Hilda Solis Confirmed As Labor Secretary By Senate

One of the final members of President Obama's Cabinet, his nominee for Labor Secretary, was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 80 to 17.

Hilda Solis will take over the reins of the Labor Department at a time of great challenges and optimism within the labor community. Her nomination represents a major victory for labor unions, which had hailed her candidacy as a boon for their legislative priorities -- specifically the Employee Free Choice Act. It also represents a win for the Obama administration, which had watched as Republicans in the Senate held up the nomination over opposition to Solis' position on EFCA and revelations that her husband had not paid taxes on a business he owned some time ago.

Democrats in the Senate have hinted that any consideration of EFCA would wait until Solis was at Labor and Al Franken was officially seated in Congress. One component of that equation came into place this afternoon, and union officials are elated.

"The confirmation of Rep. Hilda Solis is a huge victory: finally Americans will have a Secretary of Labor who represents working people, not wealthy CEOs," read a statement from AFL-CIO president John Sweeney. "It is also a historic moment as Rep. Solis becomes the first Hispanic Secretary of Labor."

And here is the statement from SEIU header Andy Stern: "Working men and women now have a Department of Labor they can count on to stand up and fight for them because Secretary Solis personally understands the challenges workers face in a global economy. For Secretary Solis this is not just another job, but the culmination of a lifetime of action serving as a voice for people who work."

Comments

[bobbysevensevenseven]

It will be great to actually have a Pro-Labor Secretary at DOL for a change! . Let me add my hope that Ms. Solis looks within the DOL, specifically the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, as a place where major clean-up needs to take place. I was employed there 8 years - 4 under the Bush Administration with Secretary Elaine Chao, and witnessed this program for injured Federal Employees go from bad to worse. The guidelines of being impartial and non-adversarial went out the window, as more quotas and numeric "standards" were put in place, creating conflicts of interest. An Examiner's evaluations, chance for promotion, and piece of the bonus pie depended on how well s/he played the "numbers game". So much energy was focused on reducing the rolls, and for Examiners already overburdened with huge caseloads, the pressure was great to take shortcuts. I saw this happen often, and tried my best to not work that way, but ran into conflicts with Management when I spoke out against adversarial adjudication practices. This was quite a stressful situation, when my own Supervisor would parrot "Deny now, they have their appeal rights." I believe Ms. Solis needs to clean up OWCP, from DC, down to the District and Regional levels, including all Supervisors who enforced and/or encouraged adversarial adjudication procedures. Our Federal Employees deserve better. I realize the Secretary wil have her hands full with many issues, but truly hope genuine reform finally comes to OWCP.

[minimalist syntax]

Excellent news!

[iswideopen]

Congratulations, Hilda!!!!!!!!!!!

[DoTheMath]

Yes! I got the news just before the speech when she walked in and Jim Lehrer referred to her as Secretary Solís. What a night! Things are looking up.

[devans00]

Congrats Hilda Solis! Represent California well.

[Cinnamonape]

Found the list of the obstructionist members of the Rethuglican party that voted against her nomination:

NAYs ---17
Bond (R-MO), Bunning (R-KY), Burr (R-NC), Coburn (R-OK), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Ensign (R-NV), Inhofe (R-OK), Kyl (R-AZ), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL), Thune (R-SD), Vitter (R-LA), Wicker (R-MS)

I realize that labor is weak in many of these States, but I surprised these guys are under such corporate thrall that they opposed her. I hope that this comes back to bite Cornyn, Ensign, and Kyl where Hispanic and labor votes are growing stronger.

[ForObamaInDallas]

f@ck Cornyn. >:|

[Yermammy]

That is one ugly little emoticon you got there... (it must be a rethug emoticon)

[JohnBryansFontaine]

I am delighted that Ms. Solis finally got the overwhelming support of the Senate. Now she can help pass the Employee Free Choice Act.

Here is where readers can get a EFCA Bumper Sticker:

https://unionshop.aflcio.org/stickers_c42.cfm

[Cinnamonape]

Who were the anti-working class jerks that voted against her? Or were they simply racist jerks?

[Natamic]

After two long months of hold by these frigging Repugs!!
About time!

[shirleyfeeney]

Congrats to my former Rep!

[teacheng]

Viva Solis!

[festry548]

Congratulations, Secretary Solis! UNION SÍ!

[Three Four Five]

Franken's Files Amended Absentee Ballot List, May gain as many as 78 votes IF all are counted:

http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=227&ArticleName=Franken%27s+Amended+List

[bmsrosmuc]

bout time

[numbnuts]

Forgive me for my exuberance.
This is FFFFnng great.
Finally someone who cares about the working American People.
Our Pres! did good!