Rep. Foxx Urges White House to Hand Over Workplace Safety Data After Biden’s Dog Attacks Staff

Commander, the dog of U.S. President Joe Biden, looks on as President Biden departs the White House on June 25, 2022. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

House Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) has called on President Joe Biden and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su to hand over information regarding workplace accidents and injuries at the White House after reports emerged that the president’s dog has attacked and bitten multiple staff members.

In her Oct. 11 letter, Ms. Foxx wrote that the “White House is responsible for setting an example when it comes to ensuring workplace safety and health for its employees” but that reports suggest it is “failing to uphold this responsibility.”

The North Carolina lawmaker appeared to be referencing multiple reports that President Biden’s 2-year-old German shepherd, Commander, has displayed aggressive behavior toward White House personnel, including biting members of the Secret Service.

According to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records obtained and released by watchdog group Judicial Watch in July, the dog has been involved in at least 10 attacks on Secret Service members from October 2022 through January 2023, some of which resulted in the agents requiring hospital treatment.

In her letter, however, Ms. Foxx said there have been at least 12 biting instances involving the president’s dog reported by the media since 2021.

She went on to question whether or not Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) standards are being met at the White House.

“I am concerned these incidents are an indicator of larger occupational safety and health failures at the White House that go unreported and unnoticed by the press,” the Republican lawmaker wrote. “Employees at the White House are subject to the same regulatory regime as executive branch agencies. … The White House should not embrace an attitude of ‘rules for thee, but not for me’ when it comes to workplace safety.”

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) speaks at a press conference following a conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on March 9, 2021. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Commander Removed From White House

“Accordingly, I am requesting the information that the White House and the Department of Labor have on file related to workplace accidents and injuries at the White House to ensure the White House is living up to its expectations of the private sector,” Ms. Foxx wrote.

Concluding her letter, the lawmaker asked the White House to hand over a number of completed OSHA forms detailing any occupational accidents and injuries along with any workplace safety complaints filed with OSHA or any office or agency within the White House since January 20, 2021.

The letter comes as President Biden’s dog is reportedly no longer at the White House following the series of biting incidents and poor behavior, despite the White House officials stating earlier this year that the dog was receiving new training and leashing protocols.

It is not yet clear what will happen to the 2-year-old German shepherd, a spokeswoman for First Lady Jill Biden told multiple publications earlier this month.

“The President and First Lady care deeply about the safety of those who work at the White House and those who protect them every day. They remain grateful for the patience and support of the U.S. Secret Service and all involved, as they continue to work through solutions,” Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for the first lady, said in a statement.

“Commander is not presently on the White House campus while next steps are evaluated,” the spokeswoman added.

It marks the second time one of President Biden’s dogs has been removed from the White House after his older dog Major—also a German shepherd—was removed previously over similar biting behavior. Major now lives with friends of the Bidens in Delaware.

Ross Muscato contributed to this report.