Hirono Statement on the Advancement of Julie Su’s Nomination to Serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement after the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to advance Julie Su’s nomination to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor:

“Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su has dedicated her life to fighting for working people and families across the country, and is highly qualified to lead the Department of Labor. Within months of assuming the top role at the Labor Department, Acting Secretary Su helped mediate several labor disputes, including a potentially-disastrous strike at ports all along the west coast; a labor dispute between Kaiser Permanente and nearly 75,000 of its union employees; and the historic deal between the United Auto Workers and the Big Three auto companies. Acting Secretary Su has also received commendation from labor leaders across the country—including Gene Seroka, Director of the Port of Los Angeles, and Shawn Fain, the United Auto Workers President—who recognize her crucial role in these discussions and the instrumental support she has provided to build trust between labor and management in all of these disputes.

Over the past year, as Acting Secretary, Julie Su has been a strong and effective champion for working people, helping resolve major labor disputes throughout our country and moving our economy forward. Now is the time for the Senate to confirm her as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor, so she can continue building upon the progress she and the Biden-Harris Administration have made for working families and our economy.”  

Senator Hirono has been a vocal advocate for Julie Su’s nomination to be U.S. Secretary of Labor. When President Biden was elected in 2020, Senator Hirono sent him a letter expressing her strong support for Su to serve as the next Secretary of Labor. This past May, she urged the Senate to swiftly confirm Su and also commended Acting Secretary Su’s work during floor speeches in July and December.

If confirmed, Julie Su would be the first Asian American in the Biden Administration to serve in the Cabinet at the secretary level.

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