A Senate committee voted Thursday to advance the nomination of President Donald Trump's choice to head the Department of Labor. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions voted 13-9 to recommend Lori Chavez-DeRemer's confirmation by the full Senate.
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, is seen as relatively pro-labor. However, some Democratic senators have expressed opposition to all of Trump's remaining Cabinet picks in response to the administration's efforts to reshape the U.S. government.
During her confirmation hearing, Chavez-DeRemer faced questions from Republican senators about her past support for pro-union legislation, particularly the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. She did not give a clear answer on whether she still supported the legislation, emphasizing that it is Congress's role to write laws.
If confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee the Department of Labor's nearly 16,000 full-time employees and a proposed budget of $13.9 billion in fiscal year 2025. Her responsibilities would include setting priorities related to wages, workplace health and safety, and employees' rights to organize.
Concerns have been raised about Chavez-DeRemer's stance on labor issues, given the administration's efforts to reduce the federal workforce. A group of labor unions and 14 Democratic states have filed lawsuits to prevent Elon Musk's team from accessing Labor Department data systems, which contain sensitive information about millions of Americans.
During the confirmation hearing, Democrats sought clarity on Chavez-DeRemer's position regarding Musk's access to information about competitors or labor violations at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Chavez-DeRemer indicated that such decisions would be made by the president.
