,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #baac ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bb1 #bjbc,mr4 ,risch 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,crapo1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,florida1 and ,mr4 ,budd7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act and the ,labor ,management ,relations ,act1 #aidg to deter labor slowdowns and prohibit labor organizations from blocking modernization efforts at ports of the ,united ,states1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,preventing ,labor ,union ,slowdowns ,act of #bjbc or the ,,plus ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,deterring labor slowdowns and prohibiting labor organizations from blocking modernization at ports 7a7 ,amendments to the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act 7#a7 ,findings and policy ,section #a of the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #aea7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,international trade is one of the most important components of the economy of the ,united ,states and will likely continue to grow in the future4 ,in order to remain competitive in an increasingly competitive global economy1 it is essential that the ,united ,states possess a highly efficient and reliable public and private transportation network4 ,the ports of the ,united ,states are an increasingly important part of such transportation network4 ,experience has demonstrated that frequent and periodic disruptions to commerce in the maritime industry in the form of deliberate and unprotected labor slowdowns1 or impediments to modernization1 at the ports of the ,united ,states have led to substantial supply chain and economic disruptions1 interfering with the free flow of domestic and international commerce and threatening the economic health of the ,united ,states1 as well as its citizens and businesses4 ,such frequent and periodic disruptions to commerce in the maritime industry hurt the reputation of the ,united ,states in the global economy1 cause the ports of the ,united ,states to lose business1 and represent a serious and burgeoning threat to the financial health and economic stability of the ,united ,states4 ,it is hereby declared to be the policy of the ,united ,states to eliminate the causes and mitigate the effects of such disruptions to commerce in the maritime industry and to provide effective and prompt remedies to individuals injured by such disruptions4 4 7#b7 ,deterring labor slowdowns at ports ,the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act is amended-- 7,a7 in section #b 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #aeb71 by adding at the end the following3 7#ae7 ,the term employee engaged in maritime employment has the meaning given the term employee in section #b7c7 of the ,longshore and ,harbor ,workers' ,compensation ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #ijb7c774 7#af7 ,the term labor slowdown-- 7,a7 includes any intentional effort by employees to reduce productivity or efficiency in the performance of any duty of such employees2 and 7,b7 does not include any such effort required by the good faith belief of such employees that an abnormally dangerous condition exists at the place of employment of such employees4 2 and 7,b7 in section #h7;b7 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #aeh7;b77-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#f71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7ii7 in paragraph 7#g71 by striking the period at the end of the matter following subparagraph 7,c7 and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7#h7 in representing1 or seeking to represent1 employees engaged in maritime employment1 to engage in a labor slowdown at any time1 including when a collective-bargaining agreement is in effect2 and 4 7#c7 ,prohibiting labor organizations from blocking modernization at ports ,section #h7;b7 of the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #aeh7;b771 as amended by paragraph 7#b77;,b71 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7#i7 in representing1 or seeking to represent1 employees engaged in maritime employment1 to-- 7,a7 impede or attempt to impede modernization efforts at a port1 which thereby interferes with or otherwise impedes economic activity in relation to the national supply chain2 or 7,b7 interfere with or otherwise impede the servicing of any automated vessel operating without a crew4 4 7#d7 ,preventing unfair labor practices ,section #aj7l7 of the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #afj7l77 is amended in the first sentence1 by striking or section #h7;b77#g7 and inserting or paragraph 7#g71 7#h71 or 7#i7 of section #h7;b74 7b7 ,amendments to the ,labor ,management ,relations ,act1 #aidg ,section #cjc of the ,labor ,management ,relations ,act1 #aidg 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ahg7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by striking in section #h7;b77#d7 and inserting under paragraph 7#d71 7#h71 or 7#i7 of section #h7;b72 7#b7 in subsection 7b71 by adding at the end the following3 ,with respect to any unfair labor practice under paragraph 7#h7 or 7#i7 of section #h7;b7 of the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #aeh7;b771 the damages recovered shall be in an amount equal to #b times the amount of damages sustained and the cost of the suit shall include any reasonable attorney fees and expert witness fees42 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7c7 ,in an action for damages resulting from a violation of section #h7;b77#h7 of the ,national ,labor ,relations ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #aeh7;b77#h771 it shall not be a defense that the injured party has1 in any manner1 waived1 or purported to waive1 the right of such party to pursue monetary damages relating to the labor slowdown at issue-- 7#a7 in connection with a contractual grievance alleging a violation of a clause prohibiting a strike1 or a similar clause1 in a collective-bargaining agreement2 or 7#b7 in connection with an action for a breach of such a clause under section #cja4 4