House Committee on Education and Labor
U.S. House of Representatives

Labor Issues

Workplace Safety

Committee Republicans have long promoted legislation and policies to improve workplace safety and reduce workplace injuries and illness.  In particular, Republican efforts in recent years have focused on strengthening mine safety laws. 

Following the January 2006 tragedy at the Sago, West Virginia mine, Committee Republicans launched an unprecedented series of hearings and briefings on the state of U.S. mine health and safety.  That series pointed to a clear need for better communications technology, modernized safety practices inside our nation’s mines, and strengthening the enforcement of mine safety laws already on the books.  Because of those thorough hearings and briefings, Congress has taken major steps toward modernizing mine health and safety laws for the first time in a generation.

In addition, Republicans know that many smaller worksites can make significant progress in reducing injuries and illnesses if the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lends a helping hand to these employers.  In recent years, OSHA has made significant efforts to supplement traditional enforcement with cooperative partnerships, and House Republicans have supported legislation to ensure OSHA enforcement efforts are fair for small businesses that make good faith efforts to comply with all health and safety laws.  

In the 111th Congress, Committee Republicans will continue to move forward with common-sense reforms to improve worker safety.

Press Releases

McKeon Commends Labor Department for Transparency in Workplace Risk Assessment (September 17, 2008)

McKeon Statement on Imperial Sugar Refinery Investigation Findings (July 25, 2008)

McKeon Statement on Crandall Canyon Investigation Findings (July 24, 2008)

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Fact Sheets

Talking Points: H.R. 2768, the S-MINER Act (January 14, 2008)

Dear Colleagues

Don’t Take Shortcuts on Workplace Safety:
Vote NO on H.R. 5522 (April 30, 2008)

Reject H.R. 5522 and Its Costly, Duplicative Mandates on Grain Producers (April 30, 2008)

Growing Coalition Urges a NO Vote on H.R. 5522 (April 30, 2008)

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Floor Statements

McKeon Statement on H.R. 5522, the Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Act of 2008 (April 30, 2008)

McKeon Statement on S-MINER Act (H.R. 2768) (January 16, 2008)

Statement of Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) Senior Republican Member, Education and Labor Committee H.R. 2693 “Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act” (September 26, 2007)

Committee Statements

Price Statement: Hearing on “Improving OSHA’s Enhanced Enforcement Program” (April 30, 2009)

McKeon Statement: Hearing on “Are OSHA’s Penalties Adequate to Deter Health and Safety Violations?” (April 28, 2009)

Wilson Statement: Hearing on “Child Labor Enforcement: Are We Adequately Protecting Our Children?” (September 23, 2008)

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