All right, microphone on. The subcommittee on labor health and human services, education and related agencies, please come to order. Today, we are having a hearing on President Joe Bidens administration, 25 budget request for the department of labor. Im happy to welcome acting secretary, as we grow, we are looking at a bipartisan manner. This is passing into law by the president. Th a small minority is able to derail the appropriations processpolicy riders, looking at the cuts with the Workforce Development protection program. A small minority is able to derail the appropriations process. House republicans did that last year. Repeatedly threatening government shutdowns. It hurts the constituents, the communities, intended to be served by another federal program. Causing federal agencies to waste time and money, instead of making sure that every dollar is used effectively, as intended by the laws that we pass in congress. We need to do better. Acting secretary, this budget is a good step. Acting secretary, you are joining us today, to talk about the fiscal year 2025 budget for the department of labor. We have had 27 months in a row of unemployment below 4 . The longest stretch in 50 years. I know that we still have more work to do, to give americans the Economic Security that they need and deserve. Over the last few years, democrats and republicans came together to pass legislation, and invest in manufacturing. Helping us compete against china, and that growing infrastructure, and investing in our work lives. Home state of wisconsin, microsoft announced that they would be investing 3. 3 billion for an Artificial Intelligence data center conference. Creating thousands of paying jobs. We have Education Programs for the next generation. This budget built on this progress that we have made, will help to continue to build a Strong Economy that helps for workers. It poses investments necessary for training the workforce that we need today. And, the evolving needs of employers. The budget also requested resources to maintain critical investments in our nations core workforce training programs. These programs support workers and families, providing them with access to highquality training programs, as they seek to grow their careers. We are working to improve the nations public workforce system. Boosting the Community College system, help offenders land on their feet, and addressed the employment and Training Needs of native americans, migrant and seasonal workers, and other workers. Highquality workforce training programs, are a proven path to accessing a job that pays a good wage. It has good benefits. I am pleased that this budget continues to support these important programs. The budget also includes a request, a proposed increase in funding for the registered apprenticeship program. I have been proud to lead the effort to reauthorize the National Apprenticeship act. With my colleague senator, and im pleased that the department is proposing to expand apprenticeships, and increase opportunities, for individuals who have historically not had access to apprenticeship programs. Including women, people of color, and underrepresented groups. Apprenticeship programs, provide technical instruction, and onthejob learning experiences, to ensure that workers are well prepared for job. According to the Wisconsin Department of workforce element, employers in wisconsin, train around 10,000 registered partitions, looking at nearly 200 occupations every year. Supporting the federal register apprenticeship program, will help wisconsin and other states continue to strengthen and grow their apprenticeship programs. The budget includes funds for the department of veterans employment and training service. This provides Workforce Training Services for our nations veterans, and separating servicemembers. These resources help ensure that servicemembers can transfer the skills that they have learned, serving our country, to land a family supporting job. Helping them successfully transition into the workforce. The departments office, provides Critical Services to military spouses, as they make their transition to civilian life. I look forward to learning more about how the president s budget request, would support the workforce Training Needs of them and their families. Im pleased to see the increased investment in our division. The proposed 35 million increase, is needed to recover the hartford eight wages earned to workers stolen by their employers. Last years wage and hours, able to recover more than 156 million in federal minimum wage over time, ode to more than 135,000 workers. In wisconsin, wage in hours, identified 3 million in wages owed to 1400 workers. This front think is also critical to enforcing child labor laws. Ensuring that we are working there, doing safely and appropriately. There have been egregious instances of child labor violations. Appropriations can think that they can ignore federal child labor laws. Kids will continue to be put at risk. This is children working in slaughterhouses and meat packing industries. Historic lows included, i believe we must provide an increase for the agencys important word. The budget includes an additional 23 million for the vital work of the Arctic NationalSafety Health administration. We have just marked workers memorial day on april 28th. Remembering workers who have died or have been injured on the job. The latest statistics, indicate that there were 5400 fatal workplace injuries. This is up nearly 6 from the prior year. 5486 too many. We believe the proposed increase would move us in the right direction. This is part of the Employee Benefits security administration. They would help secure workplace benefits, looking at what their families are owed. Im