President Joe Biden's German Shepherd dog Commander recently bit a Secret Service agent who required medical attention. It was the 11th time the dog has bitten a guard at the White House complex or at the family home in Delaware, the BBC reported.
The dog has since been removed from the White House, but questions about the safety of White House employees remain.
Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., sent a letter to Biden and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, raising serious concerns that the White House is not following the law and providing a safe working environment for White House employees.
The letter states: "The White House has the responsibility to set an example for ensuring workplace safety and health for its employees. Unfortunately, it has recently come to our attention that it is failing to uphold this responsibility. … I write to ensure that the White House is maintaining compliance with OSHA's standards and guidance and is doing so at the same level that the federal government expects of private entities."
The letter continues: "When he recently testified before the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Douglas Parker, stated: 'At OSHA, our vision for good, safe jobs is one in which every workplace in America embraces health and safety as a core value.' However, recent reports concerning White House staff and U.S. Secret Service personnel regularly incurring dog bites indicate that occupational hazards are prevalent at the White House."
Foxx concluded: "[E]employees at the White House are subject to the same regulatory regime as executive branch agencies. … The White House should not embrace an attitude of 'rules for thee, but not for me' when it comes to workplace safety. Accordingly, I am requesting the information that the White House and the Department of Labor have on file related to workplace accidents and injuries at the White House to ensure the White House is living up to its expectations of the private sector."
The White House press secretary has previously blamed the dog attacks on the stress of living at the residence. "As you all know, the White House complex can be unique and very stressful," Karine Jean-Pierre said in July.
"It is unique and it is stressful for all of us. So you can imagine what it's like for a family pet or family pets, more broadly," she added.
Peter Malbin ✉
Peter Malbin, a Newsmax writer, covers news and politics. He has 30 years of news experience, including for the New York Times, New York Post and Newsweek.com.
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