendments offered to this bill.

AmendmentDescriptionOffered byStatus
HAmdt 24Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 188, the amendment printed in part A of House Report 117-10 is considered adopted.Rules CommitteeOn agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection.
HAmdt 25Amendments en bloc No. 1 comprised of amendments numbered 1, 4, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, printed in Part B of House Report 117-10.Robert C. "Bobby" Scott D-VAOn agreeing to the Scott (VA) amendments (A002) Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 227 - 196 (Roll no. 67).
HAmdt 26Amendments en bloc No. 2 comprised of amendments numbered 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 18, and 19, printed in Part B of House Report 117-10.Robert C. "Bobby" Scott D-VAOn agreeing to the Scott (VA) amendments (A003) Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 185 - 243 (Roll no. 68).

Related bills 3

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

Titles 4

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To amend the National Labor Relations Act, the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Introduced
Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021
Short Title(s) as Passed House
Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021
Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Labor and Employment.

Text 3

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Mar 11, 2021Referred in Senate
  2. Mar 9, 2021Engrossed in House
  3. Feb 4, 2021Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.