Abigail Spanberger Votes in Favor of Allowing Illegal Aliens to Join Unions

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) voted Tuesday against a motion that would have blocked labor unions from encouraging illegal aliens to join labor unions. Spanberger voted in favor of this motion last year.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, unveiled a motion to recommit on the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The PRO Act passed through the House Tuesday night.

The legislation would essentially curb states’ Right to Work laws. Right to Work laws allow workers to choose whether to join a union and protect them from retribution if they do not wish to join a union.

If passed on the House floor, the motion to recommit would send the bill back to the House Education and Labor Committee with instructions that include a provision banning illegal aliens from communications and working with a labor union.

Banks said that the PRO Act prioritizes the interests of “illegal aliens and union bosses.”

The Hoosier conservative noted that his family has a rich history of working with labor unions; however, he said that it is a “travesty” that illegal aliens should have the same “labor rights” as union workers.

Banks said, “This bill as written would lessen American citizens’ union voting power and hand it to people who aren’t legally” employed.

“This bill would disempower American workers by drowning out their voices to the benefit of illegal immigrants,” he added.

The Republican amendment reads, “A labor union shall not communicate with an employee regarding joining or supporting the labor organization if the employee is not authorized to work in the United States.”

Democrats defeated the amendment, with 218 Democrats against Banks’ motion and 206 GOP votes in favor of the motion to recommit.

Tuesday’s vote serves as a stark contrast to last year’s motion to recommit on the PRO Act, considering that Spanberger voted in favor of the Republican amendment to prevent unions from encouraging illegal aliens to join unions.