Correspondence

Dear Secretary Solis:

The appropriate expenditure of taxpayer funds by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is of the utmost important to the committee. Given the U.S. Government Accountability Office's (GAO) recent findings on duplication and overlap within federal programs, I respectfully request documents and communications relating to the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) participation in the White House Counsel on Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers ("Council") and DOL's Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers ("Auto Recovery Office"). 

On June 23, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13509, creating the White House Counsel on Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers to "establish a coordinated Federal response to issues that particularly impact automotive communities and workers and to ensure that Federal programs and policies address and take into account these concerns." Under this executive order, you, as Secretary of Labor, were made a co-chair of the Council with the Director of the National Economic Council. On July 6, 2011, the president signed Executive Order 13578, moving the Council responsibilities to DOL and solely under your purview.

Over the last three years, conditions for the auto production and parts manufacturing industry have improved. However, it is unclear whether the Auto Recovery Office has play a role in that improvement.

To read the full letter, click here.