Today, Committee Democrats held a subcommittee hearing claiming that federal labor law must be reformed to protect workers’ right to join a union. Federal law unequivocally protects workers’ right to organize, and Republicans and Democrats respect this right. Nevertheless, organized labor has pushed for changes to federal labor laws that would give union bosses even more power than they already ha... Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services held a hearing on the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). CAPTA is the key federal legislation that helps states combat child abuse and neglect. The legislation provides states with grant funding so that they may develop programs aimed at prevention, assessment, investigation, prosecution, and treatment. “The scope of this la... Read more »
Today, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Republican Leader of the Committee on Education and Labor, and 20 Republican Committee Members sent a letter to Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, to request a full committee hearing on H.R. 1384, a bill to establish ... Read more »
Today, the Committee on Education and Labor convened a bipartisan hearing to examine the high cost of college and ways to enact student-centered reforms. During the hearing, witness testimony made it clear that the high cost of college does not exist in a vacuum. In order to drive downward pressure on rising tuition expenses, it’s important to analyze how college costs are interconnected to other ... Read more »
Free and reduced-priced meals offered through federal school meal programs are an important way to support kids’ healthy development and ensure that students from low-income households have access to nutritious breakfasts and lunches while at school. School meals must be healthy and nutrient-rich, but it’s important to ensure that the program remains effective and kids like what’s being served. In... Read more »
At a subcommittee hearing on multiemployer pensions, members on both sides of the aisle came together to discuss the severe challenges facing the multiemployer pension system and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). “Extreme levels of plan underfunding are an urgent concern. Workers and retirees must have peace of mind when it comes to their hard-earned retirement benefits and employer... Read more »
Today, Committee Democrats held a markup on H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act. If enacted, this legislation to more than double the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour will result in millions of job losses for vulnerable Americans, small business closures, and significant losses to the U.S. economy. During the markup, Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said: “H.R. 582 will hammer small business... Read more »
Ensuring student safety in the classroom is paramount. Inappropriate uses of seclusion and restraint against students are never acceptable, but a one-size-fits-all mandate handed down from Washington is the wrong way to ensure students’ safety. “When an authority figure in the classroom has to take measures to keep order and safety, several things are happening at once . . . In the best of situati... Read more »
Workers in the health care and social service industries operate in unique circumstances that can put their safety in jeopardy. These workers, like all workers, deserve protections from workplace violence, and the Trump administration’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is currently working to create a standard to further protect these workers. While the rulemaking process is un... Read more »
Today, Committee Democrats held markups on two tired, empty, and utterly unworkable bills. H.R. 865, the Rebuild America’s Schools Act, will result in $70 billion in costs to taxpayers, increased costs to states and school districts, and considerable bureaucracy and red tape in exchange for little grants to a few school districts. H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act, offers no new protections agains... Read more »
