Policy Week in Review – June 18, 2026

DOL Goes After Unemployment Insurance Fraud, Putting Governors on Notice 

Pursuant to a news release, the Department of Labor advises that Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling issued letters to all governors and U.S. territories announcing the Department’s intent, in partnership with the Office of the Inspector General, to end alleged fraud, mismanagement, and corruption within the unemployment insurance program, noting the use of all enforcement tools to ensure compliance and protection of taxpayer money. The release specifically cites California, New York, and Illinois as the “most glaring examples” of mismanagement and improper payments. 

NLRB Nominees Set to Advance in the Senate 

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) is scheduled to hold an executive markup session on June 24 at 9:45AM to vote on advancing the nominations of James Macy, the Republican nominee currently serving at the Department of Labor, and David Prouty, the sole Democrat on the Board whose terms expires in August, to serve at members of the National Labor Relations Board. If voted out of committee, the nominees will move to the full Senate floor for a confirmation vote. The confirmation of Mr. Macy would not only ensure the Board has an operating quorum but also would shift the Board to a three-member Republican majority, allowing for adherence to its tradition of three votes in the affirmative to overturn precedent.

Teamsters Re-Elect Sean O’Brien as General President

On Tuesday, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters re-elected Sean O’Brien as its general president for another five-year term, as well as Fred Zuckerman as general secretary-treasurer. 

Following O’Brien’s re-election, on Wednesday the Teamsters and the U.S. Department of Justice moved jointly to ask a federal judge to eliminate oversight of the union that has been in place for nearly 40 years. The Teamsters claim to have “built a new system of rigorous checks and balances” to prevent corruption and enhance its internal disciplinary systems that justifies ending the monitorship. The move to remove federal oversight must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Teamsters and the Justice Department entered into the agreement in 1989 to “eliminate organized crime influence within the union.” More broadly, it reflects the effort we’ve seen from the Trump administration going back to the 2024 presidential election, in which the administration appears to seek closer ties with organized labor, particularly the Teamsters.

House Subcommittee Announces Hearing on Apprenticeships

The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, chaired by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), will hold a hearing titled “Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy” on Wednesday, June 24 at 10:15AM. The hearing will be live-streamed here.