Senator Lankford Votes to Overturn Obama Administration Labor Drug Testing Regulation

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today voted for and applauded Senate passage of H.J.Res.42, a Congressional Review Act to overturn an unemployment drug testing regulation issued by the Department of Labor on August 1, 2016. This rule, promulgated from the bipartisan Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, was reinterpreted by the Obama administration to limit states’ congressionally intended discretion in implementing their unemployment compensation and unemployment insurance programs. This resolution passed the House in February. 

“This regulation is another example of how the Obama administration overreached its authority and reinterpreted a law to fulfill its own ideology, rather than the will of Congress,” said Lankford. “Congress’ intent for the Job Creation Act bill in 2012 was to provide states the ability to determine how to best implement unemployment insurance programs for their people. Instead, the Department of Labor reinterpreted the law to restrict states and who and when they can perform drug testing for unemployment services. Instead of bureaucrats in Washington, DC, states should have more flexibility to help the unemployed, because state governments are closer to their residents and know their communities best.”

A Congressional Review Act is a form of legislation that allows Congress to review a major regulation before it goes into effect and reverse it within 60 days. Congress currently has until May to pass the legislation and send it to the president’s desk to overturn the regulation. 

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