WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement after the Department of Labor extended the comment period for a proposed regulation that would undermine the ability of farmers and ranchers to hire young people to work on their farms. Earlier this week, Rehberg, who is the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Department of Labor, sent a bipartisan letter with 77 other members of Congress requesting such an extension.  The comment period will now end December 1, 2011.

“The Department of Labor knew what it was doing when it picked the months around harvest, livestock shipping season and hunting season to ask for comments on a draconian new rule that's been in the works for two years.  They were hoping to slip their out-of-touch rule through the cracks.  We caught them red handed, and now that they’ve extended the comment period, I think they’re going to get an earful from hardworking farmers and ranchers who have enough to worry about without federal bureaucrats imposing senseless rules from Washington.  No one, particularly parents, want to put kids at risk.”

Among the more egregious Department of Labor proposals:

• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work with animals when pain is being inflicted, such as branding, castrating, vaccinating, etc.
• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work on a ladder or a scaffold over 6 feet high (current restriction is 20 feet).
• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work in a pen with an uncastrated male animal over 6 months old.
• Currently, hired workers under the age of 16 are not allowed to operate combines, corn pickers, etc.  The proposal would prohibit those under 16 from using all power driven machines to do ag work, including tractors, pressure hoses, battery operated tools, air tools, and possibly even flash lights!
• No one under 18 would be allowed to work in stockyards, grain elevators, feedlots, livestock exchanges, and auctions.

To submit a comment, Montanans can visit: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=WHD-2011-0001-0001