Child Labor Law Enforcement Funding Debate: Harder Questions Chavez-DeRemer

Funding for Child Labor Law Enforcement

• 🎯 Representative Harder questions Secretary Chavez-DeRemer regarding the elimination of funding for the wage and hour division, responsible for enforcing child labor laws.
• 💡 Harder states that child labor violations have increased by 88% and cites an example of 13-year-olds handling dangerous materials in a meat packing plant.
• ⚠️ Harder asks if the Secretary stands by labeling child labor law enforcement as ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’.
• 🚫 Secretary Chavez-DeRemer denies eliminating the wage and hour division and asserts that child labor violations will not be tolerated, with a commitment to crack down on such practices.

Allegations of Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

• 💰 Harder accuses the department of cutting enforcement in the name of saving on ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ while also alleging a taxpayer-funded birthday party for the Secretary.
• 🤥 Secretary Chavez-DeRemer refutes the birthday party claim, stating it was an official swearing-in party for her and the deputy secretary, not funded by taxpayer dollars and not a birthday celebration.
• 🗣️ Harder expresses concern over the hypocrisy of cutting protections for children while allegedly using taxpayer money for personal celebrations.

Departmental Priorities and Future Collaboration

• 🤝 Secretary Chavez-DeRemer emphasizes her commitment to the Department of Labor's mission, focusing on workforce development and proposes working collaboratively rather than engaging in an ‘attack mode’.
• 📈 She states the department will fulfill its mission with the proposed budget and looks forward to building a relationship to address important issues.
• 💬 Harder hopes for change and a chance to work together, but notes that the department's actions have not matched its rhetoric so far.