The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“OSHA AND MSHA SHOULD BE MERGED” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8844 on Oct. 21, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
OSHA AND MSHA SHOULD BE MERGED
(Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)
Mr. BALLENGER. Madam Speaker, last Congress I proposed legislation to merge two Federal workplace safety and health agencies, OSHA and MSHA, into a single agency. In my view, merging these two agencies would more effectively promote workplace safety. It would also help reduce Washington bureaucracy.
The Clinton administration strongly opposed my proposed merger. But after he criticized my plan to merge the agencies, the Clinton administration made the head of MSHA a part-time job. And 2\1/2\ years later, the Clinton administration still considers MSHA so important that the Acting Solicitor of Labor is running the agency in a couple of hours a week.
Madam Speaker, I am all for saving taxpayer money and combining Federal Government jobs where possible, but I am curious whether this sharing of top-level jobs might be part of a larger strategy. I know the Department of Labor has criticized companies in the past for filling too many lower level positions with part-time workers. Is the Clinton administration trying to turn the tables by putting part-timers in top positions?
Madam Speaker, how far will the administration carry this? Will the Attorney General be officially splitting time as a White House Press Secretary?
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