Situational Awareness
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives are in session this week. The Senate is scheduled to consider a handful of judicial nominations and the nominee for General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The House is poised to hold a floor vote on Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) nomination as Speaker of the House as early as Tuesday afternoon. While Rep. Jordan has succeeded to flip a considerable number of “no” votes from a bloc of moderate Republicans, his path towards confirmation remains uncertain. Until then, the House and Senate are unable to pass any appropriations bills or a military assistance package for Israel.
House Education and Workforce Committee Hearing on Worker Free Choice
The House Committee on Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will hold a hearing Wednesday entitled “Protecting Workers and Small Businesses from Biden’s Attack on Worker Free Choice and Economic Growth.” In an official statement announcing the hearing, Subcommittee Chair Bob Good (R-Va.) accused the Biden administration of “weaponizing” the federal government to advance the policy agenda of pro-labor organizations.
The hearing is expected to examine the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent Cemex Construction Materials Pacific, LLC ruling, which would empower the NLRB to organize union recognition elections if an employer doesn’t voluntarily recognize a newly-elected employee union. The ruling also permits the NLRB to order an employer to recognize a union if the employer commits an unfair labor practice during a union election. Subcommittee members are also expected to discuss the Department of Labor’s (DOL) pending independent contractor rule and legislative proposals that would limit the factors to test whether an independent contractor is an employee.
House Small Business Hearing on DOL Rulemaking
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Small Business will hold a hearing entitled “Burdensome Regulations: Examining the Effects of DOL Rulemaking on America’s Job Creators.” Most recently, Committee Chair Roger Williams (R-Texas) sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Labor, Julie Su inquiring about a final rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that governs tracking workplace injuries and illnesses. According to Chair Williams, OSHA did not organize a Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act panel to examine the impact of the rule on small businesses that employ 20 to 249 workers. The hearing is part of a broader House Republican oversight agenda that is closely examining potential overreach by federal agencies across the Biden administration.
Senate Environment and Public Works Hearing on Sackett v. EPA
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing entitled “Examining the Implications of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency for Clean Water Act Protections of Wetlands and Streams.” The hearing’s witnesses include a professor from Clemson University, a community organizer from a Houston-based organization focusing on water quality and wetlands protection, and an attorney from an environmental law firm. In compliance with the Sackett ruling, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) removed federal protections for a majority of U.S. wetlands from a proposed rule amending the definition of protected “waters of the United States.” In an official statement released after the Sackett ruling, Committee Chair Tom Carper (D-Del.) expressed his concern with the rulings’ impact on clean drinking water and coastal and flood-prone communities.
Join NCA November 13 for the First-Ever Club Championship Conference
For the first time, NCA will convene leaders from clubs that host and hope to host golf championships for a day of collaboration, networking and information sharing. Held Nov. 13, 2023 at Army Navy Country Club, Arlington Va., this historic event will provide a dedicated forum for club leadership to meet, learn, share best practices and discuss the challenges and rewards of hosting championships and qualifiers for the major tours and golf organizations in the United States. Conversation will include four sessions led by top championship veterans:
- Colin Burns, Apogee Golf and former GM of Winged Foot Golf Club
- Robbie Zalzneck, former USGA Sr. Director of Player Service
- Kevin Bozada, Augusta National Golf Club
- Jeffrey Kreafle, Congressional Country Club
Register and learn more here.