South Michigan News

On September 1, 2025, Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) released a statement in recognition of Labor Day and highlighted Republican initiatives aimed at supporting American workers.

“Today, we celebrate the contributions of American workers driving our nation’s booming economy. While these hardworking Americans deliver for this nation, President Trump and House Republicans are working for them. This includes the One Big, Beautiful Bill—historic legislation that greatly expands opportunities for workers and puts more money back in taxpayer pockets. This and other Republican efforts are paying off, as blue-collar workers are seeing the biggest wage increases in decades. I remain committed to working alongside President Trump to implement policies that allow all American workers—from the independent contractor to the rank-and-file union member to the single mom—to thrive,” Walberg said.

The statement comes as Walberg continues his tenure representing Michigan’s 5th district in Congress, a position he has held since 2011 after replacing Mark Schauer. Before his time in Congress, Walberg served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1983 to 1999. He was born in Chicago in 1951 and currently resides in Tipton.

Walberg outlined several legislative accomplishments by the Education and Workforce Committee during the current Congress:

- The One Big, Beautiful Bill expands Pell Grants for short-term credentialing and upskilling programs.

- H.R. 2262, known as the Flexibility for Workers Act, removes barriers so businesses can offer training at no cost to employees.

- H.R. 4366, or the Save Local Business Act, clarifies joint employer definitions to address confusion created by previous administration rules.

- H.R. 1319 (Modern Worker Empowerment Act) and H.R. 1320 (Modern Worker Security Act) focus on empowering independent contractors by defining employment status based on common law principles and allowing portable benefits between jobs.

- H.R. 2270 encourages employers to provide child and elder care benefits without additional regulatory costs.

- Health care options are expanded through measures like H.R. 2528 (Association Health Plans Act), which lets small businesses purchase health coverage together outside of Affordable Care Act exchanges; H.R. 2571 protects access to stop-loss insurance for small businesses.

- H.R. 3170 improves access to treatment for injured federal workers by allowing care from state-licensed medical professionals such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

- Retirement investment protections have been addressed with H.R. 2988 (Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act), requiring fiduciaries to prioritize returns over environmental or social factors.

Walberg holds a BA from Taylor University.