▶ 0:17:02>> I thank the nominees for being here and their families for offering them up and service to their country and nominees. The nlrb is tasked with this is -- resolving labor disputes and protecting workers rights. Under the biden administration the nlrb recognized its authority against workers.
▶ 0:17:29They overturned decades of precedent, created instability for workers. We now have the opportunity to restore stability by providing a quorum to clear the backlog of cases left unresolved by the previous administration.
▶ 0:17:47Democratic led states like new york used a lack of quorum to unconstitutional leasees nlrb authority to file claims when rights are violated. President trump is focused on delivering the most pro-worker administration in history. To do this you need board members who are fair and to put american workers first. The nominees before us today are aligned with the president's vision. We will be hearing from Mr.
▶ 0:18:17Jim murphy, who brings decades of legal experience is strong record shows a commitment to upholding labor law and creating stability for workers and employees. The fact that he came out of this shows the old adage that you get married and how does it go?
▶ 0:18:41For better or worse, clearly his wife didn't want him at home for lunch. Thank your family for offering him up. We are considering Mr. scott mayor for his second seat. He has worked to negotiate a fair contract. It will be crucial as the administration looks to realign that board to prioritize workers rights.
▶ 0:19:08We will also hear from rosario palmieri. He brings extensive experience to federal policy including the office of budget and multiple committees. He's committed to working with congress to create greater flexibility to administer workforce programs. Thank you all for being here. Thanks to the family for all the support you give and with that I recognize senator sanders.
▶ 0:19:38Sen. Sanders: This morning we will be considering three of president trump's nominees. Rosario pu rosario palmieri, james murphy, scott mayer. I am opposed to all three. Last night the nomination of ej and tony was withdrawn.
▶ 0:20:09Sen. Sanders: That is a very good thing. It was immanently unqualified for the job. I hope the next nominee will be somebody that reinforces statistics that policymakers could trust. It is no secret today that we have -- we are living in a nation with more income and wealth inequality.
▶ 0:20:41Sen. Sanders: It is no secret the people on top have never had it so good. Where you have one person owning more wealth than about 50 to more wealth than about 50 t -- 52% of american households. The richest people become richer, 60% of our people are struggling paycheck to paycheck. We are going to have them pay for health care, education, housing.
▶ 0:21:13Sen. Sanders: You have a nation in which some people are doing phenomenal. One of the ways workers could improve their standard of living is by organizing with the unions. People who are in unions earn substantially more than nonunion workers. They have better benefits.
▶ 0:21:40Sen. Sanders: We worked very hard to pass the pro act making it easier for workers to join unions. Unfortunately we were not successful in doing that. Among the applicants in front of us we have Mr. mayer. He has been the chief labor council at boeing, a position he still holds today.
▶ 0:22:05Sen. Sanders: It just so happens last night on a zoom call I spoke with some 400 and 60 workers at boeing in st. Louis, missouri who have been out on strike against boeing for nine weeks. What they told me was quite shocking. These workers who are extremely skilled workers and manufacture state-of-the-art fighter planes.
▶ 0:22:36Sen. Sanders: In some cases they make as little as $18 an hour. Many of them went on strike because they were tired of needing to work two or three jobs to make ends meet. Meanwhile you have a company in which it could recently afford to pay it ceo $18 million for four months work.
▶ 0:23:06Sen. Sanders: It is a company that had enough money to provide a $45 million golden parachute to its former ceo, who did not do a particularly good job. Five years ago they had enough money to provide him with a $62 million golden parachute. That is kind of the world we live in today. We all know the story of boeing having some problems.
▶ 0:23:37Sen. Sanders: You have a huge golden parachute. You have to work two or three jobs. Maybe he will explain to us why the health care was taken away. I don't know how the working person survives. That is an example of the nlrb that president is nominating. Thank you very much.
▶ 0:24:07Chair Cassidy: I will introduce the nominees as each of them has their turn to speak. We will start with scott mayer, nominee for the national road labor relations board. He brings on the ground experience. His focus is producing stability in board decisions.
▶ 0:24:33Chair Cassidy: It is a graduate of the school of industrial labor and relations. I look forward to hearing from you today. Thank you for joining us.
▶ 0:24:44Mr. Mayer: Thank you. Committee members, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I want to recognize and thank president trump for this nomination. It is the honor and pinnacle of my career. My wife of 21 years is seated behind me.
▶ 0:25:11Mr. Mayer: My teenage children are not here today as they are in school. I'm sure the health committee supports their focus on education. My father cannot join us today for medical reasons. My family has always supported my public service. I want to start by saying I believe in the national labor relations act.
▶ 0:25:35Mr. Mayer: The board that I have had the pleasure of working with impacts nearly all private sector employees, large and small employers, and unions across the country. It is important as an institution and has a profound impact on all stakeholders. The work done by the board, general counsel is critical for maintaining productive labor-management relations while setting rules for employers, unions, and employees.
▶ 0:26:10Mr. Mayer: My grandfather was a union sheet metal worker. My father was a journeyman electrician and proud member of ibew local 3. My mother was a public school teacher in new jersey. My father would occasionally take me to his worksites. I even attended the summer camp on long island where I'm met a titan of new york city.
▶ 0:26:37Mr. Mayer: As a senior in high school I won a scholarship to study labor at cornell. I interned for the new york state nurses association where I performed research and help with organizing. I recognize and appreciate what labor has done for workers, my family, me. This has guided my balanced view of the law.
▶ 0:27:05Mr. Mayer: After cornell I attended villanova law school where I focused on labor and employment law. After I received my law degree from villanova I practiced law in philadelphia where I spend most of my time handling arbitrations, labor negotiations, compliance training. Most companies want to treat their employees well and comply with the law.
▶ 0:27:30Mr. Mayer: Just before my son was born I left law firm life and began working for aramark in philadelphia. With its hundreds of collective bargaining agreements my time allowed me to tackle a broad array of issues from successorship compliance to dealing with union trust fund issues. I learned the importance of finding common ground.
▶ 0:28:00Mr. Mayer: 15 years ago I became an active participant in practice and procedure. This committee is unique. As actions require consensus and labor-management. I have met and worked with highly skilled management and union side practitioners, had success finding common ground. It encourages creativity, respect, cooperation. I spent 10 years at aramark.
▶ 0:28:31Mr. Mayer: I've had the privilege of working for a law firm and a few companies expanding my experience to include multiple industries. In total I have spent decades helping my various employers comply with the law. Finally I believe strongly in public service. I serve as a member of my local school board including a three-year period as board president. I worked alongside amazing professionals.
▶ 0:29:04Mr. Mayer: I especially love working with our teachers carrying on my mother's legacy. We improved our relationship with the teachers union. It taught me many lessons about leadership, public service, listening to varying points of view. It gave me one of my greatest personal moments, handing my daughter a diploma last year. I will consider every case based on the facts presented.
