Senate Panel Advances Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Trump’s Labor Secretary/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions voted 13-9 to advance Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination for Labor Secretary, moving her closer to confirmation under President Donald Trump. A former Oregon congresswoman, Chavez-DeRemer has faced Republican concerns over her past pro-union stance and Democratic opposition due to Trump’s broad government restructuring. Labor unions and 14 states have sued over Elon Musk’s team accessing federal labor data, raising further concerns. If confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer will oversee workplace laws, labor rights, and employer regulations, aligning her role with Trump’s pro-business policies.
Labor Secretary Confirmation Quick Looks
- Senate committee votes 13-9 to advance Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Labor Secretary.
- Chavez-DeRemer, a former GOP congresswoman, has a mixed pro-labor and pro-business record.
- Democrats protest Trump’s Cabinet picks, citing his administration’s government downsizing efforts.
- Concerns over her stance on unions, particularly the PRO Act and right-to-work laws.
- Labor unions sue Musk’s team over access to federal worker data.
- Chavez-DeRemer says she will follow Trump’s decisions on labor issues.
Deep Look: Senate Panel Advances Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s Nomination for Labor Secretary
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions voted 13-9 on Thursday to advance the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Secretary of Labor, moving the former Republican congresswoman one step closer to confirmation under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Despite her past pro-union stance, Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination has faced strong opposition from Democrats, who have vowed to resist Trump’s remaining Cabinet picks as a stand against his administration’s broad efforts to reshape the federal government.
Divided Senate Panel Pushes Nomination Forward
Chavez-DeRemer, a one-term congresswoman from Oregon, has been viewed by some as relatively pro-labor compared to other Trump appointees. However, Republican senators questioned her past support for union-friendly legislation, particularly her co-sponsorship of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.
The PRO Act, which did not pass during her time in Congress, aimed to make unionizing easier while penalizing employers for interfering with workers’ organizing efforts. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the committee’s chair, expressed concern over her support for the bill, noting that business leaders feared her policies could favor labor unions over employers.
When asked during her Feb. 19 confirmation hearing if she still supported the PRO Act, Chavez-DeRemer sidestepped the question.
“I do not believe the secretary of labor should write the laws. It would be up to Congress to write the law,” she stated.
However, she later clarified that she supports state-level “right to work” laws, which allow employees to opt out of union membership in workplaces.
Democratic Opposition and Concerns Over Worker Protections
While her past labor-friendly positions appealed to some Democrats, they questioned whether she would continue to advocate for workers under a Trump administration actively reducing the federal workforce.
The Department of Labor, with nearly 16,000 employees and a $13.9 billion budget for 2025, plays a key role in workplace safety, wage enforcement, and labor rights. If confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee policies impacting workers’ rights to organize and employers’ rights to dismiss workers.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) pressed her on whether she would block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Labor Department data. The agency holds medical and financial records of millions of American workers, including employees who have filed workplace safety complaints.
When asked if she would deny Musk’s team access to competitor data and OSHA labor violation records, Chavez-DeRemer deferred to Trump:
“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 responded.
Musk’s Controversial Role and Legal Challenges
Her nomination comes as labor unions and 14 Democratic-led states have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, challenging Musk’s team’s access to sensitive labor data.
Musk’s companies are currently under investigation by OSHA for alleged workplace safety violations, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Democratic lawmakers fear that allowing Musk’s team to access Labor Department records could give them an unfair advantage against unionized competitors and undermine worker protections.
Despite these concerns, Trump’s majority in the Senate makes her confirmation likely, barring any unexpected opposition from Republican lawmakers.
What’s Next?
With her nomination cleared by the Senate committee, Chavez-DeRemer now faces a full Senate vote. If confirmed, she will oversee a Labor Department undergoing major policy shifts, balancing her past pro-union positions with Trump’s agenda of reducing federal oversight and supporting business interests.
The upcoming vote will be closely watched by labor groups, business leaders, and lawmakers, as her leadership could shape workplace policies, union rights, and employer regulations for the remainder of Trump’s term.
