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Floor Speech

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Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, this week, the HELP Committee--the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee--will be holding a vote on the renomination of Julie Su for Secretary of Labor. At the direction of the chair, this committee vote is taking place behind closed doors, without a public hearing, and with no opportunity to hear from Ms. Su directly.

It is important to note that the committee is voting on Ms. Su's nomination for the second time. Her first nomination failed and was returned to the White House after the majority leader declined to give her a vote on the Senate floor when it was clear that based upon bipartisan opposition, she would not be confirmed.

During Ms. Su's first nomination hearing for the Secretary of Labor last April, the committee addressed a variety of concerns with her past record in California and her tenure at the Department of Labor.

Since then, concerns over her leadership at the Department of Labor have grown, and they warrant further review by the committee.

Earlier this month, I sent a formal request to the HELP Committee chair to hold a public hearing on Ms. Su's second nomination so members of the committee can discuss concerns directly with Ms. Su. Unfortunately, the chair denied our request and, instead, is holding a vote on Ms. Su's nomination behind closed doors, without a full public hearing. This is unacceptable.

It has been almost a year since Ms. Su's nomination hearing. It is important that we examine the many issues that have arisen since then and get an explanation over those serious concerns in her year of being an Acting Secretary.

She has built a troubling record as the Acting DOL Secretary, implementing policies that promote large labor unions at the expense of workers' freedoms and economic growth.

Currently, Ms. Su is overseeing the implementation of DOL's worker classification rule, dismantling the gig economy, and jeopardizing the ability of 27 million Americans who choose to work as independent contractors.

Additionally, the Department of Labor has also proposed a new overtime rule, dramatically increasing the overtime pay threshold by 55 percent, which will decrease job opportunities and raise prices for the American family.

The Department of Labor has also released a new policy that allows an outside union official to influence a workplace inspection even when that workplace is not unionized. The union is not there, but they can influence the workplace inspection.

These are all terribly problematic actions taken by an Acting Secretary who lacks Senate confirmation. The Biden administration's attempt to circumvent the advice and consent provision of the Constitution by leveraging Ms. Su's previous position as Deputy Secretary brings these actions into legal question. And, by the way, there are also serious concerns about Ms. Su's ability to manage the Department of Labor.

Under her leadership, there has been a 50-percent increase in illegal child labor since 2022. There are alarming reports that senior DOL officials repeatedly ignored warnings, downplaying the exploitation of migrant children for cheap labor. When the committee asked Ms. Su to explain DOL's failure to address child labor violations, she repeatedly failed to comply with congressional oversight.

Additionally, DOL has struggled to process H-2B guest worker visas, crucial for employers that experience workforce shortages based on the season. These delays are already having significant impact on these employers and, again, leading to rising prices on families.

The American people deserve a competent Secretary at the Department of Labor. As outlined in the Constitution, the Senate is still supposed to vote on whether to confirm Ms. Su. HELP Committee members need the ability--the opportunity--to raise their concerns to Ms. Su and get answers.

Nomination hearings are not just checking a box; they are a crucial part of the process. Every Senator needs the information revealed in hearings to evaluate and decide how they will vote on a nomination.

The chair's decision to not hold a public hearing on Ms. Su is unacceptable, shows a lack of transparency from the majority, and undermines the committee's constitutional duty to advise and consent on Presidential nominees.

No one is above accountability, especially an unconfirmed yet acting Cabinet-level nominee with massive influence over our Nation's economy.

As ranking member of the HELP Committee, I will continue to lead Senate Republicans in holding Ms. Su accountable. We need to ensure that she fairly enforces our Nation's labor laws.

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