Sens. Thune, Moran Introduce Bill to Block Labor Dept. & Child Labor Farm Regs.

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) are not happy with the Department of Labor. And on Wednesday, they let it be known by introducing legislation to keep the department in check.

The pair introduced what a press release calls “common sense legislation.” It’s a bill called the Preserving America’s Family Farm Act and it’s aimed at preventing the Department of Labor (DOL) from passing regulations that limit the ability of children to work on family farms and ranches.

(Related: ‘Our Values are Being Destroyed’: Beck Delivers Passionate Monologue on the New Farm Regs.)

In the press release, Thune and Moran give some background:

Last year, DOL Secretary Hilda Solis proposed rules that would restrict family farm operations by prohibiting youth under the age of 18 from being near certain age animals without adult supervision, participating in common livestock practices such as vaccinating and hoof trimming, and handling most animals more than six months old, which would severely limit participation in 4-H and FFA activities and restrict their youth farm safety classes; operating farm machinery over 20 PTO horsepower; completing tasks at elevations over six feet high; and working at stockyards and grain and feed facilities. The language of the proposed rule is so specific it would even ban youth from operating a battery powered screwdriver or a pressurized garden hose. [Emphasis added]

“The Department of Labor has proposed 85 pages of unreasonable and overreaching rules that would unnecessarily restrict the participation of young people in agriculture related activities,” said Thune. “…This is another example of the Obama administration initiating unsolicited regulations that would prohibit normal practices that have been carried out in rural areas for generations—not to mention limiting a desperately needed workforce to replace the current generation of farmers whose average age is nearing 60 years old.”

“There is no better example of the vast overreach of government into the everyday lives of Americans than the Department of Labor’s proposed rule to regulate young people working on farms and ranches,” Sen. Moran said. “… This proposal should alarm more than just rural America. If the federal government can regulate the relationship between parents and their children on their own family’s farm, there is virtually nothing off limits when it comes to government intrusion into our lives.”

Back in February, Thune delivered a passionate speech on the Senate floor, asking out loud “What were these people thinking?”:

(H/T: Gateway Pundit)

Comments (28)

  • jon.weiss
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 9:18am

    Watching the news I see that the DOL has taken upon itself the task of dictating labor rules as to what a young person may or may not do on a family farm.

    Being a man who grew up on farms and one who did farm labor for most of my teen and some of my preteen years, I have to say that I am impressed at the arrogance of a batch of brainless bureaucrats who apparently have far too much free time and apparently no real job to do.

    Each day it is becoming more apparent that Governor Perry of Texas was right, there are too many government agencies intruding into our lives and the sooner they are abolished, the better off the country will be.

    Secretary Solis, seems intent on cutting off her nose to spite her face, as it were, and before she enacts any more idiotic rules that may work in downtown L.A. but have no practical application in a plowed field, rules that may actually remove food from her plate, I suggest to her that she stick to what she knows, which is apparently “Nothing”, and leave farming to the farmers.

    It is people like Secretary Solis who by their very incompetence, give government a bad name.

    All that being said, I am also insightful enough to see the real reason for the new rules.

    If the kids are removed from the farm by government dictates it leaves the door open for Obama to push for more illegal immigrants to come to the U.S. to operate the farms.

    This is a political stunt to push an agenda, and buy votes, nothing more.

    Report Post »  
  • getourcountryback
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 1:23pm

    Why do you suppose there are so many kids out there that don’t understand the sacrifice of hard work and the value of a dollar? Because they are prohibited from being schooled in obtaining an education in the field of WORK. Children are not hot house flowers that should be precluded from any physical labor, they SHOULD contribute to their own existence. Once good old C. Chavez got them banned from the berry fields so that the “migrant” workers would have clear run at it our younger generation started to decline. Time to bring it back. Send the “migrant” workers back home and send the brats to the fields.

    Report Post »  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 1:07pm

    It is time to shut the Department of Labor down. This is a blatant communist tactic to make farming a Collective. Millions of people in communist nations have died of starvation in the past due to Collective farming. The infiltration is so deeply ingrained in our bureaucracies that I wonder if we will ever have our freedom back.

    Report Post »  
  • mike1284
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 12:25pm

    I will not comply. When everyone decides they will not comply, we can take this country back. If obama is re-elected and he does not have to worry about another election in four years, we will be lost. This country will be unrecognisable by May of next year.

    Report Post »  
    • jhrusky
      Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:46pm

      I only hope we can make it to election (if we have one).
      I agree with you and I Will Not Comply.
      I wish there was a way to get a very large majority of taxpayers to say, “I will not comply”. Hit them where it hurts and where they can no longer function.

      Report Post » jhrusky  
  • SpeckledPup
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 12:05pm

    we need an 100% AMERICAN President in charge who will immediately DEFUND and CLOSE down ALL of these communist-party “Departments”.

    ANYONE BUT that filthy commie animal obama in NOVEMBER.

    Report Post »  
  • BJC
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 12:04pm

    Values, work ethics, and responsibility are something the Democrats hate. They need our childen to learn how to become dependent on the govenment like their inner city leeches.

