Murray Statement on Republicans’ Failure to Confirm Nominees to Important Agencies Responsible for Protecting Workers’ Rights
Republican Senate leaders ended the 115th Congress without confirming nominees to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the National Labor Relations Board
Without Chai Feldblum, the EEOC now lacks a quorum and cannot perform some of its critical duties to protect workers’ civil rights
The NLRB lacks Mark Pearce’s expertise and knowledge—while Republican Board members rush to make decisions that chip away at workers’ rights
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the closing of the 115th Congress without Senate Republican leadership confirming Chai Feldblum to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or Mark Pearce to the National Labor Relations Board. Because one Republican Senator obstructed Ms. Feldblum’s nomination for another term on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the EEOC now lacks a quorum and is unable to perform some of its critical duties to protect workers’ civil rights.
“It’s extremely frustrating and disappointing that Republican leaders allowed a lone Senator to block the nomination of Chai Feldblum and bring the work of a critical civil rights agency to a grinding halt. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission helps workers who have been discriminated against or harassed, but because of one Senator’s unprecedented obstructionism of a highly-qualified nominee who has a long history of standing up for and protecting workers’ civil rights, the EEOC will be unable to perform some of its critical duties. In this moment, as our nation is grappling with how to address the epidemic of sexual assault and harassment in the workplace, allowing one man to hamstring the EEOC is absolutely the wrong message to send to women, to workers, and to businesses.
“I’m also concerned that Republican leaders have refused to confirm Mark Pearce for another term on the National Labor Relations Board. As Republican Board members are marred in ethics scandals and rushing decisions that chip away at workers’ rights and further tilt the playing field in corporations’ favor, it is clear that Mr. Pearce’s knowledge, expertise, and commitment to protecting workers’ rights is needed on the Board.
“Ms. Feldblum and Mr. Pearce are both highly-qualified and well-respected public servants who have served their country for years on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board, and it’s well past time that Republican leadership stop obstructing these nominations. As we enter the 116th Congress, I want Republican leadership, and every woman and man who bravely spoke out when they were harassed, assaulted, or mistreated at work, to know that I will not stop fighting until these experienced nominees are once again able to enforce the rights and protections workers are entitled to under the law.”
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