Nomination of Erika L. McEntarfer

Floor Speech

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Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I would like to say a few words on the nomination of Erika McEntarfer to be the Commissioner of Labor Statistics at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics at the Department of Labor.

President Biden nominated Ms. McEntarfer to the position on July 12, 2023, and last October, she was reported out of the HELP Committee by a unanimous vote of 21-0. Ms. McEntarfer has had a long career as an economist at the U.S. Census Bureau, currently serving as the lead economist in the labor markets section of the Center for Economic Studies. She has worked at the Census Bureau since July 2002, with the exception of July 2008 through January 2010, when she was an economist at the Treasury Department. She also did a 1-year detail assignment at the Council of Economic Advisers as a senior economist from 2022-2023.

Ms. McEntarfer has written or cowritten economic reports that cover a wide range of issues, from the effects of macroeconomics on older workers and retirements, to job displacement and job mobility. She focuses her own research on U.S. labor market and wage dynamics over the business cycle.

Ms. McEntarfer holds a B.A. from Bard College and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.

I have no doubt that her experience and dedication to public service will help her succeed as Commissioner of Labor Statistics, and I urge my colleagues to support her nomination.

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