DeLauro Calls on Senate to Reject Puzder as Secretary of Labor

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today joined House Democrats and labor leaders in calling on the U.S. Senate to reject Andrew Puzder, President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Department of Labor.

Here are the remarks, as delivered:

I can't tell you how honored I am to be here; I am proud to stand here today. Mark Pocan, let me say a thank you to you, to all my Democratic colleagues who stand tall on these issues where it concerns working men and women every single day. This is about sending a strong message to the Trump Administration, and yes, to the United States Senate and that message is that Andy Puzder is unfit to serve as Secretary of Labor and he should not be confirmed.

His record has been mentioned, extensive fighting against paying workers their hard earned overtime, opposing expansion of the Affordable Care Act, allegedly failing to pay some of his workers, engaging in marketing tactics that degrade women. In fact, when the Obama Labor Department reviewed thousands of complaints involving fast-food workers, it found labor law violations in 60 percent of the investigations of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's. In most cases, it was about the failure to pay the minimum wage or time and a half for overtime. With Mr. Puzder, the fox is in the henhouse. His nomination represents the greatest assault on workers that we have seen in a generation and I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to vote against his confirmation.

The Department of Labor has a long history as a defender of worker's rights, ensuring that every American who works hard and plays by the rules can enjoy dignified work and economic opportunity. People work hard at their jobs; they identify themselves with their jobs. What we are doing is trying to do is fight against wage theft, that's what the Department of Labor does. It shields employees from workplace hazards and discrimination. The Department of Labor is a lifeline for millions of Americans.

And yet The New York Times Editorial Board said, "For Mr. Puzder, being pro-business seems to mean being anti-worker." He has spoken in favor of automation, saying, "[Robots] are always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there's never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case." This is not the man that we want defending the workers of this nation. President Trump should look to strengthen workplace protections. Instead, he has nominated a man who has said, "I like our ads. I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it's very American."

This is the man who the President wants to lead the Department of Labor, in a building named that is named for an icon, and that is Frances Perkins. Frankly, Mr. Puzder is an insult to her legacy. She served our country longer than any other Labor Secretary. She was a pioneer for workers' rights--she said she came to Washington to work for "God, FDR, and the millions of forgotten, plain common working men." I wish she had said women at the time as well, but she didn't.

Those working people--the same ones the President promised to serve at his inaugural address--depend on the Department of Labor. The American worker would be betrayed by Mr. Puzder--the Senate should not confirm him. And I thank you. It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, someone who every single day works as hard as she can to defend the working men and women of this country, and that's our colleague Jan Schakowsky from Illinois.

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