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12/11/08 - McConnell: We Simply Cannot Ask the American Taxpayer to Subsidize Failure
11/24/08 - A Path to Accomplishment, Not Gridlock
11/18/08 - Republican Leadership Team Announced
11/17/08 - McConnell Statement On The Yet-To-Be-Written Democrat Spending/Bailout Bill
11/07/08 - McConnell Statement on Working with President-elect Obama
10/01/08 - McConnell: Senate Will Act to Protect Main Street
10/01/08 - McConnell: Economic Rescue Plan: Senate to Vote Tonight
08/26/08 - Senate Dems: Let Them Eat Cake
08/20/08 - T. Boone Pickens vs. Democrat Energy Plans
08/01/08 - Washington Speak: Gas Price Edition
07/28/08 - Senate Dems' Gas Price Politics
07/24/08 - Dems Shut Down Energy Bill After Fears Of “Defections In The Ranks” On Domestic Energy Production
07/22/08 - Dems Cite Speculation Stats That Don't Match The Facts
07/22/08 - All Ideas Were Welcome When Gas Was A Fraction Of Today’s Price
07/17/08 - Act More, Talk Less?
07/15/08 - More Senate Democrats Signal "Receptiveness" To Domestic Exploration
07/14/08 - Senate Democrats Begin To Embrace Deep Sea Exploration
07/10/08 - Dems' Evolving View Of General Petraeus
07/08/08 - Dems' New Gas Price Strategy: "Drive Small Cars And Wait For The Wind"
07/07/08 - $4.11
07/01/08 - McConnell, Grassley Call for Bipartisan Solution to Extend Tax Relief, Energy Incentives; Extending Current Tax Relief is No Excuse for Tax Hikes
07/01/08 - $4.09
06/27/08 - Senate Republicans Acting To Reduce Gas Prices
06/26/08 - Senate Republicans Introduce The "Gas Price Reduction Act Of 2008"
06/24/08 - Dems' "Gradual Adjustment" Increase Continues To Ignore Pain At The Pump

Sessions Amendment: Restore Funding to the Office of Labor Management Standards

October 18th, 2007 - This week, the Senate will likely consider Senator Sessions’ Labor-HHS-Education bill amendment regarding the Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS) at the Department of Labor.

The Labor-HHS appropriations bill provides $45.7 million for the Office of Labor Management Standards, representing a $2 million decrease from the FY 2007 level and an $11 million cut from the president’s recommendation. The Sessions amendment would provide a total of $50.7 million for the office, including $3 million for audit and enforcement measures.

OLMS is responsible for protecting the rights of dues-paying union members by holding unions accountable for their financial transactions and by cracking down on corrupt union officials.

Unions are not required by law to have independent audits performed, so OLMS is the only protection offered to union members.

Last year, 15,800 unions filed financial reports with OLMS; however, the agency only had the ability to audit 4.6 percent of the filed reports.

OLMS has been extremely successful in prosecuting financial fraud, as revealed by its audits. Over the last seven years, OLMS has performed audits of 3,267 union financial statements, resulting in 827 indictments and 790 convictions. In addition, courts have ordered more than $100 million in restitution to union members during the same time period.

Congress has consistently relied on transparency as an effective method to prevent financial fraud and abuse – for example, in campaign finance, lobbyist disclosure, and corporate finance regulations. Union members want and deserve this same transparency and accountability.

OLMS funding has not kept pace with that of other enforcement agencies. For example, the Labor-HHS appropriations bill provides a $12.8 million increase in funding for the Securities and Exchange Commission — the oversight agency for publicly traded companies — while actually cutting funds from OLMS.

Funding for OLMS in the Sessions amendment will be offset by a decrease in funds provided to the International Labor Organization, a U.N. affiliate agency based in Geneva, Switzerland. Union members need protection at home, not in Europe.