WASHINGTON – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued a subpoena to Department of Labor Acting Secretary Julie Su for documents related to the “Workers’ Voice Summit” (Summit) hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In four separate instances, the Committee raised concerns about the political nature of the Summit which was funded by taxpayer dollars.
(Image of the November 21, 2023, subpoena to DOL Acting Secretary Julie Su)
In the cover letter accompanying the subpoena, Foxx writes: “The Committee on Education and the Workforce (Committee) is investigating the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) ‘Workers’ Voice Summit’ (Summit), which will inform what legislative changes should be made to ensure OSHA and other offices within the Department of Labor (DOL or Department) do not engage in inappropriate, wasteful, or self-aggrandizing activities. Regrettably, DOL has failed to respond to the Committee’s requests in a timely or fully responsive manner.”
Foxx continues: “Your failure to provide full responses has deprived the Committee of the information it needs to determine the actual nature of this Summit. The Committee is interested in determining whether taxpayer resources were expended to implement the Occupational Safety and Health Act and other statutes, or whether they were used for political promotion.”
Foxx concludes: “When mere requests for information are unavailing, some means of compulsion are essential for Congress to obtain what is needed. As a result, the Committee is invoking compulsory process through a subpoena.”
Chairwoman Foxx made the following statement on the issuance of the subpoena: “The Committee is asking for simple answers from OSHA and Acting Secretary Su. The fact that the Committee must issue a subpoena to compel the agency to do its job and be forthcoming is outrageous. That kind of behavior may fly in the Biden administration but not here. Every taxpayer dollar must be accounted for and used appropriately, and we will not rest until our questions are sufficiently answered.”
Read the cover letter to the subpoena here.
Find the subpoena here.
Background:
October 5, 2022: Foxx and former Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Republican Leader Richard Burr (R-NC) sent a letter in their capacities as Ranking Members to former DOL Secretary Marty Walsh expressing concern over the Summit hosted by OSHA. The event, held close to election day for union officials and other political allies, excluded employer groups and amounted to a “pep rally” for the Biden administration and Democrats on the taxpayer’s dime.
February 16, 2023: Foxx sent a letter to DOL Secretary Walsh to demand accountability from the Department on its failure to respond to several Committee inquiries.
September 27, 2023: During an oversight hearing with OSHA Assistant Secretary Douglas Parker, Foxx requested a complete response to her October 5 letter regarding the Summit. This request went unfulfilled.
October 23, 2023: Foxx sent a follow-up letter to DOL Acting Secretary Su after continued silence from OSHA and DOL. DOL’s response to this letter was inadequate.
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