Abouts and our god dam bodies. [ applause ] this committee on the work force will come to order. Welcome to todays hearing. The committees honored to welcome our distinguished guests, secretary alexander acosta. Secretary acosta has been at the helm of the department of labor since april and were grateful he could join us to testify for the First Time Since his conformation. Mr. Secretary, welcome to the committee. We look forward to your testimony which we are sorry did not arrive earlier. And discussing the department of labors policies and priorities under the new administration. The department of labors on the front line of the issues facing workers and job creators and it sets policies that have a widespread impact on our nations economy, Retirement Security and more. Where had they relate to health care, retirement planning, or employee wages and benefits, its the responsibility of this committee to insure these policies are in the best interest of workers, employers and taxpayers. Ive said it before but ill say it again no matter what Party Controls it administration, its committed to robust oversight. Todays hearing is the latest step in our effort to hold federal government officials accountab accountable. The American People are counting on that accountability especially at a time when the economy is still improving. Were all if krjed by the Economic Growth weve seen in the Third Quarter of 2017. Real gdp increased at a rate of 3. 7 . More than the mere 1. 5 growth rate we saw in the final year of the Obama Administration. Its also great to see more and more americans getting back to work. Nearly 5 million jobs have been added since february. Theres no question we have more work to do after eight years of lost opportunity. However, even though thun employment rate is down, we still have 6. 5 million workers out of work, including 1. 6 million on longterm basis. 4. 8 million working part time because their hours have been cutback or because they were unable to find a fullf had time job. At the same time we have 6. 1 million jobs unfilled due in part to the skills gap. Expanding pathways to career success is a critical component in help hadding find good paying jobs. Thats why congress and the administration have made skills based the leading priority. This happens to be National Apprenticeship week and so were eager to you on steps the Department Plans to prumoke apprenticeships and other skillsbased. Its inhad krjing to have a partner in the white house and the department of labor. We look forward to further discussion on how we can Work Together and empower more americans to realize their god given potential. Youll be able to provide the Committee Members and their public about their views to advance Economic Opportunities for workers while strengthening work place democracy. Inh insuring safe and health haddy work places and affording more Health Care Options and interested in the regulatory and enforcement agenda. This committee spent the early part of the year under the Congressional Review Act clean up the mess, deliver regulatory relief for hard working men and women. Five out of the 14 of the cra resolutions signed into law originated from this committee and just last week the house passed a save local business act to roll back the joint employer scheme that threatens 1. 7 million jobs according to the American Action forum. We know ta have their work cut out. But we look forward to building on the progress weve made together so we can get government out of the way and unleash prosperity and opportunity. There are also a number of issues impacting Retirement Security that deserve our attention. This includes the need to protect access and empower more americans to plan for it future. As the department that over sees so many important priorities, i feel ive barely scratched the surface. Mr. Secretary, thank you again for joining us. I look forward to our conversation. With that i recognize Ranking Member for izhad opening remarks. Thank you, madam chair and i want to thank secretary acosta for appearing before the committee. Youre the first agency head to appear before this committee. Youre the first one to come before the committee since the administration took over 10 months ago and i want to join it chairs criticism for the lateness of the arrival of your testimony and i want to add were disappointed you have given insufficient time for all it Committee Members to ask fiveminute questions. Its been six months since the departments fiscal year 2018 budget requests were submitted to congress and although were already well into the fiscal year, its still timely since its still under liberation. As the secretary, youre the steward of legislation this committee has pasds over many decades that has made our economy fairer and work places safer. I want to direct your attention to the portraits on the wall to your left. In these leaders have secured passage that measurably improve the lives of millions of workers. The first woman to chair the committee who steered the passage of the fair labor standards of 1938 called perkins who spearhead hlegislation civi rights act of 1964. And the minimum wage act of 2007. And enforcing employment laws covering about 10 million employers. There are troubling questions about how the department has reversed. Progress made for Previous Administrations. The work place and Affordable Health care and Skills Development. And over time benefits. Salaried workers. Most fulltimed salaried workers with fulltime pay. Recovers 35 of fulltime salaried workers. Under your leadership decided not to defend this thresh hold in the court of appeals. And in recent Court Filings it would release a revised over time thresh hold. It thresh hold based on an inflation adjustment. But there are legitimate questioness about it baseline do you base it on the 2004 level with had they had had over time protection. 