A special meeting in Congressional hearing room brought UE Political Action Conference delegates together with four lawmakers ready and willing to ‘get back to the people’s business.’ Above, left, Rep. Ron Klink (D., Pa.) with Genl. Pres. John Hovis. ‘Social Security is the real contract with America,’ said Klink, who denounced efforts to ‘turn Social Security from a trust fund into a hedge fund.’

Vermont’s Bernie Sanders (above, right), the longest-serving independent member of Congress, was right at home with UE delegates. He sounded an alarm about the big-money domination of politics and corporate control of media and called for a reinvigoration of democracy.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Ohio) captured the imagination of UE members with her forceful, fact-backed critique of corporate control of trade policies, agriculture and the media. A leader of the fight against NAFTA, Kaptur is shown here being greeted by Genl. Pres. John Hovis as Genl. Sec.-Treas. Bob Clark looks on.

At left, Rep. James Traficant (D., Ohio) mugs for the camera with Chris Howell, Local 611.

Above, right: In introducing Rep. John Conyers (D., Mich.), Pres. John Hovis thanked the autoworker-turned-lawyer for his assistance in 1976 when Charleston, S.C. General Electric workers organized into UE. Conyers, who gained national attention during the impeachment proceedings as the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, reminded UE members that all 13 House trial managers had voted for repeal of overtime, for discrimination against worker-organizers, for tax cuts for the rich.

Above, an aide to Rep. Mike Doyle (D., Pa.) listens to comments by District Six Pres. John Lambiase. Also pictured are Bryan Rice, Local 623 (behind the aide), Donna Cramer, Local 506, and Mary Stewart, Local 618 — and in the mirror, John Blinn and John Thompson of Local 690.

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