House Republicans want states to be free to deny unemployment benefits to people who test positive for drugs. Last week, they approved legislation that would scrap an Obama administration rule limiting exactly which recipients of unemployment benefits states can legally drug test. Cora Lewis writes:
In 2012, as part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, Congress passed a law (which was signed by then-President Obama) allowing states to drug test applicants for unemployment benefits in two instances: when unemployed workers had been fired from a job because of illegal drug use, or if they were looking for work in an industry with regular drug testing.
In August 2016, Obama’s Department of Labor finalized a rule for the latter category, defining a limited set of jobs that involve regular drug testing, such as pilots, bus drivers and jobs requiring use of a firearm. The House bill passed last week seeks to overturn that rule.
The legislation wouldn't lead to automatic testing for people seeking public assistance, but don't put it past Republicans. They're already touting it as a big money-saver for states. Here's what House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is touting on his site:
Giving states flexibility by overturning this rule has immediate economic benefits. After implementing drug testing, Utah saved more than $350,000 in the first year alone as drug users were barred from receive [sic] benefit payments from the taxpayers.
Hey, if it's good for the states, why not the federal government? Republicans are beefing up the Department of Homeland Security with some 10,000 new immigration agents and building Trump's precious border wall at a cost of some of anywhere from $21 billion to $50 billion. They gotta make cuts somewhere—so why not stick their noses into people's personal lives?