62 had over time protections. And seeking a delay in protections, they study found as much as a quarter of the hard earned savings can be depleted over 35 years. Rather than bolstering the ability to save for more, there are questions about whether the departments actions regarding the fid yushary rule ahead of the interests of workers. And the department has taken steps that would leave workers and their families without access to comprehensive Affordable Health care. The department is released an interim rule that allows employers to eliminate coverage in the Health Care Benefit plans for contraceptive care based on vaguely defined moral objecti objections. This is it raises legitimate questions about the constitution. Department as also been directed to expand access to association plans. Which as a committee has heard over and over again would steer elth haddy people into junk plans and leave sicker people behind, thereby if creasing a cost for everybody who doesnt get into one of those health plans. Worker safety protections are under attack. Previous Administration Rules helped end the skurage of black lung disease and it current dol proposed a roll back of protections for construction and Shipyard Workers who are exposed to the toxic berillium and is jettison work on toxic chemicals and combustible dust. Its unclear whether theyll file a december 1 deadline. Without this deata, there are questions about how ocea will secure needed to work sites for workers who are at greater risk. We want to make sure theyre targeted without this information that cant be done. 1 5th cuts 1. 3 billion, which is a 40 reduction compared to current levels. This threatens access to jobs and Skills Development programs that workers need to secure better paying jobs and while i hope the expansion of apprenticeships remains a bipartisan issue, the questions regarding the departments plans, for examplethal signal it will allow federal support for apprenticeships relying solely on employer standards but theres no clarity on whether this will produce high quality Transferable Skills and credentials relative to apprenticeships and no indication on how well insure federal dollars only spent on quality programs. I look forward to your testimony and yield back. Persunt to Committee Rules all members will be permitted to submit written statements and without objection it will remain open for 14 days to allow such statements and other extraneus material referenced to be submitted for the official hearing record. Its now my plesher to introduce the honorable r. Alexander acosta. Among his career highlights secretary acosta served in three president ally confirmed senate positions in 2002 appointed to serve as a member of the National Labor relations board. In 2003 he was apointed assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the u. S. Department of justice and from 2005 2009 he served as the u. S. Aturny general for the Southern District of florida. I ask you to raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear or affirm the testimony youre about to give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but it truth . Ret the record reflect secretary acosta anszered in the affirmative. Let me briefly remind you of our lighting system. We typically allow five minutes for each witness to present. Although ill be somewhat flexible with your testimony given youre our only witness today. With you begin the light in front of you will turn green. When one minute is left, the light will turn yellow. We understand you have a busy afternoon and have asked for a hard stop at noon. Secretary acosta, youre recognized. Ranking member scott, members of the committee, thank you for the invitation today. Im honored to be it first cabinet officer to appear before the committee. I appreciate the opportunity to appear here to represent the administration and the hard working men and women of the department of labor and to provide an update on our critical work. At the outset let me just say this has been a remarkable year of growth for the American Economy, for American Workers, job seekers and job creators. Some highlights as the chairwoman mentioned, since january 2017 the American Economy has created nearly 1. 5 million jobs. Gdp as grown at 3 or more for two consecutive quarters. This is great news for Retirement Savings. Yet employment rate as decreased to 4. 1 , the lowest in just about 17 years. And the number of open fullf had time positions in the American Economy is at near allf had time high of 6. 1 million open and unfilled jobs. Job creators want to hire and job seekers want to work. And the fact that we have 6. 