▶ 0:29:32Mr. Mayer: I'm a steward of the labor law policies originating in congress and I will follow those laws. I will seek to achieve compromise with a goal of stability for all stakeholders. Most just want to comply with the rules. Our goal should be to create stability. I will rely on and respect the hard-working career professional staff members at the nlrb who work so hard behind-the-scenes to serve the public.
▶ 0:30:03Mr. Mayer: It is an honor and privilege to be here.
▶ 0:30:04Chair Cassidy: Thank you. Next is james murphy, president trump's nominee for member of the national labor relations board. He brings decades of experience where he has consistently demonstrated this to the letter of the law. His long tenure means he's well-positioned to address the backlog and work to resolve workers cases. He is a graduate of princeton. Thank you.
▶ 0:30:38Mr. Murphy: Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. It is an honor to be here and be nominated by president trump to be nominated by the agency I have worked for throughout my entire professional career. With me today is my wife, partner, best friend of over 53 years. We have three adult children. As well as four grandchildren.
▶ 0:31:13Mr. Murphy: Colleen is here today, as is sean with his sons taking time off from school for a civics lesson. Government services a common feature of the murphy family. My great-grandfather worked as a laborer in the massachusetts state tunnel project in the 1800s. His youngest son was among the first employees working for the new internal revenue service.
▶ 0:31:43Mr. Murphy: Both of his sons served in the military during world war ii. Daniel murphy, my dad was in an armored tank company. His brother and my namesake, james murphy became an army pilot. His first and only combat mission was a bombing going to germany in april, 1945. Another bomber collided with his. Both planes went into the north sea and all crew were lost.
▶ 0:32:15Mr. Murphy: Last but certainly not least, my mother was among the thousands of people who came to washington in the 1930's to work in the federal government. In 1941 she went to honolulu to work for a federal contractor. She had her roommates heard the bombs dropped. In 1944 she went overseas to work for the war department.
▶ 0:32:44Mr. Murphy: My opportunity for government service came late in my first year of law school. A family friend asked if I would be interested in working on his staff as a summer intern. Doc was one of the first employees starting in 1937. Continued to work on his staff on a part-time basis during the next school years. He hired me as a full-time staff attorney.
▶ 0:33:14Mr. Murphy: He went to private practice in 1981. Progressing from staff attorney to supervisor, senior counsel, finally to chief counsel. From 2008 until I retired at the end of december, 2021. Taken together the period serve, it was almost all of the board's 90 year history.
▶ 0:33:43Mr. Murphy: I was constantly impressed with the dedication, intelligence, employees that I work with regardless of any particular policy issue. It shared a common goal with representation cases before us. That is or should be a nonpartisan goal.
▶ 0:34:07Mr. Murphy: Unfortunately, for various reasons, the board has at times fallen short of meeting that goal with the resulting employees, employers, and unions having to wait years. By that time the real resolution has been determined by the delay rather than the administrative decision announced. I have been quite content in retirement.
▶ 0:34:36Mr. Murphy: Frankly an interest in addressing current policy issues as important as these issues are , my paramount concern for this undertaking is the need to reinvigorate the agency's casing process. It has significantly increased since 2021. If I am confirmed I pledged to uphold the act to any case brought before us.
▶ 0:35:05Mr. Murphy: To reach final decisions in each case and giving real meaning to the parties involved. It would be a violation of my oath of office. Thank you for the opportunity and I welcome your questions.
▶ 0:35:21Chair Cassidy: Next is -- finally we are joined today by rosario palmieri, president trump's nominee for policy under the department of labor.
▶ 0:35:49Chair Cassidy: He served at the office of information and regulatory affairs. His experience will help the department of labor implement the pro-worker agenda. He attended american university before receiving his jd. Americans college is represented today. I look forward to hearing from you.
▶ 0:36:11Mr. Palmieri: Thank you very much. It's an honor to appear before you today as president trump's nominee to be the assistant secretary for policy. I'm grateful to the president for this extraordinary opportunity and to be able to serve the american people. I want to thank the people who inspire me every day. My mother, father, stepfather, they are constant sources of strength and encouragement.
▶ 0:36:42Mr. Palmieri: I especially want to thank my father, who is here with me today. He has taught me so much about being an ethical man and has role modeled how to be an excellent employer of many workers over the course of his career.
▶ 0:37:06Mr. Palmieri: I want to thank those watching here and online, my colleagues and incredible career staff I've had the opportunity to work with. My passion for public service and commitment to the worker are rooted in my family story. My parents never had the opportunity to attend college work tirelessly to make sure their children were afforded the opportunity of an advanced education. My family members pursued careers as entrepreneurs.
▶ 0:37:38Mr. Palmieri: Demonstrating the very pass to the american dream that they pursued. I'm named for my great-grandfather, rosario, who came to this country from italy. He was a proud immigrant who built his life with his own two hands working in construction and manufacturing before he saved enough to open a grocery store. His relentless hard work taught our family the american dream is an -- within reach for everyone.
▶ 0:38:08Mr. Palmieri: My great-grandfather came to this country from ireland and settled in western pennsylvania. He worked in the coal mines, steel mills of pittsburgh. We are inexplicably linked to industry. The strength and security of the american worker have always been a part of my story. They worked in the very industries that are the backbone of our economy.
▶ 0:38:37Mr. Palmieri: The promise of owning a small business give them a personal understanding of the challenges facing our workforce today. This background combined with two decades of professional experience has prepared me for this role. For more than 15 years I served manufacturers as a leader in trade associations we work to advance american manufacturing.
▶ 0:39:00Mr. Palmieri: My legal training have given me a deep appreciation for the office of policy's vital role as the central hub for evidence-based policymaking and managing the regulatory portfolio. Having previously served as staff in the U.S. house where we had the opportunity to conduct oversight of agencies and the impact on small businesses.
▶ 0:39:30Mr. Palmieri: I have dedicated myself to understanding the relationship between workers, employers, government and worked to build consensus and deliver results. I believe the federal government's priority must be to put the american worker first. My guiding principle will be to serve the american workforce so everyone has a fair shot at a family sustaining career. My door will always be open.
▶ 0:39:57Mr. Palmieri: I want to work with the incredible team to support a resilient and prosperous economy for generations to come. I look forward to your questions .
▶ 0:40:11Chair Cassidy: I am here for the duration. I will defer. >> thank you for being here today and congratulations on your nominations. I want to share a thought that while there are a few things that are universally true in a public service I have always said give me a quick yes or no but a long may be the worst.
▶ 0:40:46Chair Cassidy: You have experience at the nlrb. You referenced this in your testimony that it has increased to an average of 154 days. What do you attribute that to? How do we fix it?
▶ 0:41:07Mr. Murphy: There are multiple causes I suspect. There are multiple reasons I suspect for that increase. Recently, that would be the loss of a quorum. Even predating that during the past four or five years there have been substantial increases filed in regional offices with some of them do percolate up to the board.
