Trump selects Department of Labor nominee

With the selection of former congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer as his nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Labor, President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is complete.

Trump announced the choice of Chavez-DeRemer on Friday, Nov. 22.

The Republican from Oregon served in the House of Representatives the past two years but lost her bid for re-election.

“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,” Trump said in a statement.

Thank you for this opportunity, President Trump!

Working-class Americans finally have a lifeline with you in the White House.

It’s time to bring our economy to new heights and secure a prosperous future for all hardworking Americans. 🇺🇲🇺🇲 pic.twitter.com/72l2VziTKq

— Lori Chavez-DeRemer (@LChavezDeRemer) November 23, 2024

Chavez-DeRemer was one of only three Republicans in the House to serve as a co-sponsor for the PRO Act, a largely partisan bill that aimed to make it easier for workers to organize unions.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represents small-business truckers, opposes the PRO Act over concerns that it would utilize the controversial ABC Test to determine if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.

“While we believe there is much that must be done to improve working conditions and compensation in trucking, the PRO Act would create confusion for drivers and motor carriers and jeopardize small-business truckers’ ability to continue working as an independent contractor,” OOIDA told lawmakers in 2023. “We, therefore, must oppose the PRO Act.”

Although Chavez-DeRemer was a co-sponsor of the PRO Act, it seems unlikely that the Trump Administration would support the bill.

Julie Su, the current leader of the Department of Labor, failed to secure confirmation due to Republican opposition to her support for such policies as the ABC Test and, specifically, California’s Assembly Bill 5. OOIDA also opposed Su’s confirmation.

“As we’ve communicated to the White House and the U.S. Senate since her nomination was first announced, Julie Su’s record of opposition to independent truckers in California should not be rewarded with a promotion,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said.

Duffy picked to lead DOT

In addition to making his selection for the Department of Labor last week, Trump also named his nominee to lead the Department of Transportation: former congressman Sean Duffy.

Duffy, a Republican from Wisconsin, served in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019 and primarily focused on financial issues. While Duffy does not have a particularly lengthy list of transportation-related actions, he was one of 25 members of the House who supported OOIDA’s request for an exemption from the electronic logging device mandate.

“OOIDA and the 150,000 small-business truckers we represent congratulate Rep. Duffy on his nomination as Secretary of Transportation,” Spencer said. “We look forward to working with him in advancing the priorities of small-business truckers across America, including expanding truck parking, fighting freight fraud and rolling back unnecessary regulations. We encourage a swift confirmation in the Senate and look forward to working with the new administration.” LL