President Donald Trump’s nominee for labor secretary is expected to pass a key vote before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) on Thursday after picking up Democrat support from Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s past support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act jeopardized her confirmation last week, when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he would not vote for her if she continued to support the PRO Act. Paul’s reluctance meant Chavez-DeRemer would likely need a Democrat’s vote to pass a key confirmation hurdle.
Hassan’s support, as a Democrat on the HELP Committee, all but confirms Chavez-DeRemer will pass through her committee vote.
“The Department of Labor plays an integral role in supporting workers and small businesses alike, and after hearing significant support from constituents, including members of labor unions in New Hampshire, I will support Representative Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination as Secretary of Labor,” Hassan shared in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Hassan admitted that she “may not agree on everything” with Chavez-DeRemer, but she is “qualified” to serve and earned “significant support” from New Hampshire voters.
“Though we may not agree on everything, after meeting with Representative Chavez-DeRemer and listening to her testimony during her confirmation hearing, I believe that she is qualified to serve as the next secretary of labor, and I look forward to working with her to support New Hampshire’s workers and small businesses,” Hassan added.