Old North News

U.S. Representative Kevin Kiley and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy have introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Department of Labor’s final worker classification rule that impacts millions of American independent contractors. The Biden administration's rule has sparked concerns among lawmakers and various organizations.

Representative Virginia Foxx expressed her frustration with the Department of Labor, stating, “Independent contractors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses are fed up with the Department of Labor continually breathing down their necks.” She added, “Entrepreneurial opportunities and flexibility should be encouraged, not extinguished with heavy-handed mandates from the federal government.”

Representative Kiley criticized the new regulation, stating, “Washington should support workers, not regulate them into oblivion.” He highlighted the negative impact of the rule on independent contractors, referencing California's AB 5 law as a cautionary tale.

Senator Cassidy also voiced his opposition to the Biden administration's rule, emphasizing the importance of individual freedom and opportunity for American workers. He stated, “The Biden administration’s priority should not be to do whatever makes it easier to forcibly and coercively unionize workers. It should be to increase individual freedom and opportunity.”

Cassidy highlighted the diverse range of organizations opposing the new policy, including the American Trucking Associations, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Coalition for Workforce Innovation, the Independent Women’s Forum, the National Federation of Independent Business, TechNet, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The introduction of the CRA resolutions by Kiley and Cassidy aims to nullify the controversial Department of Labor rule and protect the livelihoods and flexibility of millions of independent contractors across the country.