Senate Confirms Trump Cabinet Nominee

The U.S. Senate voted Monday to confirm former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) as U.S. labor secretary.

Chavez-DeRemer secured the nomination in a 67-32 vote.

17 Democrats voted to confirm the former Oregon representative, The Hill noted. 

 The Hill reports:

Many Republicans see Chavez-DeRemer as a breath of fresh air after years of what they viewed as stifling regulations by the department under the Biden administration. Those include a rule going after independent contractors and Labor’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.

“We need the Labor Department to do better than what we saw from the Biden administration,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said on the floor last week. “Over the last four years, the Labor Department pushed out many mandates that were the very opposite of pro-worker.”

“President Trump has shown his commitment to the working people of this country. Making life better for working Americans was a priority in his first administration – and it will be a priority in his second,” he said. “It’s a welcome change in direction from the last four years.”

Chavez-DeRemer will head a department that has roughly 16,000 full-time employees and potentially a $13.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2025.

“I’m deeply honored to be confirmed as the 30th @USDOL Secretary under President @realDonaldTrump. As promised, I’ll work tirelessly to put American Workers First by fighting for good-paying jobs, safe working conditions, and secure retirement benefits,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

From the Associated Press:

Several prominent labor unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, endorsed Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination. The former Republican congresswoman from Oregon is the daughter of a Teamster, and during her one term in the House earned a reputation as pro-labor.

The Senate voted to confirm Chavez-DeRemer 67-32, with 17 Democrats voting yes and three Republicans voting no.

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The Senate has now confirmed all but one of Trump’s picks for his Cabinet. Its Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions had voted 14-9 in favor of her nomination last week, with all Republicans except Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky giving Chavez-DeRemer their support. Three Democrats on the committee — Sens. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire — voted with the majority.