▶ 0:41:37Mr. Murphy: The board has engaged at times in rulemaking. We adjudicate most witnesses. Whenever the board does decide to engage in rulemaking, that could slow down the handling of other cases. The best I could say to you going forward is we will only have low hanging fruit available. We could do those cases on a unanimous basis as quickly as possible.
▶ 0:42:06Mr. Murphy: We will try to address the backlog by identifying whatever cases we can move as quickly as possible. >> I would encourage every effort be made to do those as quickly as possible and give people the services, answers that they are seeking on these matters.
▶ 0:42:34Mr. Murphy: In your role as assistant secretary I want to talk with you about legislation than I have, bipartisan that would encourage or require the training of personnel to identify signs of human trafficking in the workplace.
▶ 0:42:57Mr. Murphy: Help law enforcement by using the personnel to identify these cases and turn them over to law enforcement. The scourge of human trafficking is widespread in this country and one of the most heartbreaking things I think occur in deep, dark places of the economy.
▶ 0:43:29Mr. Murphy: We will make sure this is getting implemented and do you see this as a role that you could play at the department of labor?
▶ 0:43:38Mr. Palmieri: Thank you for the question. Appreciate your leadership, many other members of the committee on a critically important issue. Not just trafficking but the trafficking of the most vulnerable of children is just a horrific act. Your point it is critical the department of labor utilizes all of its resources to be put to the task.
▶ 0:44:08Mr. Palmieri: The office of policy helps to coordinate between the divisions and administrations to ensure we are meeting those required objectives but also the objectives of the administration and secretary to ensure those investigators in the field the data we are collecting, every piece of information of evidence that could be put to task of taking on this challenge is used and available.
▶ 0:44:37Mr. Palmieri: I will make the commitment that I will be happy to work with you and your office to ensure that this is being addressed. >> you have thousands of inspectors out there on the ground every day. Leisure, restaurants, things like that. They could be the eyes and ears. Law enforcement tells us it is very hard for them to see these things.
▶ 0:45:09Mr. Palmieri: They need to have access to that information. The department of labor is uniquely positioned to help with that.
▶ 0:45:20Chair Cassidy: Senator sanders.
▶ 0:45:23Sen. Sanders: Mr. mayer, in your march he talked about compromise and bringing people together. You are now the general chief of labor counsel at boeing. There has been a strike going on for two months now. I want to get a sense from you about that strike. It will tell us a little bit about what kind of member you will be.
▶ 0:45:52Sen. Sanders: Let me start by asking a very simple question. Do you think it's appropriate or was appropriate for boeing to pay its current ceo $18 million four months of work? While at the same time it eliminated the health care benefits for 3200 machinists in st. Louis? Is that the kind of approach you will use?
▶ 0:46:17Mr. Mayer: Good morning and thank you. Let me start off by saying I am not here is a representative of boeing. I'm here to discuss my nomination. Secondly, I have not been involved in the negotiations in st. Louis. I have been specifically kept out because the anticipation of this process.
▶ 0:46:46Sen. Sanders: You are the chief labor council and you have nothing involved with this right?
▶ 0:46:52Mr. Mayer: That is correct. We have other lawyers handling this matter.
▶ 0:46:59Sen. Sanders: I am giving you information that is accurate. You want to be a member of the nlrb entry workers fair, do you think it is fair that workers lose their health benefits during the strike while the ceo gets $18 million for four months work?
▶ 0:47:19Mr. Mayer: I'm not going to comment on the compensation of other executives. I will say there was negotiations in st. Louis. This is all public information. There was an agreement reached with the union. The union held that agreement as a landmark agreement.
▶ 0:47:51Sen. Sanders: That was rejected.
▶ 0:47:53Mr. Mayer: That is their right.
▶ 0:47:58Sen. Sanders: Boeing, if they could sign a fair contract with 32,000 machinists in the state of washington, why can't in your judgment day signed a similar contract for 10% of the workers or machinists in st. Louis?
▶ 0:48:22Mr. Mayer: I'm not going to get into or I'm unable to really comment on the negotiation status in st. Louis.
▶ 0:48:33Sen. Sanders: Let me ask Mr. murphy a question. Spacex is owned by elon musk. Amazon owned by jeff bezos. I don't know where jeff is right now, he's struggling. They have both filed lawsuits arguing the nlrb is unconstitutional. You are aware of that.
▶ 0:49:03Sen. Sanders: Simple question, do you believe it is unconstitutional?
▶ 0:49:09Mr. Mayer: I do --
▶ 0:49:11Mr. Murphy: I do not. They voted that the constitution act was constitutional. I believe it is constitutional. That would not negate the constitutionality of the agency.
▶ 0:49:30Sen. Sanders: Thank you.
▶ 0:49:31Mr. Palmieri: I don't have a specific view, I would agree it has been found constitutional in the past.
▶ 0:49:41Sen. Sanders: Let me ask you if president trump directs you to rule in favor of amazon or spacex and in opposition to the rights of their employees, would you do so?
▶ 0:49:58Mr. Palmieri: It's a hype of the --
▶ 0:50:01Mr. Murphy: It's a hypothetical I hope never comes to pass.
▶ 0:50:09Sen. Sanders: I guess what I'm asking you, would you have the independence to say sorry, I have a job to do or will you say yes I will do it?
▶ 0:50:20Mr. Murphy: I would like to say I question that directive. If the supreme court holds on a procedural basis that the president has the opportunity.
▶ 0:50:39Sen. Hawley: Thank you very much. Thank you for being here. I represent the state of missouri here in the senate. There are 3200 machinists currently on strike. The overwhelming number of these folks are missouri residents. You are the chief labor counsel. What do you think is a fair outcome to this dispute?
▶ 0:51:06Mr. Mayer: Thank you and good morning. I am not here as a representative of boeing.
▶ 0:51:15Sen. Lee: Holly -- Sen. hawley: how many years have you been employed by boeing?
▶ 0:51:24Mr. Mayer: I have been with the company about three years.
▶ 0:51:29Sen. Hawley: What you think is a fair resolution to this dispute? 3000 missourians effectively out of a job and haven't had a significant wage increase in years. They need to be able to afford to pay rent, put food on the table, get health care, is your company going to do right by these workers. I have significant interest in this. This matters a lot for my state.
▶ 0:51:59Sen. Hawley: This is a lot of people.
▶ 0:52:00Mr. Mayer: I agree in matters a lot. It matters to our hard-working employees, the members, I know the concept of fairness is an elusive one. What I will tell you is the union and the company reached an agreement at the end of july.
▶ 0:52:31Mr. Mayer: I am not involved in that negotiation.
▶ 0:52:35Sen. Hawley: The concept of fairness you say is elusive. In 2024, david calhoun your executive at the time got $32.8 million in compensation. That was a 45% increase over the previous year.
