Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) sent letters yesterday to the Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services asking whether the Biden administration’s policy of making committee chairmen’s inquiries a priority will change now with the Republican majority in the House. During the 117th Congress, these agencies effectively stonewalled House Republicans because they were in the minority. Foxx’s letters come after Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro’s (D-CT) January 19 letters to these same agencies requesting information within a two-week period. Which letters they make a priority will demonstrate their seriousness towards legitimate oversight.
In the letter, Chairwoman Foxx writes:“On January 19, Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) sent you a letter requesting information within a two-week period. The administration’s clearly stated policy is to make committee chairmen inquiries a priority over ranking member letters and letters from individual members. … I am writing to know whether you will continue to follow the current administration’s policy and make replies to all committee chairmen’s requests your first order of business.”
Chairwoman Foxx concludes:“I will watch your actions carefully in response to congressional oversight. While past practice would indicate you will respond to committee chairmen while mostly ignoring letters sent by the minority or individual members, I will monitor whether this will change with a House Republican majority. … Your complete responses to my January 12 letter—by its due date of January 27—will be a powerful demonstration of your willingness to fulfill your obligations to respond properly to oversight.On the other hand, should you fail to respond thoroughly to my oversight while responding to Ranking Member DeLauro in a full and timely manner, this will demonstrate your partisanship and lack of respect for Congress and the American people.”
Read the full letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona here.
Read the full letter to Labor Secretary Marty Walsh here.
Read the full letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra here.