pleased to see the increased investment of 46 million, for the bureau of International Labor this includes the labor commitments of the trading partners. This is including china. We can strengthen the Economic Security of these communities at home, working to work at these labor abuses abroad. Acting secretary, thank you for being here today, to talk about the department of labors important work. In a moment, im going to turn it over to a Ranking Member for her remarks, following, we will hear from you. After that, the senators will have a few questions. Thank you, chair baldwin. This is the first labor Budget Hearing that we have had since we took over the reins of the labor hhs acting secretary. Thank you for coming. Secretary walsh was leaving the department. Thank you for being here today, to describe fiscal year 2025 Budget Priorities for the department of labor. First of all, i will say that i have had some concerns with the department. There seems to be an agenda to push new regulations that propose layers of red tape. In some cases, workers choice. To be clear, not all regulations are bad. We have violations that the chair was talking about and keeping hardworking West Virginians, safe. Thank you for your efforts. This department of labor should be focused on workforce training, and creating new jobs. Not mandating the burdens that take away from the work responsibility. For example, the way they are changing the rules, governing who qualifies as the independent contractor, complicating a six factor task. Jeopardizing the ability for millions of americans to work at our needs and schedules. Freelance workers, and self employed workers, need to choose their own hours, to work around other life priorities. Taking care of children. In other regulations, creating more complexity. This is the socalled esd investment protocol. This is the inventor mental, environment, and social investment decisions. Involving more life savings. They need to optimize the returns to afford life in retirement. This is part of the Financial Experts to ship potential gains away from the american retirees. Into the white house, and the radical claimant agenda. Just last month, your department furthered its ability. Drastically, this is the threshold. Starting july 1st, West Virginia businesses of all sizes, looking how to absorb the mandate. If you hours, some cases, instead of doubling down on this agenda. One area, and the chair also talked about this. We are looking at the inquest and increase of 2020. Im concerned that your budget would use these. This is a green jobs agenda. Im looking at the opportunity, playing key role in that mission. I support the apprenticeship programs. Im concerned about the departments proposed release from late last year, to completely overhaul the regulations, looking at the apprenticeship program. These proposed changes, it would make an already complex system, more difficult for employers to navigate. It could reduce apprenticeship opportunities for workers across the country. They have a lot of were the apprenticeship opportunities. They dont fit the current registered apprenticeship model. Im glad to see the innovation, to expand those opportunities to the programs and fields. 2022, securing funding from the university, to establish an initiative through the works. Training rest virginians to compete for good paying, long term jobs across the state. We have been expanding and strengthening the Early Childhood education workforce, through apprenticeships. Giving the educators a clear path to successful careers, opening the doors of higher quality, better coverage of care. Hoping both families and childcare workers in our state. This should be focused on strengthening Workforce Development strategies, helping all americans get the skills they need to succeed. Acting secretary, i hope you will work with this congress on that goal, as we work through this process. Thank you again for being here. Thank you, senator. Our witness today, acting secretary of the department of labor. Acting secretary, thank you for joining us. You have five minutes for your opening remarks. You may begin. Thank you so much. Chairwoman baldwin, and members of the sub committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of President Joe Bidens fiscal year 2025 budget west for the department of labor. As the acting secretary of labor, i get to travel the country to meet with workers. Workers like mariah, a single mom, who was living paycheck to paycheck, worried every day about how she would have enough to get by. She went to her local social services office, to apply for medicaid and snap benefits. That is where she noticed a flyer, for a Job Training Program in the pipe trades. Today, mariah is in a good union job. She has quadrupled her income. What struck me about mariah, was not just how much a good income meant to her, it was the pride that she felt, putting in a hard days work, and getting rewarded for it. And, the pride she saw in her childrens eyes. It is undeniable, good jobs change lives. This 13. 