Staff Reports
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley has publicly denounced Joe Biden’s Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, for claiming that blue-collar workers should not worry about a mining project being blocked since there were other jobs available. During a meeting, the two discussed the decision to halt mining in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Area watershed, which would have extracted copper and nickel. Haaland argued that the ecological resources it would protect were “valuable,” to which Hawley scoffed, interrupting her to ask why the current administration believes its “radical” climate change agenda outweighs the importance of blue-collar jobs and independence from China. Haaland responded that the country has too few people as it is hard to find individuals to fill relevant positions at her department.
‘You’re Telling Me We Have Too Many Jobs?’: Josh Hawley Rips Interior Secretary’s Rationale For Shutting Down US Mines via @DailyCaller https://t.co/ka75HtF2GA
— Chris 🇺🇸 (@Chris_1791) May 2, 2023
Hawley was outraged, claiming that the US has lost over 3 million jobs to China and that blue-collar worker jobs are on the line. The senator called out the idea that the country has enough jobs and told Haaland that shutting down mines and denying permits were both steps backward. Hawley expressed concern that there is a lack of respect for the jobs that blue-collar workers hold in America and that blue-collar workers are left to fend for themselves while the administration halts mining.
Though Haaland stated that the agency was processing permits and working hard, Hawley did not seem convinced, stating that the entire mentality surrounding blue-collar workers was degrading. Hawley expressed that there was an overall lack of care for blue-collar workers and their employment.
