Transcripts For CSPAN3 Labor Secretary Testifies On Presiden

This hearing, 2,023 budget request for the department of labor. This is a hybrid hearing so we need to address housekeeping matters. The members joining virtually once you start speaking is a slight delay before being displayed on the main screen, speaking into the microphone activates the camera displaying the speaker, do not stop your remarks if you dont immediately see the screens switched. Of the screen does not change after several seconds please make sure you are not muted. To minimize background noise and ensure the direct sequencing we ask you remain on mute unless you have thought recognition. The chair individual designated by the chair, when they are not under recognition, to a laminate the background noise. Members who are virtual are responsible for muting and on muting themselves. Finally, house rules require me to remind you that weve set up an email address which members can send anything they wish to submit in writing at any of our hearings. That email address has been provided in advance to your staff. That i would like to acknowledge, all the members of the subcommittee joining todays hearing both in person and virtually and i want to say thank you to all from members and our witness for your flexibility as we start this hearing to welcome the Prime Minister of greece later this morning. I would like to welcome secretary walsh first in person, hearing of the subcommittee as secretary of the department of labor. You join virtually last year, happy that it is in person today. I want to thank you for how hard you have fought this past year throughout your entire career for American Workers and working families. The last two years have been difficult for so many especially working families, too many lost their jobs while businesses and restaurants close, school shutdown, childcare the pandemic exacerbated what we have known for a long time, that pay has not kept up with cost of living. Too Many Americans struggling and the pandemic took a massive hole that left so many reeling. Workers are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to pay taxes that are too high. Big corporations, and monopoly prices pushing monopoly profits pushing up prices and we are facing a war abroad, and created energy and costofliving crisis as well. Economic opportunity remains hard to reach for millions in underserved community, an employment rate for black and hispanic workers higher than the overall population, workers without a College Degree face more barriers and college graduates. Too many women pushed out of the workforce forced to consider new employment the last two years, sectors that employ predominantly women continue to suffer and access childcare and workforce capability make returning to the workforce harder. We need to be doing more for the communities that need us the most, that is why we were elected. Roosevelts secretary of labor, Frances Perkins, the first woman appointed to a president ial cabinet said, quote, i came to washington to work for god, fdr and the millions of forgotten common working men, working for the forgotten, our workers should be the reason every single one of us is in washington and we know that is why you are here. You have a responsibility. Thank you for joining us today to discuss department of labors budget, appreciate all you have done and continue to protect workers and support their families. The important work of rebuilding our economy, Congress Passed the first fiscal year government funding omnibus in march including a 653 million increase program. 550 million Training Programs to help workers reenter the workforce, earn better wages, improve economics ability, increased funding for registered apprenticeships to help develop new high Skilled Trades and jobTraining Programs that help return to the workforce supporting those with significant barriers, helping employers hire and retain skilled workers, strengthening Community College Training Grant programs, meeting the demand by providing training at Community College. I am proud this committee was instrumental in creating this program in 2,020 in the Apprenticeship Grant Program in 2016 both of which are growing our economy from the bottom up. A priority of mine for years was to strengthen Worker Protection agencies, we work closely, proud to work closely on the wage in our division, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Employee Benefits Security Administration, we provided 1. 8 billion. They protect against wage theft and worker classification, enhance the health and safety of American Workers and potential workplace hazards. To support working conditions abroad to increase International Labor Affairs Bureau for highimpact International Assistance the combat the most abusive labor practices including use of child labor and funds from the usmexico canada agreement, making huge strides to enforce labor positions while helping workers and employers in mexico make their workplace safer. This always includes protecting those who find them selves unemployed, longstanding problems in Unemployment Compensation systems that disproportionately harm, Service Industry workers, Blue Collar Workers by modernizing technology and Employment Services for job seekers. We included district specific Community Project fundings for workers in the home district and meet the needs including funding for job training, Workforce Development and Apprenticeship Programs. The america competes act, keeping the economy competitive. We need to build on these investments, budget requests, 14. 