Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed as U.S. labor secretary in bipartisan Senate vote

Lori Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed as the United States labor secretary by the Senate on Monday, securing the position with a 67-32 vote. Three Republicans opposed her confirmation, while 17 Democrats supported her appointment as the 30th labor secretary, according to the Associated Press.

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A challenging time for labor policies

Chavez-DeRemer takes office at a crucial moment, as the U.S. government has been laying off federal employees amid economic challenges. Her role will involve ensuring the welfare of America’s workforce. According to the U.S. Labor Department, its mission is to “foster, promote, and develop the welfare of wage earners, job seekers, and retirees; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.”

Who is Lori Chavez-DeRemer?

Born on April 7, 1968, Chavez-DeRemer graduated from Hanford High School in California in 1986 and later attended California State University. Her political career began in 2002 on Oregon’s Happy Valley Parks Committee, where she played a key role in organizing the city’s 4th of July festival. She later served on the Happy Valley City Council and eventually became its president.

In 2010, Chavez-DeRemer made history by becoming the first female and first Latina mayor of Happy Valley. She was re-elected in 2014 and later won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022, representing Oregon’s 5th Congressional District. She also holds the distinction of being one of the first Latinas and the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Oregon.

Beyond politics, Chavez-DeRemer is a small business owner. She and her husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, founded an anesthesia management company and opened multiple medical clinics across the Pacific Northwest.

Trump’s support and Chavez-DeRemer’s vision

When nominating Chavez-DeRemer for the role in November 2024, President Donald Trump stated, “Lori has worked tirelessly with both business and labor to build America’s workforce and support the hardworking men and women of America.”

Following her confirmation, Chavez-DeRemer reaffirmed her commitment to prioritizing American workers, stating, “I will fight for good-paying jobs, safe working conditions, and secure retirement benefits to ensure the prosperity of our workforce.”