Arlen Specter: “I believe that in the bill, as it is currently drafted, there is an appropriate balance between consultation and…”

“I believe that in the bill, as it is currently drafted, there is an appropriate balance between consultation and enforcement. I agree with the Senator from Wyoming that this consultation is very important, and there are many places where consultation will work. I think there are some areas where enforcement is necessary. I saw in my line of work as district attorney of Philadelphia, under somewhat different circumstances, what enforcement does and what deterrence does and what the prospects of penalties may do. We have crafted this bill as carefully as we can. I think it has about the right mix, although I welcome the suggestions from the Senator from Wyoming and the spirited debate which we have had. As I take a look at the figures, in the period from 1995 to 1999, the enforcement funding falls $3 million this year below the 1995 level; $145 million to $142 million. By contrast, in the same period, fiscal year 1995 to fiscal year 2000, OSHA's consultation program has grown from $31.5 million to almost $41 million; an increase of about 30 percent. Even at the level that we have here, there are 7 million workplaces in the United States but only about 2,300 OSHA inspectors. Of the 12,500 most dangerous workplaces in the Nation, OSHA is able to inspect only about 3,000 a year; so 9,500 will not be inspected.”