Labor secretary nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer fields question during Senate confirmation hearing

Washington — Lori Chavez-DeRemer tried to distance herself from her sponsorship of the labor-friendly PRO Act during her Feb. 19 confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Nominated to lead the Department of Labor, Chavez-DeRemer, who was elected to Congress in 2022, was one of three Republican co-sponsors of the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2023.

That sponsorship may be her biggest hurdle to confirmation.

“I’m no longer the lawmaker,” the former House representative testified multiple times during the hearing.

“Like President (Donald) Trump, I believe our labor laws need to be updated and modernized to reflect today’s workforce and the business environment. As a member of Congress, the PRO Act was the bill to have those conversations – conversations that matter deeply to the people of Oregon’s 5th Congressional District,” she said in her opening statement to the Republican-led committee.

“I recognize that bill was imperfect, and I also recognize that I’m no longer representing Oregon as a lawmaker. If confirmed, my job will be to implement President Trump’s policy division and my guiding principle will be President Trump’s guiding principle: ensuring a level playing field for businesses, unions and, most importantly, the American worker.”

Elon Musk and DOGE

Chavez-DeRemer faced questions from committee Democrats about the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency’s reported access to Department of Labor data, including information on workplace safety investigations at two of Musk’s companies – and potentially his competitors. (Note: In a Feb. 17 court filing, the White House said Musk is an advisor and has “no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself.”)

“I have not been confirmed, as you all know. I have not been [informed on] what is happening with DOGE and the Department of Labor,” Chavez-DeRemer said in response to a question from Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO). “But if confirmed, that will be the first thing I do is make sure I’m briefed on it and made aware of everything that’s happening. I don’t have that answer because I don’t know what’s been happening.”

The legality of that access to DOL and other federal data has been challenged in the courts, as well as other Trump administration actions. That led, in large part, to an exchange between Chavez-DeRemer and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

“You have stated that if you are directed by the president to take an action that would break the law, you would follow the law?” Hassan asked.

“Absolutely, I will follow the law and the Constitution. I do not believe the president would ask me to break the law,” Chavez-DeRemer responded.

“I understand that as a pat response from nominees,” Hassan replied. “We’ve seen a lot of evidence that he will.”

DOL enforcement

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) asked Chavez-DeRemer about child labor violations and whether DOL’s enforcement work would continue. 

“I will do everything in my power within the Department of Labor to double down on the safety of all American workers that are exploited, but especially child labor,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

Later, she added: “One of the remits for the Department of Labor is to protect the workplace, make sure that they’re free of hazards, make sure we’re protecting the American worker. Nobody expects to go to work in the morning and be unsafe or be hurt. It will be the role to work with the experts in all of the [agencies] across the Department of Labor to make sure that we’re honoring the mission of the Department of Labor.”

Replied Hassan: “I appreciate the fact that you rightly respected the expertise of some of our federal workforce, because they know a lot about workplace safety. I don’t want them to be subject to these mass layoffs we’re seeing.”

Workplace violence in health care

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) asked Chavez-DeRemer about OSHA’s potential proposed rule on workplace violence prevention in health care and social assistance.

“Do you commit to getting this proposed rule issued by June and finalized in a timely fashion?” Baldwin asked.

Chavez-DeRemer replied: “I can commit to working with you on the issue because it is an important one. If confirmed, I will look at every rule as it moves forward.”

OSHA’s proposed rule on emergency response

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) asked about OSHA’s proposed rule on emergency response and concerns over the financial impacts on volunteer and rural fire departments.

“I will look to reexamine all rules and regulations if confirmed, once I can get in those doors and fully understand,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “Understanding what compliance looks like is a remit of the Department of Labor for all rules and regulations.

“People want to comply, but if costs would close their doors, that would not be good for any community. I promise, if confirmed, that I will take a hard look at that regulation.”