Biden renominates Julie Su for Labor Secretary

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For the second time, President Biden nominates Julie Su to the Labor Secretary.

President Joe Biden renominated Julie Su to serve as Labor secretary after her nomination was stymie by a few doubtful Democrats in the Senate last year.

Biden sent Su's nomination to the Senate on Monday. He first nominated her in February, but her nomination appeared to reach a dead end in June, with Democratic leadership failed to covince some Democratic senators despite her heading the department for most of 2023 after former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh resigned from the post.

“The daughter of immigrant small business owners, Julie Su has a storied career supporting workers’ rights, working with the business community and organized labor, and helping grow our economy. She has been a superb leader of the Department of Labor—first as a Senate-confirmed Deputy Secretary and now as Acting Secretary—helping implement workplace training programs, convening business and labor to avoid costly shutdowns, and looking out for everyday American workers," said Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA. chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. 

Su would become the first AANHPI Cabinet Secretary in the Biden-Harris Administration, Chu added joining  Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and Arati Prabhakar, Office of Science and Technology policy director.

“Whether working to strengthen apprenticeship programs or helping to negotiate agreements in industries from rails to ports to auto companies, Julie Su is advancing workers’ rights and getting the job done,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth in a statement.

As the Acting Labor Secretary, Su was involved in helping negotiate a labor deal between West Coast dockworkers, added Duckworth As Deputy Labor Secretary in 2022, Su was also keyl to negotiations between labor and freight rail companies, working to avert an economically debilitating strike. She also has worked to broaden employee training programs and crack down on wage theft.

After clearing a key Senate committtee in April, despite no Republicans on record supporting her, the Biden administration and her backers were unable to lock down the necessary 50 Democratic votes needed to confirm her. Critical senators claimed that shewas too pro-Labor and anti-business even though she received the support of hundreds of business leaders.

that she had minimal experience in negotiations between workers and management, and point to perceptions that she’s anti-business.

Ranking Member of the Committee on Education & the Workforce Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03):

“During her tenure at the Department of Labor, Acting Secretary Su has been instrumental to the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to rebuild the economy from the bottom up and the middle out," said Rep. Bobby Scott, D-VA, a Filipino American congressmember who is the ranking member of the House Committee on Education & Workforce.

“Ultimately, when workers do better, businesses do better, and so does the economy. Under the hard work of Acting Secretary Su, the Department of Labor has made significant progress to expand workplace protections and ensure workers are paid what they are owed.," said Scott.

"Further, thanks to President Biden, Acting Secretary Su, and actions taken by Democrats last Congress, unemployment rates remain near historic lows, our job market is continuing to grow, and workers are seeing higher wages. Julie Su is an impeccably qualified candidate to serve as Secretary of Labor, and she is integral to our sustained economic recovery.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the blog Views From the Edge.