SoL Solis Visits LA For Close Up Of Oil Spill Activities

Washington, DC (CompNewsNetwork) - At the direction of the president, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will travel to Houma, La., on Wednesday, June 9, to receive briefings from Unified Command officials about the administration's ongoing aggressive response to the BP oil spill, and inspect efforts to ensure the health, safety and well-being of workers affected by the spill and engaged in the spill response.

Secretary Solis' actions on scene will be coordinated by National Incident Cmdr. Adm. Thad Allen, who is leading the administration-wide response and directing all interagency activities.

In the Gulf region, Secretary Solis will join Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Dr. David Michaels to meet with OSHA staff about safety efforts underway for workers during clean-up activities. She also will conduct an aerial tour of the affected area and meet with beach clean-up workers to discuss the administration's efforts to ensure their safety. 

Secretary Solis will conclude her trip in Houma on Wednesday with a tour and visit of the Terrebonne Career Solutions Center, where she will meet with Vietnamese workers who have been impacted by the oil spill. The Department of Labor has been providing resources for oil spill workers translated into Vietnamese as well as Spanish.

On Thursday, June 10, Solis will visit the Zion Travelers Cooperative Center in Phoenix, La., to assess the programs that are being offered for workers in the area. She also will meet with African-American fishermen, and tour the Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center in Gretna, La., where she will meet with representatives from shrimp and oyster associations in Louisiana. She will conclude her meetings with nonprofit organizations that have been assisting various affected workers.

In total, senior administration officials have visited the region 31 times since BP's oil rig exploded on April 20 - including trips by the president, National Incident Cmdr. Adm. Thad Allen, Interior Secretary Salazar, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Jackson, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Lubchenco and Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills.

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