Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, recently introduced the Protecting Academic Freedoms in Higher Education Act (H.R. 2117) to defend states, schools, and students from excessive regulatory burdens. THE PROBLEM: Late last year, the Department of Education released a package of regulations they claimed would improve student financia... Read more »
Dear Assistant Secretary Main: We strongly support and share the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) commitment to the elimination of black lung disease. In furthering that goal, it is important any proposed regulations issued by MSHA are based on sound science and require the minimal necessary disruption to workers and employers. To that end, we request additional information regardin... Read more »
Dear Mr. Petrole: On March 3, 2011, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections of the Committee on Education and the Workforce held an oversight hearing on safety inspection and enforcement practices of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The hearing examined a previously unreleased March 25, 2010 MSHA report to the Senate Appropriations Committee highlighting serious deficiencies in ... Read more »
Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, has introduced the first in a series of education reform bills planned by the House Education and the Workforce Committee. Rep. Hunter's legislation, the Setting New Priorities in Education Spending Act (H.R. 1891), would begin the process of weeding out inefficient and unnecessary K-12 educati... Read more »
Dear Chairman Liebman: Thank you for your partial response to the March 7, 2011 letter from Chairman Issa and myself requesting documents and communications referring or relating to Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Mobile and United Steelworkers, District 9, case 15-RC-8773, and the Specialty notice and invitation to file briefs. Serious concerns regarding the National Labor Relat... Read more »
Dear Acting General Counsel Solomon: The National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent action against The Boeing Company is deeply troubling. Although the facts of the case are still in dispute, its eventual outcome could have significant consequences for job-creators and workers. In light of the potential impact on the nation’s workforce, apparent inconsistencies surrounding the NLRB’s April 20,... Read more »
Dear Secretaries Solis and Geithner and Commissioner Shulman: Recently, the Employee Benefits Security Administration ("EBSA") of the Department of Labor (the "Department") proposed to change the regulatory structure for and definition of the term "fiduciary" under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), Definition of the Term "Fichiciary," (RIN 1210-AB32) . The term fiduci... Read more »
This week, Congress will consider a spending agreement that cuts $38.5 billion in federal spending while also taking significant steps to undermine ObamaCare. The agreement is not only a victory for taxpayers concerned about the nation’s unsustainable spending and debt, it is a victory for all Americans who join us in the fight to repeal the government takeover of health care. Here is how – Americ... Read more »
Dear Secretary Vilsack: Last year, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. One key provision included in the law requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to update the meal pattern and nutrition requirements of the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.... Read more »
Dear Chairmen Rogers and Rehberg and Ranking Members Dicks and DeLauro, We understand negotiations are ongoing on the fiscal year 2011 Continuing Resolution (CR), but important issues remain unresolved. As you finalize the CR, we urge you to include a bipartisan provision that prohibits the U.S. Department of Education’s implementation of gainful employment regulations. These troublesome regulati... Read more »
