A Senate committee advanced President Trump’s nominee for labor secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, to a full Senate vote, reflecting divisions over organized labor. The vote was 14-9, with Republican Rand Paul opposing her nomination. Chavez-DeRemer, a former Oregon congresswoman, faced scrutiny for her support of labor unions and the PRO Act during her confirmation hearing. Despite strong backing from the Teamsters union, she sought to distance herself from the PRO Act to win over skeptical Republicans. Senator Bernie Sanders opposed her nomination, criticizing the Trump administration’s broader agenda in his statement against her candidacy.
A Senate committee voted on Thursday to forward President Trump’s candidate for labor secretary to a full Senate vote, with some members crossing party lines — highlighting divisions within the party regarding organized labor.
The candidate, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, faced tough inquiries during her confirmation hearing last week regarding her prior support for labor unions and collective bargaining rights.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 14 to 9 in favor of the nomination. Ultimately, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to oppose it. Three Democrats — Senators Tim Kaine of Virginia, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and John Hickenlooper of Colorado — supported the nominee.
Ms. Chavez-DeRemer received strong backing from the Teamsters union, whose president, Sean O’Brien, spoke at the Republican National Convention last summer. The Teamsters filled her confirmation hearing, where Ms. Chavez-DeRemer was questioned by senators regarding her previous endorsement of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, known as the PRO Act, which aimed to enhance collective bargaining rights. She had co-sponsored the legislation.
During her hearing, she attempted to distance herself from the bill, while also expressing support for Mr. Trump’s agenda — a tactic designed to reassure nervous Republicans on the committee.
Nonetheless, Mr. Paul maintained his earlier commitment not to support her, citing his opposition to the PRO Act.
Although Ms. Chavez-DeRemer garnered some Democratic votes, she did not secure the backing of the committee’s ranking minority member, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who had previously expressed cautious optimism regarding her nomination.
In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Sanders made it clear that he was voting not just against her but against the Trump administration as well. “The next secretary of labor, the next secretary of education, the next secretary of housing, the next secretary of the Treasury is Elon Musk,” he stated. “Let us understand that reality and not play along with this charade.”