Reagan Asks for Labor Funds

President Reagan sent to Congress today a request for an additional $8.9 million for the Department of Labor to handle the increased workload from the new immigration law and the Federal Employees Retirement Act.

The money also was requested “to deal with the deterioration of the California occupational safety and health enforcement program following the governor’s decision not to provide state financing for it after June 30,” the White House said. Gov. George Deukmejian is “trying to save money in his state’s budget,” it was explained, and federal law requires the Labor Department to take up the slack.