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The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) to lead the Department of Labor, securing another key nomination for President Trump’s second administration. The 67-32 vote saw 17 Democrats joining most Republicans in backing her nomination, while notable GOP figures, including Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Ted Budd (R-N.C.), opposed her confirmation. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was absent for the vote.
Chavez-DeRemer, who previously served a single term in the House before losing reelection last November, will now oversee a department with roughly 16,000 employees and a proposed budget of $13.9 billion for fiscal year 2025. She becomes the 21st Trump nominee to clear the Senate as the administration continues assembling its leadership team.
A Shift in Direction at the Department of Labor
Her confirmation marks a notable shift in leadership at the Labor Department, which Republicans argue had become overly regulatory under the Biden administration. GOP lawmakers have criticized Biden-era policies such as restrictions on independent contractors and the department’s handling of workplace regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We need the Labor Department to do better than what we saw from the Biden administration,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said ahead of the vote. “Over the last four years, the Labor Department pushed out many mandates that were the very opposite of pro-worker.”
Thune emphasized that Chavez-DeRemer’s appointment signals Trump’s continued commitment to reducing regulations and promoting job growth. “President Trump has shown his commitment to the working people of this country,” he added. “Making life better for working Americans was a priority in his first administration – and it will be a priority in his second.”
Pushback from the Right Over Union Support
Despite broad Republican support, Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation was not without opposition from within her own party. Some conservative senators, including McConnell, objected to her past support for the PRO Act, a Democratic-backed bill aimed at strengthening unions' ability to organize. During her time in the House, Chavez-DeRemer co-sponsored the legislation, which was widely opposed by business groups and Republican lawmakers.
“The American people demand and deserve change after four years of economic heartache under the ‘most pro-union administration in American history,’” McConnell said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s record pushing policies that force hardworking Americans into union membership suggests more of the same.”
McConnell further argued that right-to-work laws—which prevent mandatory union membership—should be prioritized to empower workers. “Most Americans believe joining a union should be a personal choice – not a mandate – which is why more than half the states, including Kentucky, have adopted right-to-work laws,” he said.
At the committee level, Chavez-DeRemer benefited from support by a trio of Senate Democrats on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) panel, helping her overcome opposition from Sen. Paul, a vocal critic of federal labor regulations.
Concerns Over Influence on the Labor Department
While Chavez-DeRemer secured Democratic votes, some senators expressed concerns over the potential influence of corporate leaders, particularly Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, in shaping Labor Department policies. During her confirmation hearing, she assured lawmakers that she would operate at the “pleasure” of Trump’s directives.
Her appointment comes at a time when the Trump administration is ramping up efforts to roll back labor regulations, a move that has been welcomed by business groups but met with resistance from unions and progressive lawmakers.
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