For months, the Department of Labor has been working behind closed doors on a regulatory proposal that will make it harder for low- and middle-income families to save for retirement. And for months, bipartisan concerns regarding the department’s “fiduciary” proposal have fallen on deaf ears. Most recently, nine House Democrats wrote to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)—where the rule is cu... Read more »
Dear Secretary Perez: On August 21, 2015, we were joined by 20 of our colleagues in requesting an additional 60 days of public comment on the U.S. Department of Labor’s (the Department) proposal to update the overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In a letter dated August 31, 2015, Wage and Hour Administrator David Weil denied this request, stating the initial 60-day comment per... Read more »
With the bipartisan, bicameral passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Congress successfully came together to improve an outdated and inefficient job training system—providing more Americans with the tools necessary to succeed in a 21st century workforce. The law puts the best interest of working families, employers and taxpayers first by: Streamlining a confusing maze of p... Read more »
Life changing – that’s how Denisha Merriweather described the impact of school choice on her life. Denisha shared her personal story yesterday at a hearing where members discussed the many ways school choice helps students escape underperforming schools and access a quality education. Because Denisha took advantage of the school choice options available in her state, she is the first person in her... Read more »
Protecting the retirement security of hardworking Americans is an important bipartisan priority. This week, the Committee on Education and the Workforce will consider a bipartisan legislative solution that will do just that. This effort stands in stark contrast to the extreme, partisan approach underway at the Department of Labor. For years, the department has worked to put together a regulatory p... Read more »
THE PROBLEM As a country, we face a number of significant retirement challenges. Far too many men and women are leaving the workforce without the financial security they need when they retire. Policymakers should be looking for opportunities to make it easier for working families—especially low- and middle-income families—to successfully plan for their retirement years. The last thing Washington ... Read more »
This week marks the 5th annual National School Choice Week, a time for students, parents, teachers, local leaders, and policymakers to celebrate how school choice is paving the way toward a brighter future for millions of students. The numbers speak for themselves: 100,000 students graduate from home schools each year. 1,000,000 students participate in private school choice programs. 3,000,000 stu... Read more »
On October 13, 2015, we wrote to you regarding the Department of Labor’s (Department) draft memorandum to expand liability for workplace safety and health violations of franchisors under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act). Among other requests, the Committee’s letter specifically requested the Department to provide information and a briefing related to the Solicitor of Labor’s (Solicito... Read more »
Dear Secretary Burwell: The Department of Health and Human Services is tasked with coordinating and administering the federal government’s efforts to prevent child abuse. We are deeply concerned the Department may not be properly enforcing the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA or the law) to ensure the basic requirements of the law are being followed. To help address these concerns,... Read more »
President Obama spent a lot of time shoring up his legacy during his State of the Union address, which helps explain why he reiterated numerous calls for more programs, more spending, and more government to address the challenges facing the American people. Near the top of the president’s outstanding wish list were his demands for universal pre-K and free community college. We all want every child... Read more »
