Representative Mike Garcia (CA-25) co-sponsored a resolution to recognize the importance of gig workers in America. Gig workers comprise roughly 36 percent of all U.S. workers. In 2020, they contributed $1.21 trillion to the American economy. 
 
“The gig economy is comprised of workers who enjoy the freedom to be their own bosses and set their own schedules,” said Garcia. “Instead of supporting Americans who work for themselves, House Democrats are pushing to penalize them by eliminating the flexibility and autonomy that draws workers to the gig economy in the first place. We need support our gig workers – especially at a time when we are amidst a national supply chain crisis, a major bottleneck at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and a shortage of truck drivers.
 
The resolution draws attention to local, state, and federal efforts to restrict the rights of individuals to choose their own hours, locations, and occupations. The resolution specifically highlights the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which does at the federal level what California’s AB 5 does at the state level by forcing independent contractors to reclassify as full-time employees. Garcia has repeatedly opposed both the PRO Act and California’s AB 5. 
 
“Californians have witnessed AB5 kill tens of thousands of jobs, drive companies like Uber and Lyft out of our state, and damage the livelihoods of many California families,” said Garcia. “We are amidst a supply chain crisis that is made worse by worker shortages stemming from job-killing policies like AB5. If we want to combat the supply chain crisis, we need to stop enacting policies that kill jobs and instead support hardworking Americans.  I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution to reaffirm the importance of our gig economy. We must protect our nation from becoming the economic wobbly top California has become.” 
 
Watch Garcia discuss the supply chain crisis on Fox Business here. 
 
Read more about Garcia’s efforts to protect American jobs and the economy here.