9 billion request will help more people like mariah get good jobs, that can support families, lift up communities, and bring dignity and pride that are core to the american dream. I want to frame the request under two priority areas. First, pathways to good jobs for all of americas workers. I have met with thousands of workers, working programs that work. Programs exist because we have invested in them. Thats why we are requesting investments to develop and expand approving models as this chairman said. Connecting workers to the good jobs that they want and need, and employers, to the workers that they want. For example, we are requesting 1 billion for the Career Training fund. That investment would help as many as 750,000 able, who do not see fouryear college, as that path. Evidencebased, high quality training programs, for actual jobs in their communities. Workers who complete high quality programs, dont end up with a job search. They end up with a good job. We seek 335 million for apprenticeship programs. Registered apprentices, apprenticeships, provide training for the employers. They allow workers to earn while they learn, and the increased job pathways, for underrepresented groups, including women, people of color, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. When i talk to business owners, many of them tell me that the top concern is maintaining workers. The investments in our budget request, is how congress and the department of labor can tap into the talents and skills of all of americas workers. Making sure that the supply of skilled workers, meets the demand. Right now, and well into the future. The second priority i would like to highlight, is the department of labors mission to protect workers. Including and especially, those most vulnerable to explication. Too often, employers who hire 13yearolds, working in hazardous conditions, failed to pay workers overtime for 60 hour work weeks. Or, whoever puts workers at risk of losing their limbs or lives on the job. They do it because they believe they will get away with it. No one will stop them. They can operate in blatant disregard of the laws that congress has passed. Not on our watch. Thats why we are requesting modest but important increases for the departments Worker Protection agencies. We can do this without dedicated public servants. Combating child labor. Ensuring workplaces are free from safety hazards. Benefits advisers who answer the phone, and in panic, patients have been looking at insurances by the Health Insurance company. 35 million for staff to combat wages for child labor. Additional 23 million for high hazard work leases. Protect whistleblowers, and give employers compliance assistance actions. This has been essentially flat funded for more than a decade. This is part of the equity addiction act. When Congress Passes laws, we should make it going. All the budget request, make sure that workers can come home safe at the end of the workday. This is truly changing lives. We are looking forward to these questions. Thank you, round of five questions. That is starting with myself. Acting secretary, i am deeply troubled by the industrials. Over 200 workers on the facility in wisconsin. This is within mexico. We have been made by workers in his home state for 175 years. This is the manufacturing circle of the powerhouse that it is today. Im being told that there is a longer welcome. Average worker at the plant, receives 52,000 annually. 62 million hundred dollars in stock last year. Four times more than the 150 Million Dollars more, reducing their workforce. Moving production to mexico, this is the workers that have been doing well. This is part of Institutional Knowledge that the plans workforce has developed over decades of building agricultural equipment. American workers are the best in the world. They have unfair advantages when it comes to competing against low road employers. Can you start by expanding on the budget . This is a fair mobile worker, and what they expect at home. Thank you so much. This is yesterday. The race to the bottom is looking at the right investments. Creating a race to the top. We are looking at the agencies. This is part of the idea. The interests of welfare working people, is intricately tied to the welfare of workers in united dates. Too often, i also hear what you have suggested. We are demanding that we take our work to another country. This is intended to create a more level playing field. They are looking at research and advocacy, to make sure that conditions like child labor and forced labor, have not been condoned. Made with these conditions, they tried to enter the United States. They do not allow that. We have also been engaged in helping to monitor and assist the country of mexico, with the implementation of the united dates, mexico, canada agreement. Workers in mexico also have their fair and free choice to joining in, and they are protecting their working conditions. Again, so that we can really end the race to the bottom. Thank you for that answer. We appreciate this important work to level the global playing field, and discouraged playing companies, we also want to recognize everything from them losing their jobs. I would like to followup on this act. This is an important law that followed the communities plan, providing Services Affected by massive layoffs. Unfortunately, in the case, not every Company Complies with it. The department of labors authority is going to enforce the law. They need to be strengthened. Congress is trying to strengthen the act for this congress. Yes, absolutely. Thank you. We have discussed the desire to increase Workplace Violence. Especially for our nations nurses. Unfortunately, they continued to suffer from rising levels of Workplace Violence. 2023, reporting from National Nurses united, found that nearly one in five nurses have changed or left their jobs, two to Workplace Violence. With wisconsin facing a shortage of 20,000 nurses by the year 2040, we must do all that we can to protect, retain, and strengthen the nursing workforce. I know they have looked at some steps to issuing a proposed rule on Workplace Violence, healthcare, and social assistance. Can you update us on the actions that the department is taking now to provide all nurses with actions from work is violence . Is this what they deserve . Describe your efforts to accelerate the issuance of this proposed Workplace Violence standard. Thank you so