Senate confirms Trump labor pick Lori Chavez-DeRemer as one more Cabinet confirmation looms
WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor in a bipartisan vote Monday, all but finalizing President Trump’s cabinet.The upper chamber voted 67-32 in favor of Trump’s nominee, with 50 Republicans and 17 Democrats in support.Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen.Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen.
Ted Budd (R-NC) joined with 29 Democrats in opposition.Sen.
John Fetterman (D-Pa.) didn’t cast a vote.The confirmation means only Trump’s pick for US ambassador to the UN, New York Republican Rep.Elise Stefanik, awaits Senate approval.Chavez-DeRemer — a 56-year-old ex-congresswoman from Oregon who was defeated by Democratic now-Rep.
Janelle Bynum in November — will now helm a department of nearly 18,000 employees with a budget of more than $15 billion.The Senate twice blocked Chavez-DeRemer’s predecessor, Julie Su, from confirmation over bipartisan objections before finally OK’ing her.Opposition to Su included detractors such as former Democrat-turned-independent West Virginia Sen.
Joe Manchin, who took issue with her cozying up to labor unions and having a very “progressive background.”“The Biden administration used its authority as a weapon against workers, threatening their ability to earn a living and provide for their families,” Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said Monday of the Su years.“With President Trump back in office, we have an opportunity to enact a pro-America agenda at the Department of Labor that puts workers first, we have an opportunity to enact a pro-America agenda at the Department of Labor that puts workers first,” added Cassidy, whose panel vetted Chavez-DeRemer.“Secretary Chavez-DeRemer is committed to this mission and ready to work with the HELP Committee to secure a better future for all workers.”Still, some Republicans had initially balked at Chavez-DeRemer’s past support for the proposed Protecting th...