Protecting America’s Workers Act
Upcoming Congressional Hearing
Biden Administration Labor Leadership Updates. On Thursday, April 29, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee held a confirmation hearing for
Ms. Jennifer Abruzzo to serve as General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and
Ms. Seema Nanda to serve as Solicitor for the U.S. Department of Labor. In opening remarks, Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) criticized the Biden Administration for what he considers its abrupt and unprecedented firing of NLRB General Counsel Peter Robb, questioning the independence and integrity of the General Counsel’s office after this action. He also expressed concern over Ms. Abruzzo’s involvement in the Agency Review Team for Labor and questioned Ms. Nanda’s “highly partisan” background.
Hill Democrats aren’t waiting for Biden on health care reforms
Congressional Democrats are not waiting around for President Joe Biden to propose big changes they want to see in the nation’s health care system, including reducing drug prices and expanding Medicare.
Committee chairs in both chambers are working on aggressive steps to broaden benefits and government involvement in health care. The push has won the support of party leaders, though still faces many challenges to making it into the bills, much less becoming law.
Biden has moved swiftly on less controversial measures, including bolstering the Affordable Care Act and reversing several of former President Donald Trump’s efforts to weaken the landmark health reform law and Medicaid.
Hill Democrats aren't waiting for Biden on health care reforms henryherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from henryherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In addition, Mr. Biden is proposing to spend another $80 billion over the next ten years to increase the maximum amount that low-income college students can receive through Pell Grants. The limit would rise by $1,4000 from $6,495.
Though both ideas have bipartisan backing, the support begins to fray when Mr. Biden extends the new benefit to “Dreamers,” illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and grew up here.
The Biden plan would reverse a longstanding policy that bars non-citizens from receiving taxpayer-funded aid.
Rep. Virginia Fox of North Carolina, the top Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, noted that Mr. Biden is giving illegal immigrants a free college education but leaving Americans on the hook for student loans.