Washington D.C. – Ranking Member Adam Smith release the following statement in response to the Labor Departments announcement regarding the WARN Act:

“Today, the Labor Department announced that it would be inappropriate to apply the WARN Act notices to sequestration. This is an important and correct interpretation of the law. There is no reason to needlessly alarm hundreds of thousands of workers when there is no way to know what will happen with sequestration.   

“While I did not vote for sequestration, I am fully committed to ensuring that it does not become the law of the land. There is way too much at stake. The impact on our national security, on our economy and on a wide range of other important federal programs would be too great. If we work together, and allow reason to prevail, the solution to this problem is simple: put realistic revenue options on the table and find the $1.2 trillion in savings mandated by the Budget Control Act.  I stand ready to work with each of my colleagues in reaching a timely and sensible compromise.”