9 billion, 13 increase over 2022. Theres a plan to look at workers and their families and how they access opportunities they need and deserve. To support Workforce Development will increase investment in state grants for workforce training, apprenticeship and other drought jobtraining, double funding, strengthening Community College Training Grants when they need it most. Budget requests continues efforts to rebuild the Unemployment Compensation to help make ends meet while they looked reenter the workforce and that means a strong commitment to Worker Protection pleased to see the request of increase of 355 million for Worker Protection agencies to rebuild as critical Important Mission that has been underfunded for decades. We must do more to support our workers and people who keep the nation running, proud that we are able to support people who keep this body running. The bill paving the way for staffers to unionize. More needs to be done not only in this building but everywhere. Workers deserve fair shot and good paying job. I want to lend my voice and support to the millions of American Workers joining together and unionizing for higher wages and better working conditions, youve seen successes at amazon, starbucks and other corporations and no better way to strengthen the middle class and ensure that workers have a seat at the table which is why i support the pro act, strengthening bargaining rights, to choose to join the union as they work for a better future. What the rest of the department does is provide safety and opportunity for our workers to make our country better, pushes our economy forward. Weve made progress over the past year but theres more to do, people need to have government look out for them and those work hard. The budget request and support will ensure we live up to these ideals and i look forward to working with you over the next year and todays discussion and let me recognize the Ranking Member for his remarks. Thank you, wonderful to have you here. I want to make three quick observations. A big day for the kitty, you are going to name this hearing room after our former chair of the whole committee, it will be a happy moment. Second, god thank the person who got us new chairs on this podium. We can all move and get in and out, dont know who the staffer is but give that person a raise. That was wonderful and the housekeeping matter i will have to leave at 9 45, meeting to redo our structure. I apologize to you and my colleagues for having 2part early, thats not the normal pattern for me. I am pleased to have you here in person in this years hearing and welcome our subcommittee and start by thanking the secretary for traveling to my district, which he was kind enough to do to visit Tinker Air Force base, the largest defense Aircraft Maintenance depot, the worlds largest, many of our nations most Important National security aircraft and safe operational order long after the normal lifespan. I raised before in the subcommittee, our aircraft depots and all the dod and economy at large have serious shortages of qualified high skilled workers. The secretary was helpful in helping us think through the problem and helping us come up with ways to address it. We appreciate that it have particular need for computer engineers and other cyber professionals and suspect we are not alone, that particular set of skills, the secretary took time to meet with keybased leadership, the Union Leadership and several workers to investigate the issue. I ask a question as time permits but look forward to working with you and your team and the coming months to pursue cooperative solutions along with the air force. Turning to the president s budget request i must reiterate several concerns. Last year President Biden signed the American Rescue plan into law without a single republican vote. This legislation pumped 2 trillion of new spending into our economy, much of an unneeded and poorly targeted. The law has been a direct cause of a 40year high inflation we are currently experiencing. Gas prices averaging 4 a gallon and prices at Grocery Stores up in double digits. History has taught us we cannot spend our way out of inflation but this years budget seems to think we can do that. I respectfully disagree. Spending levels in this budget double down by the same levels resoundingly rejected by congress, from the last budget, to enact such an increase in this environment would irresponsibly add to the National Debt and further push our economy into possible recession. Some believe we are on course to ca recession in the next year. Are fact i find incredibly unfortunate. The worst effects of the president s economic policies could have been avoided with a sharp partisan approach to spending in the administration. The fiscal year 2022 appropriations represents the compromise, and requested by the administration. We came together and funded joint priorities in bipartisan manner at reasonable levels and hope we can do that again for fiscal year 2023. My second concern is lack of concern for employers, unemployment is at an alltime low, with 3. 