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A group of Republican lawmakers led by Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) on Tuesday sent a letter to Labor Secretary Marty Walsh showing strong support for the rights of independent contractors.

The letter was sent in response to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed changes to its independent contractor rule which determines whether certain workers can be classified as independent contractors or must be classified as employees. The Biden administration’s newly proposed rule would make it more difficult for workers to freely identify as independent contractors, potentially restricting the flexibility and self-determination of millions of American workers.

“We oppose this proposed rule as it is unclear, overly restrictive, and unsuitable for workers who are seeking flexibility as they pursue opportunities as independent contractors,” write the lawmakers in the letter.

The letter notes that the proposed rule is deeply unpopular among independent contractors themselves, 79 percent of whom say they would prefer to keep their current work arrangement compared to fewer to one in ten who would prefer to become employees. Further, the broad interpretations included within the proposed rule, such as allowing “theoretical control” to count toward employment determinations, would have a “chilling effect” on the ability for Americans to work for themselves, according to the letter.

Also signing the letter were Sens. Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Boozman (R-Ark.), Cassidy (R-La.), Cramer (R-N.D.), Ernst (R-Iowa), Fischer (R-Neb.), Graham (R-S.C.), Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Hoeven (R-N.D.), Inhofe (R-Okla.), Johnson (R-Wis.), Lankford (R-Okla.), Lee (R-Utah), Lummis (R-Wyo.), Marshall (R-Kan.), Romney (R-Utah), Rounds (R-S.D.), R. Scott (R-Fla.), T. Scott (R-S.C.), Shelby (R-Ala.), Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Young (R-Ind.), and Reps. Allen (R-Ga.), Banks (R-Ind.), Comer (R-Ky.), Fitzgerald (R-Wis.), Fulcher (R-Idaho), Good (R-Va.), Grothman (R-Wis.), Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Keller (R-Pa.), McClain (R-Mich.), Miller (R-Ill.), Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Owens (R-Utah), Sessions (R-Texas), Spartz (R-Ind.), Steel (R-Calif.), Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Thompson (R-Pa.), Walberg (R-Mich.), and Wilson (R-S.C.).

Americans for Tax Reform submitted its own comments to the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor on Tuesday, concurring with many of the arguments expressed in the letter by Republican lawmakers.

“With the vast majority of current independent contractors making clear that they would prefer to remain as independent contractors, the DOL should reject the proposed rule changes which would jeopardize the ability of countless workers to continue working for themselves,” recommended ATR in the submission.

Read the full letter by the Republican lawmakers here and read ATR’s full comments to the DOL here.