Senator Menendez Meets With Thomas Perez, President Obama's Nominee To Be The Next Secretary of Labor

Statement

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) met today with Thomas Perez, President Obama's nominee for Secretary of Labor, in his office. He released the following statement after the meeting:

"I had the opportunity to meet with Thomas Perez today to discuss his nomination and I was thoroughly impressed with the breadth of knowledge and experience he brings to the table. He is an outstanding public servant, and I applaud President Obama for selecting him to be our nation's next Secretary of Labor. After our conversation, I have no doubt that Mr. Perez will continue the Administration's efforts to create jobs and get people back to work.

"Mr. Perez has dedicated his career to championing the rights of workers and all Americans, and I am confident that he will continue do the same if confirmed. As former Secretary of Labor in Maryland, Mr. Perez prioritized matching community colleges, labor unions, and the private sector to help get people jobs that are in demand today and in the future -- an initiative that is much needed on a national scale, and something I have proposed in legislation that would close the skills gap by training workers with the skills needed to fill such jobs.

"Mr. Perez is a remarkable candidate, incredibly knowledgeable and brings a compelling personal story to the Department of Labor. At a time when Republicans should be reaching out to Hispanic Americans rather than reverting back to the same-old political strategies that failed them during the last election, it is unfortunate that the President's first Hispanic choice to be a cabinet nominee in this administration is already under attack. Our economic recovery and America's workforce cannot afford to wait while partisan politics and unmerited accusations delay his confirmation."

Source