▶ 0:52:57Sen. Hawley: At that point in time your flames were falling out of the sky in pieces and you weren't paying your workers, is that fair?
▶ 0:53:07Mr. Mayer: I'm not a position to comment on executive compensation.
▶ 0:53:14Sen. Hawley: You are the chief labor counsel. Were you a part of the strike in seattle?
▶ 0:53:19Mr. Mayer: Yes, I was involved.
▶ 0:53:24Sen. Hawley: Do you remember what the contract was?
▶ 0:53:28Mr. Mayer: I remember parts of it.
▶ 0:53:33Sen. Hawley: General wage increase plus the option of a $12,000 one-time bonus. Does that sound roughly correct? Why wouldn't you do that for the folks in st. Louis?
▶ 0:53:48Mr. Mayer: Every negotiation is different.
▶ 0:53:53Sen. Hawley: You are offering my folks a fraction of that. What is different about the folks in missouri?
▶ 0:53:58Mr. Mayer: It's not about the difference, it's a question about it.
▶ 0:54:06Sen. Hawley: You said fairness is elusive.
▶ 0:54:08Mr. Mayer: Fairness is a matter of what the parties ultimately agreed to. The union and the company reached an agreement. The union felt the agreement we reached at the end of july. This is all public.
▶ 0:54:27Sen. Hawley: You have offered missouri workers a wage increase that is 16% what you offered the seattle workers. You are offering them bonuses that are thousands of dollars below. $8,000 less with far fewer benefits.
▶ 0:54:51Sen. Hawley: I guess I just don't understand, what is different about these missouri workers, it was 33,000 in seattle. Are we going to get to a fair resolution where they get paid on terms equal with other workers across the country or will they be permanently replaced by nonunion workers?
▶ 0:55:18Mr. Mayer: There was an offer on the table, the employees voted it down. They are engaging in protected activity, the parties will negotiate a deal.
▶ 0:55:35Mr. Mayer: Do you think it would be fair for the workers to be paid like the seattle workers?
▶ 0:55:41Mr. Mayer: There are a number of factors that come into play with how employees are paid.
▶ 0:55:53Sen. Hawley: I will have more questions for you. With 3000 plus members in my state on strike unable to work, get health care while your ceo is getting paid 30 some million dollars, fairness might be allusive but that doesn't look like fairness.
▶ 0:56:12Sen. Hassan: Thank you for having this hearing. Thank you to the witnesses for being here and your willingness to serve. Before I get into my questions I want to take a moment to address the federal government shutdown.
▶ 0:56:30Sen. Hassan: While the topic is really important, congress should be working together to find a bipartisan path to reopen the federal government, restore services and prevent health care premiums from doubling and keep millions of people from losing their health care coverage. I look forward to hearing more from our witnesses but I urge all of my colleagues to come together on a bipartisan basis.
▶ 0:57:00Sen. Hassan: I will start with a basic question. Here is the question that I have related to recent events. If directed by the president to take an action that would break the law, would you follow the law or the president's directive?
▶ 0:57:19Mr. Mayer: I do not believe the president would advise me to break the law.
▶ 0:57:31Sen. Hassan: I will suggest you look at a number of the president's actions over the last few days let alone the last 200 plus days and you might revise the first part of your answer.
▶ 0:57:45Mr. Murphy: I agree with Mr. mayer's remarks. I would follow the law.
▶ 0:57:57Mr. Palmieri: I don't believe the president would ask such a thing of me but I will follow the law.
▶ 0:58:05Sen. Hassan: Thank you for your commitment to the law. Those following the law means following what the court interprets the law to be or is it whatever the president believes it to be?
▶ 0:58:16Mr. Mayer: The national labor relations act has a long tradition of its own law.
▶ 0:58:26Sen. Hassan: Just generally, does the constitution say the chief executive of the united states gets to decide what the law is or does the constitution say there is a separate branch of government the court system and the judicial system that defines the law? What is the answer?
▶ 0:58:43Mr. Mayer: The supreme court decides what's the law.
▶ 0:58:47Mr. Murphy: That is correct. It would be a supreme court decision.
▶ 0:58:51Mr. Palmieri: The supreme court decides the law but I will seek the advice of the solicitor on any question I may have about the law.
▶ 0:59:04Sen. Hassan: I also suggested in cases that don't go to the supreme court, the courts have the final say depending on where the litigation stops. To my earlier point, in january, president trump illegally moved a board member from her position . Do you agree with the illegal actions?
▶ 0:59:25Mr. Murphy: I think that is a determination that will be made by a judiciary and probably the supreme court. The supreme court has indicated procedurally what they will do.
▶ 0:59:38Mr. Mayer: I have no independent reason to know why the president removed former chair wilcox. That issue is being litigated right now.
▶ 0:59:52Sen. Hassan: We are members of congress, we write laws. They need to get a majority in the senate. They need to overcome a filibuster in most cases. By members of the nlrb, officials at the department of labor.
▶ 1:00:16Sen. Hassan: The national labor relations act written by this body clearly states a board member cannot be removed except for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Do you agree that is the law that is supposed to be followed?
▶ 1:00:35Mr. Palmieri: I agree that is what the law states.
▶ 1:00:45Sen. Hassan: She was appointed by the wrong political party.
▶ 1:00:50Mr. Murphy: To his position, it was at will regardless of the reason.
▶ 1:01:00Sen. Hassan: That contravenes the clear language I just read to you.
▶ 1:01:04Mr. Murphy: That is what we are waiting to find out.
▶ 1:01:08Sen. Hassan: I will submit my third question about the decline in manufacturing and what he would do to rebuild it for the record. Let's be very clear you all just told me you can't imagine the president of the united states directing you to do something that would violate the law and you just conceded his firing has done that. Thank you.
▶ 1:01:34Sen. Baldwin: The nation's health care workers is very challenging working conditions. They are exacerbated by instances of workplace violence. The american hospital association report states hospitals has spent $18 billion in 2023 on cost associated with managing workplace violence.
▶ 1:02:06Sen. Baldwin: $14 billion of which were postevent costs like health care, infrastructure, staff losses. If you are confirmed he will oversee the department of labor's rulemaking process. In august the workplace violence prevention rule was downgraded from the proposed rule stage two what they call long-term actions often known as rulemaking purgatory.
▶ 1:02:36Sen. Baldwin: My workplace violence prevention for health care and service workers act would address the issue through congress. In the meantime the department needs to put forward this proposed rule. Why have your commitment to getting this proposed rule issued and finalized?
▶ 1:02:55Mr. Palmieri: Thank you. Long-term actions on the unified agenda do not necessarily signal a lack of prioritization that not only would be related to timing but generally the items are those that an administration believes could be completed in the next 12 months.
▶ 1:03:23Sen. Baldwin: It is a huge issue for health-care workers.
