The Senate on Monday evening confirmed Lori Chavez-DeRemer as U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) secretary in a 67-32 vote.
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, was nominated by President Donald Trump in November after losing reelection in her district. She was one of a few Republicans who adopted a pro-union stance in her policies, most notably backing the Democrat-led Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO), a piece of legislation that would block union-busting. The bill never reached a vote during Chavez-DeRemer’s term.
During her Feb. 19 confirmation hearing with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) commented on Chavez-DeRemer’s co-sponsorship of the bill. “There are concerns, however, about your past support for the Democrats’ cornerstone legislation, the PRO Act,” Sen. Cassidy said during the hearing. “Workers should have the freedom to decide if they wish to join a union or not. The PRO Act would eliminate this freedom, allowing workers to be coerced and intimidated into unionization.”
Even though she declined to specifically state whether she still supported the PRO Act, Chavez-DeRemer would ultimately win the support of the Senate HELP committee in a 14-9 vote.
Following her confirmation, Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), issued a statement in support of the news, adding that Chavez-DeRemer would be “a strong partner in removing burdensome federal regulations and empowering our nation’s workforce.”
“Congratulations to former member of the Committee and colleague on her new role as Secretary of Labor,” Walberg said. “Secretary Chavez-DeRemer is a small business owner and former mayor; she has firsthand knowledge about the policies that support job growth and allow workers to prosper.”
Industry groups congratulated Chavez-DeRemer following news of her confirmation. The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) issued a statement applauding “her experience and understanding of workplace issues.”
“Life insurers are leading providers of workplace benefit solutions that offer financial and retirement income security. We look forward to working with Secretary Chavez-DeRemer and her team in support of policies that help all working Americans access the tools they want and need to navigate economic uncertainty and strengthen their families’ financial future,” said David Chavern, president and CEO of ACLI, in a statement.
Wayne Chopus, president and CEO of the Insured Retirement Institute (ICI), also congratulated Chavez-DeRemer, adding that the organization looks “forward to working with her and other Trump Administration officials, Congress, and stakeholders to expand access to workplace retirement plans and facilitate access to protected, guaranteed lifetime income solutions for Americas’ workers and retirees.”
TIAA issued its congrats to Chavez-DeRemer, noting that her confirmation comes “at a critical moment brimming with the opportunity to improve retirement outcomes for American workers. “We look forward to working together with Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, along with leadership at the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), to advance policies and unleash solutions that can enable more American workers to save for and achieve a financially secure retirement, from expanding access to workplace retirement plans to improving every worker’s access to lifetime retirement income,” TIAA’s statement read.
Chavez-DeRemer will begin her term as DOL secretary at a time when more federal agencies, under Trump, are terminating employees in an effort to consolidate government programs. Last week, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced its plans to layoff roughly 7,000 workers in order to reach a 50,000-staffing target.
Lawmakers have also questioned Chavez-DeRemer’s allegiance to American workers compared to the current administration. During her confirmation meeting with the Senate HELP Committee, Chavez-DeRemer was probed over whether she would deny tech billionaire Elon Musk from accessing critical information about competitors or DOL violations.
“I work for the president of the United States, if confirmed, and I will serve at the pleasure of the president on this issue,” Chavez-DeRemer responded.
SEE ALSO:
Trump Taps Pro-Union Republican for DOL Secretary Nomination
Trump Labor Secretary Nominee Clears Senate Committee
Amanda Umpierrez is the Managing Editor of 401(k) Specialist magazine. She is a financial services reporter with over six years of experience and a passion for telling stories and reporting news. Amanda received her degree in journalism and government and politics at St. John’s University. She is originally from Queens, New York, but now resides in Denver, Colorado with her partner. In her free time, Amanda enjoys running, cooking, and watching the latest drama show.
