Committee Statements

The adoption of the committee oversight plan may be a routine procedure, but it carries great weight. Oversight is an invaluable tool that informs the work of this committee and helps ensure a proper balance of power within the federal government. Additionally, it holds policymakers accountable to the American people.

In the 112th Congress, oversight proved critical to our efforts to hold the administration accountable for properly enforcing federal laws. It allowed us to uncover weaknesses in mine safety enforcement and highlight missing reports pertaining to the multiemployer pension system. It also shed light on problems with the management of the federal Direct Loan program and raised questions about the efficacy of Head Start.

As the plan before us today confirms, such aggressive oversight will continue in the 113th Congress. This committee will conduct oversight of any and all federal actions that could impede job creation and economic growth. This includes actions by the National Labor Relations Board, which has embarked in recent years upon an activist agenda that values Big Labor over the rights of workers and employers. Additionally, we will monitor closely the Obama administration’s efforts to expand the federal footprint in health care, higher education, workplaces, and classrooms, as well as seek opportunities to eliminate burdensome regulations and ineffective programs wherever possible.

Finally, we have a responsibility to do our part to help get the nation’s fiscal house in order, and I take that responsibility seriously. Our nation’s struggles with record debt and out-of-control spending directly contribute to the sluggish economy and high unemployment.  By weeding out waste and abuse of taxpayer resources within the federal government, we can start to rein in reckless spending and put our country on a more sustainable path for future generations.

I believe this oversight plan reflects the priorities of this committee and the expectations of the American people, and I urge its adoption.

 

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