Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Labor Department, has her hearing on Wednesday in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. And she’s likely going to need Democratic help to reach the floor, which we previewed for you last month. Here’s what to watch:
Republican opposition: Chavez-DeRemer, a former one-term House Republican from Oregon, has attracted some loud GOP opposition, most notably from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
If Paul votes no in the HELP committee, Chavez-DeRemer will need Democratic votes to advance to the Senate floor.
Paul is unhappy that Chavez-DeRemer co-sponsored the PRO Act while in the House, a pro-labor piece of legislation that angered Republicans who hail from “right-to-work” states.
The Kentucky Republican reiterated on Tuesday that Chavez-DeRemer’s PRO Act support is “a deal-killer” for him. But Paul wouldn’t commit to opposing the nominee in committee, only saying to reporters he wanted to see how the hearing goes.
Chavez-DeRemer has been telling senators in her private meetings that she doesn’t want to invalidate state “right-to-work” laws.
“I would be surprised if many Republican senators voted against one of the president’s picks, when I haven’t heard anybody say that she’s not qualified,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told us.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) said Chavez-DeRemer’s pluses outweigh any negative feelings he has toward her support for the PRO Act.
How Democrats are feeling: A number of HELP Democrats told us they are inclined to support Chavez-DeRemer, who’s widely seen as one of Trump’s more moderate Cabinet picks.
“She’s obviously an interesting candidate because she supports the PRO Act,” Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) said. “At least on the surface, I see a lot of good about her.”
Hickenlooper’s favorable opinion aligns with what we heard from Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) earlier in the process.
But at least one Democrat — Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) — is opposing Chavez-DeRemer to make a broader point about his opposition to Trump’s stunning overhaul of the federal government. Markey said his decision to vote no has nothing to do with Chavez-DeRemer’s qualifications.
What she’ll say: In excerpts of her opening statement that we obtained, Chavez-DeRemer pledges to “implement President Trump’s policy vision” of “ensuring a level playing field for businesses, unions, and most importantly, the American worker.”
The labor secretary nominee will also nod to the fact that Trump made big gains among Teamsters, Black and Latino voters in 2024.
“They are calling for action, progress, and leadership that puts the American worker first,” Chavez-DeRemer will say.