▶ 1:03:30Mr. Palmieri: I would be happy to work with you and your office and team and communicate with the deputy secretary. Obviously the administrator of osha is confirmed.
▶ 1:03:44Sen. Baldwin: I would hope this would be an enormous priority for the department of labor given the violence that is faced routinely these days sadly by health-care workers and social workers. The nlrb is the sole agency that could conduct and certify union elections.
▶ 1:04:12Sen. Baldwin: Unless an employer voluntarily recognizes it, this is the only way to form one. The right of workers to organize depends on nlrb ability to function. Nearly 16 million workers joined a union. During the fiscal year, the nlrb received 25,000 cases nationwide. The highest number in 15 years.
▶ 1:04:42Sen. Baldwin: Staffing levels have drastically reduced over the last decade and a half. They have lost 40% of field enforcement staff. Processing time for cases pertaining to unfair labor practices has exploded from a few months to well over a year. These cases are mostly brought forward by workers whose rights may have been violated and they deserve attention.
▶ 1:05:13Sen. Baldwin: Do you think the nlrb needs increased funding and staff to protect workers and enforce labor laws and fully do its job? This is a yes or no question.
▶ 1:05:30Mr. Mayer: My answer is a little more nuanced than that. I confirm -- is confirmed I commit to reviewing the general counsel staffing.
▶ 1:05:46Mr. Murphy: As far of the fiscal year I've had no part of the budget proposal.
▶ 1:05:59Sen. Baldwin: Would you commit today to any official authority that might be necessary to hire and retain sufficient staff?
▶ 1:06:10Mr. Murphy: I will just have to see if I'm confirmed what the circumstances are on the ground.
▶ 1:06:16Mr. Mayer: We will review with confirmed, we will review the appropriate staffing levels.
▶ 1:06:24Sen. Baldwin: Would you commit to more sufficient funds to keep it accessible to the public?
▶ 1:06:33Mr. Mayer: --
▶ 1:06:45Mr. Murphy: The board makes periodic assessments as far as the sub regional offices, I hope we would continue to do so.
▶ 1:07:00Sen. Baldwin: I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record to letters of opposition to the nomination from the seiu representing more than 2 million workers and the national nurses union which represents almost a quarter million.
▶ 1:07:18Chair Cassidy: Without objection.
▶ 1:07:23Sen. Hickenlooper: Thanks each of you for subjecting yourselves to this endeavor. Let me start with you. Back when I was governor of colorado a number of years ago we worked hard to build a high quality youth apprenticeship program that has since been expanded to 20 or 22 other states.
▶ 1:07:52Sen. Hickenlooper: The policy office plays a crucial role in supporting this kind of program. If you are confirmed, how could you ensure youth apprenticeships provide participants with strong industry recognized credentials, clear pathways to full employment, and make sure that this program could be expanded?
▶ 1:08:18Mr. Palmieri: I think your leadership on the subject was particularly important. I think the state and government support is critical. The president has announced an intention to create one million new registered apprenticeships.
▶ 1:08:38Mr. Palmieri: At the office of policy I would certainly be involved in that effort to support other parts of divisions to ensure we are not just delivering on that vote but ensuring that industry recognized credentials and others that are going to help people get quickly into the workforce are there.
▶ 1:09:04Mr. Palmieri: There are important safety and security concerns and I will be happy to work with your office and others to make sure we are addressing those critical areas.
▶ 1:09:16Sen. Hickenlooper: A golden opportunity. When you look at 70% of our kids are going to graduate with a four year degree, we spent decades working on that. I think apprenticeship programs have amazing potential. Let me go down the list here.
▶ 1:09:43Sen. Hickenlooper: I am one of the people that worries about the dislocations that are going to come as a consequence of ai as we look at every industry trying to see how could they use ai to be more successful. In the vast majority of cases that will result in people losing their careers. I think we have done a shoddy job over the past couple of years.
▶ 1:10:13Sen. Hickenlooper: If you have any ideas about how we should think about the department of labor looking at these whole professions being eliminated, how do we look at which skills do we need to make sure they are getting, what is the pipeline that we could guarantee and ensure those skills are available and the people who have been dislocated have a real opportunity to get back on the career path?
▶ 1:10:46Mr. Mayer: I'm not sure that is in the province.
▶ 1:10:52Sen. Hickenlooper: You'll be amazed how much is going to come through. Everybody will be on board. How we pay for it and plan for it is essential. It is a place where if we are not careful it will become a bottleneck.
▶ 1:11:12Mr. Mayer: Employers relying on various tools like artificial intelligence are held to the same standard set forth in the law.
▶ 1:11:25Mr. Murphy: Certainly you are correct. It will be a significant issue. We don't have the authority to respond to an issue, it has to come from a practice proceeding. I could certainly see the job loss contributing both to ai and becoming a major bargaining issue.
▶ 1:11:52Sen. Hickenlooper: Excellent point.
▶ 1:11:55Mr. Palmieri: As you know, the president's ai action plan disrupts the department of labor -- instructs the department of labor to take this seriously and direct some of the funds from employee training to ensure that we are training the next generation of workers to use these services so they are over and above.
▶ 1:12:26Mr. Palmieri: To utilize these in ways that are going to be part of a future economy. If confirmed, I know I can spend a significant portion of my time on that.
▶ 1:12:39Sen. Hickenlooper: Whether we like it or not, this is happening. Their instruction is how could ai help you be more successful? If you are not working with that you will be left behind it. One yes or no, as we look back over the past 50 years we have seen a contraction of the middle class.
▶ 1:13:06Sen. Hickenlooper: When you look at the percentage of representation by organized labor, by unions, that has been identical. Do you think this country is better off with workers or a higher percentage of workers having that representation?
▶ 1:13:32Mr. Mayer: That is really a policy decision.
▶ 1:13:42Sen. Hickenlooper: I was just checking if it would make things go better or worse.
▶ 1:13:46Mr. Mayer: It depends on the types of decisions for every company.
▶ 1:13:51Mr. Murphy: I think that is accurate. I'm just not sure, there should be broader means of employee access. Collective bargaining is a possibility. Other opportunities would arise and they would benefit the company.
▶ 1:14:20Sen. Hickenlooper: Think I'm being silenced. Senator kaine..
▶ 1:14:38Sen. Kaine: Is it Mr. paul mary -- palmieri? You referenced your great grandfather was a coal miner.
▶ 1:14:53Sen. Kaine: I resonate with that because virginia has lot of coal mining communities I was with our miners and they worked to keep the lights on in the country running and it has led to a significant black lung academic -- epidemic in the country that is well known but what isn't so well known is that it is particularly hard on the east coast because of the kind of
▶ 1:15:24Sen. Kaine: Coal in the circumstances under which it is mind which it is mined. Over 400 minors were identified as having fibrosis, a complicated form of black lung, the largest ever noted in scientific literature.
