Former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer will appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) on Wednesday for a confirmation hearing to become the next Secretary of Labor. Chavez-DeRemer, a pro-union Republican, was selected by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Labor and is expected to face questions from committee members starting at 10 a.m.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has already voiced opposition to Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination, citing her previous support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The legislation, introduced several years ago, aims to strengthen union protections by overriding state-level Right-to-Work laws, which allow employees to opt out of paying union dues as a condition of employment. Paul has been a vocal critic of the PRO Act and has signaled that his opposition to the legislation extends to Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination.
“Her support for the PRO Act, which would not only oppose national Right-to-Work but would preempt state law on Right-to-Work, I think it’s not a good thing,” Paul told reporters. “And it’d be sort of hard for me, since it’s a big issue for me, to support her. So I won’t support her.”
As of Tuesday evening, Paul remained opposed to Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation but indicated that he might reconsider if she publicly reversed her stance on the PRO Act. “If she wanted to make a public statement saying that her support for the PRO Act was incorrect and she no longer does, then I’d think about her nomination,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., suggested that Chavez-DeRemer would need to clarify her position on union-related policies during the hearing. “[S]upport for the PRO Act is not something that most Republicans have tolerated in the past, but I think she’s attempted to address that, and my hope is that she can further clarify her position on some of those issues when she goes through the hearing process,” Thune said.
If Paul votes against Chavez-DeRemer or abstains at the committee level, her nomination could fail to receive a majority of votes or result in a tie. However, the nomination could still be reported out of the committee and scheduled for a full Senate vote without a favorable recommendation. In such a case, Chavez-DeRemer would need to secure at least 60 votes in the Senate to advance toward confirmation.
🚨 Sen. Rand Paul has announced that he will OPPOSE Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump’s pick to be Secretary of Labor.
She will need at least one Democrat to vote for her nomination in committee now. pic.twitter.com/QzbJJQzNSi
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 19, 2025
Trump announced Chavez-DeRemer as his pick for Labor Secretary following his election in November, highlighting her background in working with both business and labor groups. “Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce and support the hardworking men and women of America,” Trump said in a statement.
I had a great conversation with @SenMikeLee about implementing @realDonaldTrump’s America First agenda. Under the President’s leadership, we will usher in a new Golden Age of economic opportunity and prosperity for businesses and workers across the country! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/biw3AJVNLn
— Lori Chavez-DeRemer (@LChavezDeRemer) February 18, 2025
He emphasized her potential role in expanding job training and apprenticeship programs, increasing wages, improving working conditions, and revitalizing manufacturing jobs. “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!”
This Trump pick is contentious on both sides…
“This one is a problem…If you are endorsed by Randi Weingarten…that’s a good indicator you are a terrible pick.”
– @benshapiro on Lori Chavez-DeRemerOPPOSE Chavez-DeRemer for Labor Secretary pic.twitter.com/aewGl3I8ve
— National Right to Work Committee (@Right2Work) February 13, 2025
The confirmation hearing will determine whether Chavez-DeRemer can secure enough bipartisan support to advance her nomination. The outcome could depend on her ability to address concerns from Republican senators who oppose the PRO Act while maintaining support from labor groups that favor it.