6 . In my state of oklahoma below the national average. They are struggling to find workers and worker shortage is exacerbating inflationary pressures further pushing our economy into a down spiral. I did not see workforce policy from the administration affecting realities of many businesses. Recent proposals to modernize the standard for prevailing wage would turn us back to a definition not used for 40 years. The budget requests more than 20 increase for the wage in our division and 35 increase for the office of federal Contractor Compliance programs, 15 increase in occupational safe and healthy safety at ministration in 200 additional staff for labor enrollment in the department. Specifically, the need for greater enforcement, in the sharing economy. With on a plummet at record lows they dont need excessive executive overreach stifling innovation and flexibility for workers and employers. Our Innovation Solutions like those found in the sharing economy enabled millions to find work when they want and help them find workers when other options were not available. We should be supporting new forms of employment, not smuggling them with overly aggressive rules, regulations and enforcement. I want to come and your support for the apprenticeship, we have seen these programs flourish under multiple administrations, apprenticeships represent opportunity and pathway to highpaying jobs many of which dont require a College Degree but im disappointed by lack of support to alternatives to registered apprenticeships. I hear from businesses regularly about limiting structure and cumbersome model of registered apprenticeships. The model was not built for the economy and the opportunities of today, it is not doing enough to support todays worker and the growing sector of information technology, cybersecurity and supply chain logistics. The administration should do more to support intermediaries and alternatives to registered apprenticeships, bring opportunities to these aggressively growing businesses and American Workers. These are just some of the policy differences im sure we will discuss today. Im hopeful we will work to the shortened budget year and be able to once again find the middle ground. I said before and i will say again the chair and i have worked together the past 7 years to find a spending level in final appropriation and we have been able to do that 7 times in a row. I hope to do so again and certainly not like to see our 7 year streak broken dont believe it will be. We will find Common Ground and get the bill done and give you a budget in a reasonable period of time so you can go about your important job. The chair doesnt want to drag this into next year and i dont want to drag this into next year. We want to get our work done on time. I want to thank you for taking the time to come to my district, very generous act on your part and look forward to your testimony and continued work, with that i yield back. I think the gentleman. You have full written testimony entered into the record. With is that you are recognized for 5 minutes for your opening statement. Great to be in person. Last year can you hear me . Last year was my first hearing when i did zoom. To get into a rhythm again, great to be here today. Im pleased to outline President Bidens priorities for the department of labor fiscal 2023 fiscal sphere. My mission as secretary of labor is to empower workers morning, noon and night, frontline workers to carry us through the pandemic and the worst days of the pandemic, and face barriers to employment opportunities, veterans who serve our nation, rural workers who serve through targeted workforce Training Programs, department of labor stands with all workers in every community to build a stronger and more resilient and inclusive economy. Im proud of the department of labor and what we accomplished this past year and diplomatic key provisions of the rescue plan. Opening up the economy, supporting healthcare workers and pensions, and heat exposure, for Mental Health services to do more of in this country, we expanded career Training Programs to connect more americans to more opportunities and more industries to skilled workers and temperament to the president s 15 an hour minimum wage for federal contractors, people in this country were earning 7 an hour trying to raise a family, thats impossible. We had legislation, we worked on legislation to stop surprise medical billing and protections for tip workers to advance in 2,018. We advance governmentwide initiatives to support Workers Organizing rights, climate action, and implementation, we are committed to equity, across america. We have in this moment a unique opportunity to help workers track, the president s plan produced historic job driven recovery and congress made a transformative investment in workers to the bipartisan infrastructure law and other Actions Congress has taken. The department of labor Good Jobs Initiative partnering across government to make sure these investments create good jobs and access for all people, to invest in workforce training, child care, education that we depend on in every community in our neighborhood, in our country, this budget submission builds on these investments and reduce our pledge to job seekers and retirees in america. If workforce developing budget request 303 million to expand registered Apprenticeship Programs that work to help people get better jobs and get into an industry. 100 million jobs for Community College, to 10 Community Colleges to talk about th