▶ 1:15:48Sen. Kaine: One of the things that is most concerning is the age at which people are getting this advanced form of a black young disease is getting younger and younger. It wasn't uncommon for someone suffering from that. It is now more and more common to find miners in their 30's being diagnosed.
▶ 1:16:13Sen. Kaine: They have found a silica dust but also opening up people for other respiratory issues so cool it was really bad in this part of the appellations. People already had challenges. The administration finalized a rule to reduce exposure to silica dust.
▶ 1:16:35Sen. Kaine: The goal was to readers -- reduce silicone exposure and projected to save a thousand lives and prevent another 3700 cases of silica related illnesses. This was a long-standing effort taken with all stakeholders at the table.
▶ 1:16:54Sen. Kaine: Coal mines are supposed to come in compliance but now titles in the eight circuit and the circuit will decide what they will decide and I hope that they decide the silica standard is enforceable but there is also on july 1, an agenda that really focused on the regulation and didn't mention a silica standard typically but really focused on the role of deregulating a lot
▶ 1:17:24Sen. Kaine: Of aspects of the work. You indicated president trump is pro-worker. Given your family history, if the court action is resolved in a way that upholds the silica standard, will you do everything you can to protect so minors are protected?
▶ 1:17:44Mr. Palmieri: Again I am not at the department but if confirmed I would absolutely commit to helping to ensure the work of the office of policy supports the implementation of that standard.
▶ 1:18:01Sen. Kaine: Have you had any discussions with officials in preparation for your nomination or discussion about the hearing today about the silica standard in particular?
▶ 1:18:11Mr. Palmieri: I have not.
▶ 1:18:15Sen. Kaine: Is this something you have followed to development, because it is a first time ever silica standard. It had probably been needed for a long time but had you separately follow that?
▶ 1:18:26Mr. Palmieri: At times throughout my career, silica standard, osha more than the other had cost my pack.
▶ 1:18:35Mr. Palmieri: I appreciate your commitment. I yield back.
▶ 1:18:43Chair Cassidy: Mr. mayor, since the obama administration, the board has made severe policy swings and I gather it has been difficult for other stakeholders to understand and comply with the law. You spoke about the complexity. Can you speak to how the predictability and labor law helps workers and if confirmed, how would you work to improve compliance with labor law?
▶ 1:19:10Mr. Mayer: Thank you, senator. Whites -- wide swings in the laws are not good for everyone. From that standpoint of advising employers, stability is important in understanding the rules of the road are important. My experience has been most employers want to employ employees well and comply with the law.
▶ 1:19:42Mr. Mayer: And I truly believe that where employers had to change policy handbooks on an occasional basis because an agency engages in adjudication that changes the law is disruptive. The goal is stability in the law .
▶ 1:20:08Mr. Mayer: That helps all stakeholders to understand all the rules of the road, not only employers but all employees and unions.
▶ 1:20:16Chair Cassidy: In our personal conversation, I think you are Mr. murphy's small companies that want to unionize can run afoul of the law because the law is counterintuitive. Is there any way to address that because you want to do the right thing and you get slammed legally because there is a law set up and you are thinking why did they do that law but you only say after you violated? Mr. murphy?
▶ 1:20:40Mr Murphy: That is correct. It can happen. Unfortunately the board can't issue advisory recommendations. Parties could reach out to a regional office and get some guidance as far as to what they should be doing in a particular situation.
▶ 1:20:54Chair Cassidy: If you are small or medium-sized I guess you need the attorney to tell you to reach out. Is that a problem?
▶ 1:21:01Mr Murphy: Yes sir, it would probably have to go through legal representation.
▶ 1:21:06Chair Cassidy: I believe you spoke to the eeoc as having nonstandard in the nlrb having another. First trump administration tried to reconcile the two. This is about calling people names. It was using racial epithets to call somebody something but it should be stopped and the employer had to decide which law to break.
▶ 1:21:34Chair Cassidy: I gather that reconciliation under trump one was reversed under biden. Do you want to comment on that puts the employer, side from calling racial epithets is wrong.
▶ 1:21:46Mr. Mayer: I will talk about the law and how it developed but I can't speak about issues that could come before me should I be confirmed. This is an issue about whether employers engaged in protected activities has additional protection under the law if those, if they violate title vii
▶ 1:22:17Mr. Mayer: Or some other federal or state law. Prior to trump, they were a number of situations specific standards that gave additional protections. That was challenged in the general motors case.
▶ 1:22:39Mr. Mayer: The eeoc weighed in and said employers shouldn't effectively have to choose which law to break and should the general motors case. That was reversed under the biden board in a case. I would say that is a case history.
▶ 1:22:58Chair Cassidy: Why don't we give it to the employers so they can do right by the employees. Mr. palmieri, given your experience in the first trump administration implement in the foundations of evidence-based policymaking act, please describe how you will incorporate stakeholder feedback and the regulatory process.
▶ 1:23:17Mr. Palmieri: Certainly. Thank you, chairman. I think that was a great work of bipartisanship in the first trump administration and I think evidence-based policymaking is truly a bipartisan concern. I think in the regulatory process we have always had the administrative procedure act to guide us in incorporating stakeholder feedback into our regularly -- regulatory policies.
▶ 1:23:47Mr. Palmieri: I think the act also gives us a chief evidence officer at the department of labor in the office of policy to help us ensure the research work in the data we are gathering can be utilized in supporting the regulatory policies and choices we are making. I look forward to working with you and the committee and furthering those efforts as well.
▶ 1:24:09Chair Cassidy: I am going to go to another many during. Senator moody will take the gavel.
▶ 1:24:20Sen. Moody: Thank you, senator cassidy. I'm happy to do so.
▶ 1:24:29Sen. Moody: I will take the gal and you can go ahead and question. >> do you agree with established board president than when an employee is fired for either supporting or refusing to support a union that firing has a chilling effect on other employee speech?
▶ 1:25:02Mr Murphy: We aren't asking me if it unlawful employee -- >> just for supporting a union could you get fired good with that have a chilling effect?
▶ 1:25:14Mr Murphy: That is why you would have to find violation and remedy.
▶ 1:25:19Chair Cassidy: Mr. mayor, do you agree with that?
▶ 1:25:22Mr. Mayer: It certainly could. >> if you just spoke about having a union, should that be grounds for hiring freshman -- hiring?
▶ 1:25:40Mr. Mayer: No. >> if they are fired to exercise their right to organize a union is fired, I asked because president trump illegally fired board member glenn wilcox for quote unduly disfavoring the interest of employers. You agree that her firing has a chilling effect on your speech as a nominee if confirmed as a board member? Mr. murphy?
▶ 1:26:09Mr Murphy: Senator cowan, you're asking me if it has a chilling effect?
▶ 1:26:18Sen. Markey: Will it?
