Press Releases

U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor released employment data for July:

Forty-two straight months of unemployment above eight percent is a painful indictment of the president's failed policies. Whether it's implementing a government takeover of health care, rolling back successful welfare reforms, or demanding higher taxes on business owners, the Obama administration’s priorities are simply out of touch with the needs of the American people.

Above all else, job creators need certainty in order to invest in our economy and hire new workers. But rather than work with Republicans to put an end to unsustainable federal spending and enact a responsible budget, the president and his Senate allies continue to put politics first with little regard for consequences. Their shortsighted policies could soon translate to massive layoffs as some of the nation’s largest employers are faced with sequestration budget cuts.

Despite the administration’s efforts to keep workers in the dark and ignore the problem, Republicans know it’s time to take the threat of sequestration off the table. The House of Representatives has done its part by passing a responsible budget and approving legislation that will replace sequestration’s indiscriminate cuts with targeted spending reductions. It’s time for the Senate to do the same. Republicans stand ready to work with President Obama and Senate Democrats on responsible proposals that will promote growth, reduce wasteful spending, and put our nation on the path to prosperity.

NOTE: On July 30, the Department of Labor released controversial guidance that states the WARN Act does not require contractors affected by sequestration to provide notice to their employees of potential job losses. However, the department does not have enforcement authority over the act nor the power to issue ‘advisory opinions.’ As a result, the guidance is misleading, incomplete, and may result in workers not being notified of pending layoffs. The House Education and the Workforce Committee is seeking documents and communications related to the guidance. To learn more, click here.

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