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Senate HELP Committee Advances Lori Chavez De Remer Nomination to Full Senate, 13-9
Summary
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted 13–9 to favorably report the nomination of Lori Chavez De Remer to be secretary of labor after a hearing that featured partisan debate over labor policy and executive influence.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted 13–9 to favorably report the nomination of Lori Chavez De Remer to be secretary of labor, sending her nomination to the full Senate.
The vote followed opening statements that highlighted deep partisan differences over federal labor policy. “Today, tens of millions of workers, Americans, are earning starvation wages. $12.13 bucks an hour. Nobody in any part of this country can survive on $12.13 dollars an hour,” Senator Bernie Sanders said during his remarks opposing the nominee. Supporters argued Chavez De Remer would protect independent contractors and preserve state choices on right-to-work policies.
Committee members who spoke in favor emphasized Chavez De Remer’s stated commitments to preserve states’ right-to-work laws and to defend the franchise model, which witnesses and some senators said employs about 9,000,000 Americans. Opponents urged the committee to consider whether a secretary of labor will be able to act independently in the administration, with Senator Sanders requesting that an outside figure be brought before the panel so senators could hear directly from him.
After a roll call, the committee chair announced the results and said, “Ayes have it. The nominations agreed to and will be favorably reported to the Senate.” The tally announced by the chair was 13 ayes and 9 nays.
The committee did not adopt any additional conditions on the nomination during its business; the nomination will now proceed to the full Senate for consideration and a final confirmation vote.
Votes at a glance: Committee tally — Aye: 13; No: 9. (Individual roll-call entries during the committee record included senators recorded as voting Aye and No; the committee chair read the final tally as 13–9.)
Context: The hearing unfolded amid heated exchanges about the role of agency leadership under the current administration and about whether cabinet officials can act independently of influential outside figures. Senators on both sides framed the nomination around broader policy disputes over minimum wage, union organizing, and the status of independent contractors.
Procedural follow-up: The committee chair closed the session and said the committee would stand adjourned and that a follow-on committee hearing would begin immediately afterward.
