On April 5th of this year, a tragedy struck Montcoal, West Virginia. On that day, an explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine killed 29 miners and provided a stark reminder that coal mining is a profession marked by risks and dangers. And while steps have been taken to strengthen protections for miners, this tragedy and others like it remind us that more work remains to be done. I believe steps... Read more »
As the notice announcing our hearing states, we will be reviewing an independent audit of the Labor Department's financial records. This is a department with a roughly $16 billion budget, 30 agencies, and more than 17,000 employees. A great deal of time and resources were invested in this audit and for good reason: addressing the country’s fiscal challenges will not be possible until every dollar ... Read more »
The American people have spoken, and they continue to speak loud and clear. I’ve been listening, and I know what I have been hearing in the second district of Minnesota is being repeated from coast to coast. “Stop growing government,” the people are telling us. “Stop spending money we do not have.” It is a simple request, and a sensible one. Yet it continues to be ignored. Today’s vote will be amo... Read more »
Today nearly every American worker is covered by a system of workers’ compensation. Disability benefits are available in the event of an illness or injury that occurs on the job to help replace lost wages and cover the cost of medical care when an individual is unable to return to work. For many workers and their families, workers’ compensation is a critical lifeline during a very difficult time. ... Read more »
We are here to look at the issue of concussions among high school athletes and the effects of these traumatic brain injuries on a student’s academic achievement. This is the third in a series of hearings examining what policies and practices are in place to protect students from these injuries and help them safely recover when injuries do occur. Across the country children are settling back into c... Read more »
Eighteen months ago, we gathered in this chamber to debate economic stimulus. Republicans wanted to help job creators, but the majority said no, “let’s borrow and spend.” And borrow and spend they did, to the tune of $862 billion. Back then, Democrats sent nearly $100 billion to states and districts to prop up school budgets. It would save 300,000 jobs, we were told, and improve public education. ... Read more »
Whistleblower protections are a longstanding part of our federal safety and health laws. Simply put, they protect workers’ ability to speak freely about dangers in the workplace. They allow working men and women to protect themselves and their coworkers. The ultimate goal of our worker safety laws should be that no worker ever needs to blow the whistle. We need a culture of safety in our workplace... Read more »
I thank the gentleman for yielding and allowing me to describe what I believe is a far better approach to addressing the tragic explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine and improve the safety of all our nation’s coal miners. Although we all wish it were possible, we cannot go back in time and prevent the Upper Big Branch tragedy. We cannot bring back the 29 miners lost that day, nor the 23 other min... Read more »
The explosion at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch coal mine claimed the lives of 29 workers and forever changed the lives of their families and communities. While progress has been made over the last several decades to improve mine safety, tragedies like the one at the Upper Big Branch mine remind us more work remains. Republicans firmly believe Congress must take responsible action to further mit... Read more »
I would like to begin by thanking our distinguished panel for appearing today. We appreciate that they have taken time out of their busy schedules to share their experiences and expertise with us. This is a critical issue. Some pension plans are experiencing funding shortfalls after the economic downturn, and plan sponsors are trying to find greater returns to meet obligations. However, I am somew... Read more »
