President-elect Donald Trump said he will nominate Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Labor secretary.
“Together, we will achieve historic cooperation between Business and Labor that will restore the American Dream for Working Families,” Trump said in a statement. “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!”
Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., is a first-term lawmaker who lost her reelection bid to Democrat Janelle Bynum, currently a state representative. Chavez-DeRemer was the first Republican since 1997 to represent the 5th District, which includes part of Portland, the eastern Willamette Valley and encompasses Bend. She conceded a close race to Bynum on Nov. 14.
She garnered support from labor unions during the campaign, including the United Food and Commercial Workers and Teamsters Local 37, according to a story Tuesday in Willamette Week.
“Perhaps most importantly to a president who prizes loyalty, Chavez-DeRemer imperiled her own reelection chances by endorsing Trump — a bold move in the 5th Congressional District, where Democrats hold a 5-point voter registration advantage,” the paper reported.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien told House Republican leaders in a Tuesday meeting that Chavez-DeRemer “would be an excellent choice for Labor Secretary,” Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz wrote in an email.
The Teamsters are backing Chavez-DeRemer in part because she is a co-sponsor of a bill that would facilitate the formation of labor unions. She was one of three Republicans to sign on to the legislation.
“She has been a strong advocate for workers and co-sponsored the PRO Act,” Deniz said. “While there is never a guarantee any candidate for the position will agree with us on every topic, she is forthright and she will listen.”
Chavez-DeRemer’s Capitol Hill experience most directly related to the Labor Department is her service on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. She is a member of the subcommittees on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions; and Higher Education and Workforce Development.
She sponsored several pieces of labor legislation, including a bill that would amend a workforce development law to strengthen technical assistance and support for communities impacted by substance abuse.
A member of the House Agriculture Committee, Chavez-DeRemer also sponsored a bill that would establish an Agriculture Department program for forestry workforce development.
Chavez-DeRemer stressed her independence in her Democratic-leaning district.
“We can’t be one sided – in this divided country, and in this divided Congress, the only way to get good policy done is to work across the aisle,” Chavez-DeRemer said in a June 3 Instagram post.
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