Committee Leaders Ask Republicans (Again) to Hold Hearing on Child Labor Violations
Committee Republicans hold hearing to promote extreme MAGA agenda on border security despite need to address surge in child labor violations.
WASHINGTON – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Alma Adams (NC-12) sent a second letter urging Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) to hold a hearing on the rise of child labor violations and legislative proposals to address abusive child labor.
Ranking Members Scott and Adams sent the letter as Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Bob Good (VA-05) dedicates the Committee’s first hearing following the August district work period to immigration and border security issues, which largely fall outside the Committee’s jurisdiction.
“Since we sent our letter on June 6, the evidence has mounted of the need for oversight by this Committee,”the Ranking Members wrote. “This Committee cannot ignore this crisis. Committee members have a responsibility to explore the scope of the child labor problem and proposed legislation that has been referred to our Committee that would help address it.”
In June, the Ranking Members urged Chairwoman Foxx to hold a child labor-focused hearing in response to high-profile news reports showing a disturbing surge in cases of children being illegally employed—and suffering injuries and deaths—in dangerous jobs and working conditions. According to the Wage and Hour Division under the Department of Labor, child labor violations have nearly quadrupled since 2015.
However, Committee Republicans have refused to schedule any hearings focused on child labor this Congress while Republican state legislators continue to roll back child labor protections.
In July, Ranking Members Scott and Adams introduced the Protecting Children Act, which is the most robust proposal introduced to put an end to abusive child labor in America so far. The bill provides federal worker protections agencies with the tools and resources to deter violations and prevent harm to children from intensive work in dangerous jobs.
In the absence of a committee hearing, Ranking Member Scott also hosted a briefing in July for Members to hear from experts on the resurgence of child labor violations as well as legislative solutions to address abusive child labor practices.
Read the full text of the letter here.
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