The opening statement by Sen. William Roth, Jr., notes that the Labor Department has not in the past vigorously pursued its mandated role of monitoring union pension fund administration nor seriously investigated allegations of organized crime incursions in the area of pension funds. The opening statement by Sen. Sam Nunn advises that the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, which gives the Labor Department responsibility and authority to investigate unions, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which gives the Labor Department responsibility and authority to investigate union employee benefit and pension plans, have been interpreted by the Labor Department as mandating the Department's attention to civil remedies while deemphasizing criminal inquiry. The statement further indicates that the General Accounting Office and the American Law Division of the Library of Congress have interpreted both of the aforementioned statutes as directing the Labor Department to detect, investigate, and properly refer for prosecution evidence of criminal wrongdoings in unions and employee benefit plans. Testimony from Raymond Donovan, the current Secretary of Labor, indicates a change in Labor Department policy to one of vigorously pursuing the detection and reporting of criminal activity in union operations. Testimony is presented from other appropriate Government officials, as well as representatives from labor, notably Lane Kirkland, president of the AFL-CIO.