Washington Several Senate Republicans are opposed to President Donald Trump’s choice of former Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer as labor secretary, pointing to her prior pro-union views that are at odds with those of the business community.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a senior member of the committee that would supervise her nomination, told NBC News on Monday that he would not back her. I am the principal author of the right-to-work bill and its national spokesperson. I don’t think it’s a good thing that she supports the PRO Act, which would not only conflict with the national right to work but also supersede state laws pertaining to that right.
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And supporting her would be difficult for me because it’s a major concern of mine. He said, “So I won’t support her.” Paul continued by saying, “I think she’ll lose 15 Republicans,” but he also predicted that she would gain several Democrats due to her strong pro-labor stance.
A hearing on Chavez-DeRemer, who served one term in a swing district in Oregon before losing reelection to a Democrat last October, has not yet been scheduled by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Paul responded, “You’re welcome to tell them,” when asked if he had discussed his objections with the White House.
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Chavez-DeRemer, an unconventional GOP choice who backed the PRO Act, which would strengthen labor protections for workers to collectively bargain and broaden the definition of what constitutes an unfair labor practice, faces difficulties as a result of the glaring opposition from a Republican senator who is otherwise in line with Trump. Labor organizations that have historically been Democratic, such as the AFL-CIO, have also given her cautious appreciation.
The business lobby, which has long maintained a close alliance with Republicans, has expressed serious mistrust toward Chavez-DeRemer for the same reasons.
According to an experienced business lobbyist, “the biggest thing that worries me going into a new Trump administration is the dramatic shift on labor unions, which are traditionally a large Democratic fundraising base.” There is no reason to think that the labor secretary nominee won’t put people and policies in place to pass new employment rules that restrict employers’ rights, given she has already supported legislation that violates those rights.
“I hope I’m not mistaken, but it looks like we’re in for a challenging four years for both public and private sector workers,” the individual continued.
A request for comment for this story was not answered by a Trump representative.
Democratic support is questionable, at least for the time being. The leading Democrat on the committee and a labor movement hero, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, refused to comment on her Monday.
The hearings follow a procedure. Sanders stated, “We’ll ask our questions and see what she has to say.” Sanders responded, “I’m open-minded about everybody,” when asked if he was receptive to her nomination.
There are other doubting Republicans besides Paul. According to his estimate, Chavez-DeRemer would require a sizable Democratic majority in order to be confirmed in the chamber, where the GOP now holds a 53-47 majority.
When questioned about the Chavez-DeRemer nomination, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., stated, “It’s concerning.”
Johnson stated that he has specific questions for Chavez-DeRemer on the PRO Act.
Why would she be in favor of that? When asked what he would like to discuss with Chavez-DeRemer, Johnson responded.
Another seasoned Republican who has previously advocated on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce voiced concerns and said he didn’t understand Trump’s choice of Chavez-DeRemer.
Yes, the individual said, that was unexpected. Most of Trump’s nominees, in my opinion, could be defended, but this one took everyone by surprise.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, would not comment on whether she is a suitable choice.
Since I don’t know her, I’m not sure. Hoeven remarked, “I haven’t met her.” She is not a conventional choice for the Republican presidential nomination.
“I am a proponent of the right to work,” the senator continued. There are, after all, certain basic principles. It’s okay for people who wish to unionize and engage in collective bargaining. As long as it’s open, equitable, and all that, you’re free to do that. However, I also fully believe in the right to work. It is impossible to force you to join a union or something like. Thus, those are some of the topics we need to discuss.
In the previous Congress, thirty-one Republican senators cosponsored Paul’s National Right-To-Work Act. It would repeal sections of the Railway Labor Act and the National Labor Relations Act that permit agreements between unions and companies requiring workers to be union members at the time of hire.
Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, stated that Trump has the right to his Cabinet unless there are exceptional circumstances, but he also acknowledged that Chavez-DeRemer is a legitimate non-traditional nomination.
For instance, organized labor’s aversion to trade agreements has been one of the main issues we’ve faced, according to Cornyn. I would thus like to investigate that.
Some Republicans have yet to comment.
The head of the influential Finance Committee, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, stated that he has not spoken with Chavez-DeRemer and has not thoroughly investigated the nominee.
Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, who chairs the Senate HELP Committee, stated that he was unsure of the date of Chavez-DeRemer’s hearing.
He claimed that we did meet and that the interview was great, with the nominee providing appropriate answers to all of the questions. However, he refrained from declaring that he was prepared to cast his ballot for her at this time.
When asked about GOP concerns about her union-aligned positions, Cassidy said, She s very committed to representing the president s viewpoint on such issues. Therefore, I believe she will be there.
Trump’s labor choice, according to Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is in line with his pledge to be a different kind of president.
According to him, the president is causing a stir in Washington. I believe that stopping business as normal was one of his orders from the most recent election.
Business lobbyists who typically wield significant influence over Republican presidential administrations have also voiced their displeasure with the Chavez-DeRemer selection and acknowledged that their power is waning in the wake of the Trump administration’s growing reliance on right-wing populist support.
The corporate community is viewed as an opponent rather than a friend by that new constituency, which Trump has catered to throughout his first week in office.
However, it is acknowledged that the once-dominant business lobby’s clout with the White House is fading. While organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce used to have a lot of clout, Trump’s campaign was centered on populist messaging backed by conservative right-wing influencers who not only disagreed with the Republican establishment but also actively opposed its influence in the MAGA movement.
In a move that would have been unprecedented for a Republican presidential candidate in the past, Trump did attempt to win over at least some organized labor groups during his 2024 campaign.
The most striking example was the invitation he extended to Sean O Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, to speak at the Republican National Convention in July.
The Teamsters are doing something correct if the extremes in both parties think I shouldn t be on this stage, O Brien said, calling Trump a tough S.O.B.
Additionally, an unusual $45,000 donation to Trump’s campaign was approved by the Teamsters leadership.
Despite not officially endorsing Trump at the convention, O’Brien’s presence was an indication that Trump was attempting to challenge the political convention that expects organized labor to back Democrats. It was also a sign that traditional business interests may have less influence with the new version of the Republican Party Trump has ushered in.
There are conversations that we are trying to have, but there is no clear indication anything is getting through, the former Chamber of Commerce lobbyist noted.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who is less critical of unions than other conservatives, said he likes the Chavez-DeRemer nomination and is looking forward to her hearing.
My message is: come on, guys. Let s think about who voted for this president and got him in office. It s a lot of those union voters, Hawley said. We need to do something for them. I think if we want to really be a working person s party, we re gonna have to do something for working people.
That doesn t mean you have to love everything in the PRO Act, he added. I have concerns about that package. Fine. But I think reflexively, Oh my gosh, she s kind of close to labor! Danger, danger! I think we ve got to get over that. But you re talking to a guy who walked the picket line.