1 open million jobs speaks to the strength of the American Economy. Since becoming labor secretary ive made the a point to travel, to leave washington when i can and visit different places across the nation. I visited the ford rouge facility where a new f150 rolls off the Assembly Line and i met with apprentices that are receiving wonderful and strong workplace education. Another place that i visited. If you havent been there, i would commend tattoo you. It looks like a modern university is a very high tech, very high touch training center. I went to the graduation for dozens of steam fitters and pipe fitters who are working hard to educate them svls so they could educate new apprentiapprentices. Throughout my travels one thing struck me as very clear our nations work force is an amazing work force. And it is why we are doing so well as a country. It is the best work force in the world, which is one reason why we need to focus so much on Work Force Education. And so we at the department are hard at work to increase Employment Opportunities for all americans, to enforce safe, healthy work places sdwoo insure the departments regulations are commonsense regulations that make sense. And so i think its particular that as the chairwoman mentioned, fitting its here this week. On monday i chaired the inaugural meeting of the president s task force and expansion. President trump signed an executive order and this is an issue that is so important. We should be growing apprenticeships in this nation. Members of the task force included leaders from business, from educational associations, to governors. Community organization leaders, public individuals, all coming together to talk about how to extend apprenticeships across industries especially where theyre under represented. One important take away was the Apprenticeship Programs are not scaling. Theyre not growing at the rate they could grow. Currently its 0. 3 m of the wo force is to scale and grow these further and were engaged in discussion on how to do that. Let me say the trumps focus on expanding access to health coverage. He signed a executive order on how to best aloafor more employers to offer Association Health plans. Yesterday the office sent to the office of regulatory affairs, a notice are eguarding age. That notice became public this morning. Finally in conclusion ret me say on november 9th, the Charlotte Observer published an oped co authored by the chairwoman and myself. I want to conclude by reading from this because i think it captures much of what were looking for on the Work Force Education issue and it says when americans make career choices they should be encouraged to consider a broad range of options. That was the case for us referring to dr. Fox and myself. A university is right for many young people yet not it only route to career success. We need to change the perception of a single right career path. To that end were encouraging leaders from business, labor and trade associations to recognize the benefits of apprenticeships. It goes on to say were partners with it comes to modernizingjf Work Force Education process. With over 6 million americans looking for jobs and over 6 million open nation wide, its time to modernize that we prepare americans for it work force and thats to respect all career choices made to develop the skills that will lead them to excellent family sustaining and finally let me acknowledge my written testimony did not make the deadline. I apologize for that responsibility is mine. Im not happy it did not make the deadline. I do want to apologize. Thank you very much, mr. Acosta. As i mentioned in my opening remarked, we will have to because i believe in the interest of all the members here to give every member an opportunity to ask questions because of the hard stop. We will confine our questioning time to three minutes. I will recognize my sfrfl three minutes. Mr. Secretary i appreciate the recent efforts to if krj success in the job core program, including by suspending or ending Center Operations when they consistently fail to meet the needs of the students. What steps will they take to insure the safety and hold Center Operators accountable. We received a detailed letter with questions from your office. And they touch upon and agriculture runs several of the job core centers and so were in the enter agency. And were concerned about it it level of safety and violence. Weve implemented a zero tolerance policy where if individuals engage in violence or if theres safety concerns, individuals will not be that job center. They will not be part of the program. That is a start. In my opinion we need to take a hard look at how the job core centers are organized. We need to ask if it makes sense to have such a broad range of ages in the job core center. Students ranging in age from 16 to 25 all housed in a Residential Center and for me that is an issue of gracve concern and i think more broadly we need to look at program and measure it on out puts as posed to inputs. Its not how many are there but how many graduate, how many go on to get jobs. How successful are it sethe cen. Sometimes we just measure and you see this times in Higher Education where many are familiar with the enrollments but less familiar with a Graduation Rates and the job rates and taking a page from a trend that we see in Higher Education accreditation. I think its important that job center is also focussed on out put measuremeasure. Thank you, mr. Secretary. You may not have enough time to answer this entire question but i want to get it on the record and ask that we get a more robust response from you. I apreciate the departments actions in rescinding the harmful persuader rule but id like to ask about what further plans you have for the it office of Labor Management standards, olms, specifically what steps will you take to insure this agency can again provide robust oversight on behalf of Union Workers and again, in the interest of time i will ask that you give us a written response to that so i dont init fringe on the time of other members. Thank you, chairwoman. Thank you very much. I understand it