    Report Post »  
  • SpeckledPup
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 12:03pm

    this is that rabid animal obama’s communist plan to kill our farmers and confiscate their farms — and children.

    Report Post »  
  • SpeckledPup
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 12:01pm

    no filthy obamacommunists will ever drive up this ranch road and tell us our children canot work our ranch, and leave it alive. and we mean it. WE are AMERICANS. WE WILL NOT COMPLY.

    Report Post »  
  • Bill Rowland
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:52am

    That should have read pull boles in the afternoon

    Report Post »  
  • rkhill
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:34am

    Hard work never hurt anybody. I grew up on a small farm. As the second oldest daughter, I helped my dad and loved it! We pulled calves, cultivated, plowed, drove the combine during bean and wheat harvest, hauled grain/beans to elevator, walked bean fields pulling weeds, helped mom and grandma garden, help put up hay, and on and on. I learned to drive our littlest tractor “Harry” at age 5. I have a strong work ethic, and I attribute it to growing up and working on our family farm. Wouldn’t change it for the world. God Bless the farmers!

    Report Post »  
    • Bill Rowland
      Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:51am

      In the late 40s early 50s, the school system in Levelland, TX had a policy during the cotton harvest that allow students to attend school in the morning andd pull bikes in the afternoon. My parents allowed me to participate a couple of years in grade school.
      It was hot, hard work but it didn’t hurt me or any of the other children who participated. What it did do was convince me to get an education so that I would not have to do that for the rest of my life.

      OMG

      Report Post »  
  • Female
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:02am

    Hey, Jack and Jill no more climbing the hill to fetch a pail of water. Oh yeah, Little Boy Blue get away from that haystack and in the house to play violent murderous mind altering video games and texting one per 15 minutes. No, Johnny Appleseed, you can’t climb the apple tree you planted to get the good apples or Child protective services will come and get you. Jack, for Saint Peter’s sake (an outlaw now) you know it is illegal to buy magic beans, plant them , and then climb over 6 feet. Quick call the DOL that “Farmer in the Dell” is out there working again, with his family.

    Please people can we have a comprehensive list to share with others of the over reach of this administration!

    Report Post »  
  • mom4times
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:56am

    FYI: The bill is H.R.4157….. I am tracking it on opencongress.org I plan on sending correspondense to all my reps……need to get this bill passed….

    Report Post » mom4times  
  • youdidthis
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:53am

    for the last dam time. agenda 21. look it up.

    Report Post »  
    • mom4times
      Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:57am

      no doubt in my mind about that either and as I said earlier I WILL NOT COMPLY

      Report Post » mom4times  
  • horsefeathers99
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:42am

    In WA state 3 berry farms are being fined a total of $73,000 because children under 12 were with their parents in the field.

    It’s a small farm killer. Will social services they take away the kids too?
    FFA and 4-H? they are being rediculous.

    Report Post »  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:35am

    First they take GOD out of everything.. then thye take the land and control the farms “colectively” .. then thye control the banks and all private industry.. and it all starts with strict regulations…. a PLAN for Communism, right there!

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • bsnrn98
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:03am

    More commie control. They better hire more commie farmer watchers. I will do what I want on my 10 acres in Texas.

    Report Post »  
  • ContinentalArmy
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:43am

    I agree, good start. But the other bungling Idiots in D.C., won’t go along with it, Due to the Master Controller Obama. It‘s not just about regulating underage farmer’s, it’s about Food Control! You would have to ask the Govt. for food; what type to eat; how much food for certain #s in household, Etc., Etc.!
    Wake Up America!!!

    Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:35am

    Senator Reid will probably block this, and BRAG about it.

    Report Post » piper60  
  • COFemale
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:00am

    Thank God there are a few politicians with common sense in this government. Also, it is a shame that you have to try to pass a law to counteract a regulation that an agency decides to pass. Who allowed them to enact this regulation? I thought all regulations must be passed and not just enacted by the agency. If any agency can create legislation without voting on it, why do they have this power? ALL LAWS MUST GO THROUGH CONGRESS PERIOD.

    Report Post » COFemale  
  • mom4times
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:49am

    all I can say is that if this bill doesn’t go through……I WILL NOT COMPLY

    Report Post » mom4times  
  • watashbuddyfriend
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:24am

    Thanks Sens. Thune, and Moran, for standing up, and out of the Going Along To Get Along mode! This is a good start! Now, defund ALL of the programs which are not in line with the Constitution.

    Report Post »  
    • CLG 4
      Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:34am

      This bill won’t matter. The democrates new socialist constitution (the health bill) will justify any regulation they want to impose. This is just the start remember it is to protect thier health.

      Report Post »  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:26am

    The pair introduced what a press release calls “common sense legislation.”

    I am sorry…I could not help but spit coffee all over my screen and laugh a hearty chuckle when I read this line….COMMON SENSE from the Government? Really?

    I am still chuckling as i wipe the coffee off of Thune’s face…How about we just defund the DOL if you really want to do something useful!

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • justangry
    Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:22am

    A good start, but how about introducing a bill to defund all these worthless bureaucrats? There’s a lot of them.

    Report Post » justangry  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love