The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee (HELP) on Thursday voted 14-9 to advance President Donald Trump’s nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Labor secretary.
Her nomination will now move on to the full Senate.
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, lost reelection in her district back in November. Her nomination had surprised business allies of Trump, who were stunned that he had recommended a Republican lawmaker with a pro-union background.
During her time on Capitol Hill, Chavez-DeRemer was one of three House Republicans who backed the Democrat-led Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, a piece of legislation that would block union-busting and make it easier for workers to unionize. The Act never reached a vote during Chavez-DeRemer’s term.
During her Feb. 19 confirmation hearing, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chairman of the Senate HELP committee, 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.”
Sen. Cassidy would ultimately vote in support of Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination, adding that she had “demonstrated her commitment” to “enact a new pro-America agenda that puts workers first.”
“If confirmed as Secretary of Labor, she committed to preserving states’ Right-to-Work laws, ensuring Americans are not forced into unionization,” Sen. Cassidy said in his remarks. “Representative Chavez-DeRemer committed to protecting independent workers and their flexibility to earn a living in the manner in which they choose. She understands the importance of the franchise model, which employs over nine million Americans and makes it easier to become a small business owner.”
Other lawmakers questioned Chavez-DeRemer’s allegiance to workers wanting to unionize or join a union. “What we need is a Secretary of Labor who is going to stand up and say we are going to take on powerful special interests. We are going to stand with the working class of this country,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT). “Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, Ms. Lori Chavez-DeRemer is not that person.”
Sen. Sanders also raised concerns over power imbalances with tech billionaire Elon Musk. While not a cabinet secretary, Musk, who is also the richest man in the world, has begun attending cabinet meetings. The attendance signals a potential inequality in power between cabinet secretaries and Musk, who media reports have described as a disciplinarian for Trump.
“Today, we are not voting on who the next Secretary of Labor is. The next Secretary of Labor, the next Secretary of Education, the next Secretary of Housing, the next Secretary of the Treasury is Elon Musk,” Sen. Sanders said. Let us understand that reality and not play along with this charade. Does anyone here really think that any Secretary of Labor, any Secretary of Education, is going to make decisions by himself or herself?
“Just yesterday, the president held a meeting with his cabinet. And who was the star of the meeting? Was it the Secretary of the Defense? Was it Secretary of State? No, it was an unelected official who happens to be the wealthiest person on Earth. It was Elon Musk,” Sen. Sanders continued.
During the hearing, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) asked Chavez-DeRemer if, as Labor Secretary, she would deny Musk from obtaining access to information about competitors or DOL violations at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Several of Musk’s companies are currently being investigated for OSHA violations.
Chavez-DeRemer said that the decision would be up to Trump to decide. “I work for the president of the United States, if confirmed, and I will serve at the pleasure of the president on this issue,” she said.
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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.
