Senate Advances Trump's Labor Nominee Amid Controversy

The Senate Committee on Health Education Labor, and Pensions has voted 13-9 to advance Lori Chavez-DeRemer's nomination to lead the Department of Labor. President Trump nominated the former Republican congresswoman from Oregon for the role. During her February 19 confirmation hearing, Chavez-DeRemer faced questions from Republican senators about her support for pro-union legislation, specifically the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the committee chair, voiced concerns about this support.

Some Democratic senators oppose Trump's nomination choices as a protest against his efforts to reshape the government. During the hearing, Chavez-DeRemer was asked by Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy if she would grant Elon Musk access to labor data, to which she deferred to the president's decision.

If confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer will oversee a Department of Labor with nearly 16,000 employees and a proposed budget of $13.9 billion for fiscal year 2025. Her responsibilities would include setting priorities related to wages, workplace safety, and union rights. "I do not believe the secretary of labor should write the laws," Chavez-DeRemer said. "It would be up to Congress to write the law." She also mentioned she serves "at the pleasure of the president." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)