Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to division A, which provides critical funding for the Office of Labor- Management Standards, OLMS, at the Department of Labor.

OLMS is vital to protecting the rights of workers in the workplace and ensuring labor-management transparency and financial integrity in our Nation's labor unions.

Unfortunately, House Democrats have chosen to underfund the agency since taking the majority, resulting in diminished staffing levels and significantly impacting the types of work accomplished in the field and throughout the agency. Sadly, the appropriations package we are considering today continues this trend by once again underfunding the office.

My amendment would simply increase the funding to be in line with President Biden's budget request. In the President's request, the Department noted that funding was necessary to restore OLMS' ability to provide unionized workers with the protections they are entitled under LMRDA.

Protecting the paychecks of hardworking union members is my priority, and I hope it is the priority of my colleagues as well.

Additionally, I rise to support my amendment to division E, which addresses two of the most serious public health concerns affecting Michigan and the Great Lakes States. PFAS contamination and harmful algal blooms have wreaked serious damage in our rivers, streams, lakes, and, ultimately, drinking water.

Many States like mine have been aggressively testing, tracking, and working to combat PFAS for years. But there is still much more we don't know about these chemicals, and it will take collaboration from Federal, State, and local officials to prevent future exposure, protect the public health, and ensure the safety of our drinking water.

At the same time, harmful algal blooms, HABs, affect marine, coastal, estuarine, and freshwater systems in all 50 States and are particularly prevalent in the Great Lakes. These toxic blooms harm human health and cause several billion dollars in economic losses each year.

My amendment supports investments in science, research, and management to increase our capacity to detect and prevent HABs and PFAS throughout the country.

I urge my colleagues to support these important amendments.

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