Washington, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), CPC Labor Liaison Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), and CPC Vice Chair Mark Takano (D-CA) reacted to a Bloomberg BNA report—which revealed that senior Department of Labor officials concealed internal economic analysis that showed the agency’s recently proposed tip-pooling rule would deprive workers billions of dollars in tips.

“We’ve learned today that top officials at President Trump’s Department of Labor carried out a deliberate effort to tamper with, scrub, and ultimately shield the public from their agency’s own analysis showing that employees could be denied billions of dollars in tips from their proposed rule. The Department of Labor had the audacity to hold a public comment period while intentionally depriving the American people of this critical information.

“We demand answers from the Department of Labor on how and why agency leaders hid key information from millions of service industry restaurant workers who have a right to know that billions of dollars of their tips would be pocketed by their employers under this proposal.

“This outrageous misconduct is part of a broader strategy to sell out the wealth and wellbeing of working families to benefit the Trump Administration’s powerful allies. This move sets a dangerous precedent and shows unequivocally that the Trump administration can’t be trusted. We call on the Department of Labor to immediately rescind this damaging regulation and start working for the benefit of America’s workers.”  

 

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The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is the largest caucus within the House Democratic Caucus, with over 70 members standing up for progressive ideals in Washington and throughout the country. Since 1991, the CPC has advocated for progressive policies that prioritize working Americans over corporate interests, fight economic and social inequality, and promote civil liberties. The CPC champions progressive policy solutions like comprehensive immigration reform, a $15 national minimum wage, fair trade, gun violence reform, debt-free college, and making the federal government a Model Employer.

 

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