▶ 1:26:21Mr Murphy: If the president has the removal of authority that he claims he has come I will interpret the act as I always would have done so.
▶ 1:26:31Sen. Markey: ? You will be independent?
▶ 1:26:35Mr. Mayer: I agree with Mr. v.
▶ 1:26:41Sen. Markey: Is not possible to truly act independently when you know the president could fire you, that is just the bottom line. If member wilcox is not reinstated, the american people cannot trust that you will act impartially rather than favoring ceos over workers in line with the president's wishes and as a result I cannot support your nominations. Mr.
▶ 1:27:07Sen. Markey: Rosario, do you support the president's deregulatory agenda to rescind or weaken over 60 department of labor regulations?
▶ 1:27:18Mr. Palmieri: Thank you, senator. Yes.
▶ 1:27:24Sen. Markey: If confirmed, how will you decide how many workers are an acceptable number to die on the job if you repeal a safety rule?
▶ 1:27:32Mr. Palmieri: No number of workers is an acceptable number of deaths.
▶ 1:27:40Sen. Markey: There was no osha when my father was a boy and his finger got chopped off in a factory and the boss just said to him, see you on monday in the factory, john. No osha. No protections. That is late it was until we put regulations on the books. My father used a different finger to describe the bosses at the kitchen table at night to me and my brothers.
▶ 1:28:10Sen. Markey: 5000 workers died on the job every single year in our country. Do you support the president's deregulatory agenda to repeal rules that ensure workers make it home at the end of their shift?
▶ 1:28:26Mr. Palmieri: I believe the president's deregulatory agenda in the items you mentioned are intended to promote additional flexibility, potentially to remove outdated requirements that no longer reflect the modern workplace and are not designed to reduce the safety of workplaces in any way.
▶ 1:28:47Sen. Markey: Secretary of labor is trying to weaken mine safety plans, lower respiratory standards for workers exposed to harmful chemicals and stop requiring construction sites on having any lights.
▶ 1:29:02Sen. Markey: So my question to you is, if you are a part of repealing a rule that leads to the death of a worker who is killed in a mine or get lung cancer or it falls down a worksite into the dark, do you commit to calling their families and offering condolences?
▶ 1:29:20Mr. Palmieri: I don't believe any of the policies of this administration would lead to the deaths of workers, but I share your concern and would absolutely have compassion for any family member of anyone who died as a result of a workplace accident.
▶ 1:29:39Sen. Markey: Mr. mayor, I would like to close by sharing my deep concern about your ability to fairly rule on matters and the chief labor at boeing, boeing has and continues to adjust its flight path from heavily unionized safety first company to eight unionbusting wall street pleasing with a tattered safety record. You and your friends at boeing have prioritized soaring profits over safe plans.
▶ 1:30:09Sen. Markey: Your workers paid the price and the traveling public has paid the price and it is why I have introduced my safety starts at the top act which would require companies like boeing to ask representatives from labor and from safety experts on the board of directors. I thank you, madam chair. I yield back.
▶ 1:30:32Sen. Moody: I believe senator murkowski is going to take over as chair. Rightfully passed and I will begin questioning.
▶ 1:30:43Sen. Moody: Thank you for being here and offering your professional career for service to the country and thank you to your family members here today. I know that summit -- senate nomination sometimes are not fun but I hope you are incredibly proud of your family members sitting here answering questions. They are not easy questions all the time but we are asking them to take on very important roles and we are certainly glad for their service and the families that support them. Thank you so much.
▶ 1:31:10Sen. Moody: One of the things that has troubled me deeply over the last few years that we haven't had a functioning efficiently -- I should say efficiently or functioning at all nlrb. I think it is incredibly important we are moving in that direction.
▶ 1:31:29Sen. Moody: There is a huge decision backlog right now in one year we went up 46% in the backlog, which is not good for the american worker and certainly not good for president trump's america first agenda and supporting workers. I am hopeful at this hearing today gets us one step closer to an efficient nlrb.
▶ 1:31:58Sen. Moody: That said, I will turn to some nominees. Mr. murphy, and incredibly concerned about productivity and decision delays at the board. I don't 47 years of experience under your previous leadership and you reduced the number of cases and the median age of cases pending by 50%.
▶ 1:32:29Sen. Moody: I am told you have publicly said one of the reasons you want to do this is to help with the backlog. I am a former judge and had a firm belief that efficiency of courts and obviously two different body but efficiency has just as much to do with having a successful process, as does the substantive work. Both are equally important.
▶ 1:32:55Sen. Moody: If one does not exist, it is like you are not offering any type of justice or resolution. So I am grateful to you for coming out of retirement, not just for serving but for saying I will keep doing this in order to right a wrong. I think it is a wrong to have such a backlog of cases.
▶ 1:33:15Sen. Moody: Can you give us more background as to why you think there is such a tremendous backlog that occurred, especially during the last few years, and what are some of your proposed efficiency improvements you believe you could bring to the role?
▶ 1:33:32Mr Murphy: Thank you, senator. We discussed this a little prior to your arrival. There are multiple reasons for the backlog, the -- there was a substantial increase of charges filed in regional offices pretty even though 95% of cases are generally resolved before they get to the national relations board in washington, that still increased the number of cases in washington to an unacceptable
▶ 1:34:04Mr Murphy: Amount, 500 pending backlog. What we can do is hopefully with a restore board forum -- quorum we can get to the cases in a three-member panel without any partisan disagreements.
▶ 1:34:28Mr Murphy: As many cases possible focusing on the oldest cases because in some egregious situations they have been pending for as long as four years. The personnel is there at the agency. They are very good people but they have to have the direction, the common direction from the board members as to which cases to address and date will commit to handling them as quickly as possible.
▶ 1:34:59Sen. Moody: How quickly do you think the board will be able to start making progress on the backlog?
▶ 1:35:02Mr Murphy: I would start on day one that is a little ambitious. That would be my primary objective and I am only one of three board members for that would be my objective.
▶ 1:35:13Sen. Moody: Any thoughts, Mr. mayor?
▶ 1:35:17Mr. Mayer: First of all, I have never been on the board and have never worked for the board so it is a black hole for me. I would be relying on, if I am confirmed, both Mr. murphy and Mr. prouty to clear out the backlog.
▶ 1:35:37Mr. Mayer: The other thing I will note for you is one of the issues for the backlog, a lot of cases over the last few years that could have settled haven't settled because the environment in the regions was not conducive to settlement. General counsel when he arrived issued a number of memos, one of which encouraged and removed some of the barriers.
▶ 1:36:07Mr. Mayer: I'm hoping that will also help clear out the backlog.
▶ 1:36:09Sen. Moody: Thank you.
▶ 1:36:17Sen. Murkowski: Thank you, senator moody. Thank you for appearing for the committee and your willingness to serve within this administration. All very important positions. I know that prior to my arrival here, several of my colleagues have raised the issue of independence -- well independence within the nlrb and how important that is.
