House panel probes mass firings at agencies and questions Elon Musk access to Labor Department systems

The House Education and Labor Committee spent a portion of its March 12, 2025, hearing examining a wave of recent personnel actions at federal agencies and probing whether private contractors tied to Elon Musk have been given access to sensitive Department of Labor (DOL) systems.

Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D‑Va.) told the committee that the new administration "illegally fired" inspectors general and other officials and said he had asked whether contractor access includes "files on investigations that include the name of confidential witnesses or whistleblowers," but had not received answers. Scott added that he and his staff had asked the chair to join oversight efforts to require answers about what a contractor code‑named in committee remarks as "Doge" has accessed and why. "We're now hearing about abrupt firings of public servants … this is outrageous," Scott said.

Dr. Heidi Scheerholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute, told members the firings and contractor access risks are already damaging agency capacity and public trust. "The chaos and attacks on federal workers will deeply harm the Labor Department's ability to attract and retain top talent," Scheerholz said, adding that reduced staffing and disruptions slow policy development, weaken enforcement, and "ultimately just hurts their ability to serve America's workers." She warned that confidential DOL records include medical and financial information used in benefits and claims, and files on OSHA complaints that workers submit on the promise of confidentiality.

Multiple members across the aisle and the majority likewise raised national security and continuity concerns. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D‑Ore.) described constituent anxiety about potential contractor access to personally identifying information — Social Security numbers, addresses, and case files — and asked whether the committee should seek direct answers from the contractor. Chairman Shermann Wahlberg (R‑chair) agreed to keep the hearing record open for 14 days to allow additional written material and oversight letters to be entered.

Lawmakers and witnesses emphasized the practical impacts of staffing cuts: delayed enforcement, slower inspections, and weakened oversight that can advantage employers who flout rules. Scheerholz said the federal workforce is already small — "less than 2% of all payroll employees" — and that further indiscriminate terminations will erode services the public relies on, from food safety to mine safety enforcement.

Several Democrats entered oversight letters into the record and asked unanimous consent to include additional documents the committee had already requested. Without objection, the material was added to the hearing record.

Committee members of both parties signaled they will continue oversight activity. Ranking Member Scott requested that the committee seek detailed answers about what systems the contractor accessed and whether access included files on active investigations or sensitive statistical information; he said his staff would coordinate with the chair's staff to press for responses.

Ending

Committee members flagged a short window for follow‑up: the hearing record remains open for 14 days for supplementary statements and evidence. Several lawmakers asked for specific responses from agency leadership and from the contractor about the extent of access and for documentation of removal processes when officials were dismissed. The committee indicated intent to pursue additional oversight materials and follow‑up hearings if responses remain incomplete.