The Senate confirmed former Oregon congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer to serve as the Trump administration’s secretary of labor.
Senators voted 67-32 Monday to approve President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the agency in charge of enforcing a wide swath of workplace protection laws, such as those governing wages, occupational safety, seasonal foreign employees, and retirement investment advisors.
Chavez-DeRemer won Senate approval despite concerns from the business community and Republicans regarding her past support of PRO Act, which would have broadly overhauled federal labor law in favor of unions and workers.
She will take over the agency as it attempts to implement Trump’s agenda to slash regulations and reduce the size of the federal workforce. Cuts have hit multiple departments at the DOL already, including the Employment and Training Administration, Office of Disability Employment Policy, Mine Safety and Health Administration, and Employee Benefits Security Administration, among others.
Biden-era DOL rules on independent contractor status, prevailing wages, overtime pay, and fiduciary responsibilities for retirement plan investment advisors will likely be the first on the chopping block once political leadership is in place at the agency.
The Department of Government Efficiency also has made moves to access data and computer systems at the agency, which has drawn a lawsuit and protests by federal employee unions.
The DOL’s second-in-command, Keith Sonderling, could follow closely behind. Sonderling was approved by a Senate committee last week.
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