▶ 1:36:41Sen. Murkowski: It is my understanding that in your presentations before the health committee -- help committee staff, you review that the nlrb is truly designed and meant to be that independent agency.
▶ 1:36:59Sen. Murkowski: I would just ask for you to commit to me in this open hearing your commitment to enforce the national labor relations act fairly, regardless of employer or union affiliation . Mr. murphy?
▶ 1:37:16Mr Murphy: I can easily make that.
▶ 1:37:26Mr. Mayor: I commit if I am confirmed to enforcing the law fairly and impartially.
▶ 1:37:32Sen. Murkowski: I appreciate that. We have some unique challenges when it comes to the alaska workforce. A great deal of seasonality, whether within the fishery industry, construction or trades. It is an issue that is not unique to us but maybe just a little more enhanced in this state.
▶ 1:38:00Sen. Murkowski: So I put that before you as an issue that we pay attention to in making sure that seasonal and contract workers are also properly protected under the nlra. Another issue that comes up in my state, perhaps more so than in others is the relationship with tribes. We have half of all of the tribes in the country are situated in alaska.
▶ 1:38:29Sen. Murkowski: Have a number of tribes and our alaska native corporations operate both public and private sector enterprises. It creates an interesting situation as you deal with questions of labor law relating to sovereign entities and some often times complex jurisdictional issues.
▶ 1:38:53Sen. Murkowski: I don't expect either one of you to have the answer as to how to navigate that I wanted to put on the radar that this may occupy some of your time in recognizing that it is a little different in how we navigate some of these issues.
▶ 1:39:17Sen. Murkowski: If you can just give me commitment that you will be paying attention to them and recognizing the significant -- significance on a state like alaska that is somewhat unique in these considerations with the workforce.
▶ 1:39:33Mr Murphy: I can certainly understand how significant that is in alaska and probably in the state of oklahoma. Currently there is a pending travel act in front of congress and I cannot speak to the merits of that under eight board case 15 to 20 years ago, jurisdiction was asserted over tribal employers both on and off the reservations and I have seen
▶ 1:40:03Mr Murphy: Very few cases and -- cases involving tribal employers but if congress wishes to revisit that issue, I can perfectly understand it because there are concerns about tribal governments as far as intruding and certainly the board itself has said it cannot make any decision that would intrude upon that treaty.
▶ 1:40:31Sen. Murkowski: Very good. Mr. palmieri, I will take it back to the issue I just raised about our fishing industry. The h2b program is very vital. Historically our seafood processors have relied on h2b workers to fill these gaps.
▶ 1:41:02Sen. Murkowski: You are working where you are not part of a community and in the middle of nowhere, often times you don't have amenities like internet. It is tough to find workers and the industry bends over backwards to make sure we can find every american who is willing to come out to these areas. It is not necessarily pretty work.
▶ 1:41:25Sen. Murkowski: It is wet and slimy and how we get our seafood to america and we are very proud of it but we do have a challenge and have for some years, the program is oversubscribed. The processors depend on supplemental visas being issued for the pollock and pod season coming up upon us.
▶ 1:41:51Sen. Murkowski: In it raising this to you as an issue, I would hope you would support issuing supplemental h2bs to the maximum extent authorized by law.
▶ 1:42:05Sen. Murkowski: It is not just a matter of moving forward with the supplementals, but doing so in a timely manner because we have seasons that don't necessarily mesh with anybody else's, causing us to be left behind when it comes to available visas .
▶ 1:42:24Sen. Murkowski: So should you be confirmed, I would hope that this is something that you would commit to working with us on as well as the folks over at the department of homeland security because it is a dual approval process. So what is already complicated has now become more complicated. I don't know if you have any familiarity with it and choose to comment now or it just give me your commitment.
▶ 1:42:48Mr. Palmieri: I would say certainly in the first trump administration when I served, a range of these issues edit certainly come before me and my attention and I know that the president cares deeply about issues related to fisheries, sherman, klosterman, critically -- fisheries, lobster men, and I commit to work with your team on any of these issues should they
▶ 1:43:19Mr. Palmieri: Come before me.
▶ 1:43:20Sen. Murkowski: We had a very constructive seafood summit between the alaska delegations and folks within the seafood industry and secretary lutnick, secretary rollins and it was gratifying to hear their commitment to resolving many of these issues. I think you are right. The administration has taken a forward leaning approach to it.
▶ 1:43:49Sen. Murkowski: Secretary rollins, in my view, it was music to my ears to hear her say that fishermen are actually farmers of the sea and it is an important industry for our country. The last question for you, since there is nothing here in my time has expired, I can ignore the red on the panel. I want to ask about apprenticeship opportunities and some very rural areas.
▶ 1:44:18Sen. Murkowski: In keeping with the president's executive order for alaska releasing our extraordinary potential for everything in the energy sector and beyond, our challenge is our workforce.
▶ 1:44:33Sen. Murkowski: We are a small population and building that capable workforce is hard and is a challenge that we accept but providing appropriate training for those in the wrong and remote areas still remains a snicket challenge.
▶ 1:44:51Sen. Murkowski: What happens is, we've got apprenticeship programs that they are typically centralized in more populated areas and when you come from a state where 80% of your communities are not connected by a road, it is just a challenge to get there. It is an expense to get there. You can't bring our family necessarily with you. So it really is a very significant barrier.
▶ 1:45:17Sen. Murkowski: We have been trying to be creative in working with those and I run from the trades, unions, workforce development programs but I would just ask for your willingness to work with me on finding some creative ways to support workforce development in our rural areas, where communities are off the road system, disconnected from some of the traditional workforce.
▶ 1:45:46Sen. Murkowski: When I say creative, one of the things that has come to my attention is if there was just childcare that I could get assistance with so that I could leave my community for the several week period and typically we don't think about apprenticeships in providing childcare, but we've got to figure out ways to break down the barriers.
▶ 1:46:14Sen. Murkowski: I would ask for your help and support on that.
▶ 1:46:19Mr. Palmieri: I had an opportunity to visit with some of your staff earlier in the process and I think we know the unique challenges that alaska faces. I feel like from the first trump administration to this, alaska has always had sort of a special place in the administration's heart and especially in front of all of your colleagues, I think we can say alaska is obviously one of the best and most important states when addressing
▶ 1:46:50Mr. Palmieri: Any and all policy. I would just say I think I can speak freely and say that the unique challenges facing alaska will be top of mind across the range of issues and industries that are important to the state and that we commit to work with you and your team to be able to think through some of these creative opportunities to achieve the american workforce we want in the alaskan workforce would want.
▶ 1:47:15Sen. Murkowski: . Thank you for your time and tear families for being here for any senator wishing to ask additional russians, questions for the record will be due tomorrow -- additional questions, questions for the record will be due tomorrow at 5:00. This hearing is adjourned.