President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for labor secretary is one of the few Republican lawmakers to sign on to the Protecting the Right to Organize Act — otherwise known as the PRO Act — legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize, and her nomination is being applauded by some key labor unions.
Trump announced Friday his plans to nominate Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to head the Labor Department, a post that requires Senate confirmation.
“Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success – Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said in a statement.
Chavez-DeRemer is the first Republican woman and one of the first two Latinas to serve in Congress from the state of Oregon. The former Happy Valley mayor and businesswoman lost her bid to regain Oregon’s 5th District earlier this month.
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, accompanied by Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer and House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 25, 2023.
Andrew Harnik/AP
The freshman congresswoman serves on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, which started as the committee on education and labor over 150 years ago. If calls to dismantle the federal Department of Education are successful during the second Trump administration, Chavez-DeRemer could potentially oversee education programs that are redistributed to the labor department.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has introduced legislation with a multi-year roadmap to eliminate the Department of Education and earmarked the department’s responsibilities for the Departments of Interior, Treasury, Health and Human Services, State, and Labor according to the bill text.
Chairwoman Virginia Foxx released the following statement congratulating her colleague on the congressional committee.
“I look forward to seeing a Department of Labor that embraces free enterprise policies so workers and job creators can flourish. It’s time the heavy hand of the federal government got out of the way. Instead of punitive, overzealous, job-killing regulations it’s time to unleash America’s ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit.”
The selection of Chavez-DeRemer is also being applauded by some key labor unions.
The National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest professional employee organization, applauded the nomination.
“During her time in Congress, Lori Chavez-DeRemer voted against gutting the Department of Education, against school vouchers, and against cuts to education funding. She cosponsored the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, the PRO Act, and other pro-student, pro-public school, pro-worker legislation,” NEA President Becky Pringle said in a statement.
The PRO Act would expand labor protections regarding workers’ rights to form unions in the workplace. Chavez-DeRemer, who signed on to co-sponsor the bill this summer, is one of just three Republicans in the House to do so.
“This record stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s anti-worker, anti-union record, and his extreme Project 2025 agenda that would gut workplace protections, make it harder for workers to unionize, and diminish the voice of working people,” Pringle added.
She added, “Educators and working families across the nation will be watching Lori Chavez-DeRemer as she moves through the confirmation process and hope to hear a pledge from her to continue to stand up for workers and students as her record suggests, not blind loyalty to the Project 2025 agenda.”
Sean O’Brien, president of the Teamsters union, who spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, had reportedly been pushing for Trump to nominate Chavez-DeRemer to the post.
After the nomination was announced, O’Brien posted a congratulatory message on the social media platform, X.