Alexander: Senate Health, Education and Labor Committee Advances 10 Well-Qualified Nominees to Senate Floor

WASHINGTON, October 18, 2017 — Following the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s approval today of 10 well-qualified nominees, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) called on his Senate colleagues to quickly confirm the nominees. 
 
The committee met today to advance the nominations of Patrick Pizzella to serve as Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor; Cheryl Stanton to serve as Wage and Hour Division Administrator at the U.S. Department of Labor; David Zatezalo to serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health at the U.S. Department of Labor; Janet Dhillon and Daniel Gade to serve as members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Carlos Muniz to serve as the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Education; Peter Robb to serve as General Counsel to the National Labor Relations Board; and Gerald Fauth III, Kyle Fortson, and Linda Puchala to serve as members of the National Mediation Board.
 
Regarding Patrick Pizella, Alexander said: “America’s workers deserve a properly staffed Labor Department to help ensure workers are safe on the job and to help ensure workers are paid the wages they’re owed and employers comply with our laws and regulations." 
 
Regarding Cheryl Stanton, Alexander said: “As Wage and Hour Division Administrator, Ms. Stanton has the opportunity to work with Secretary Acosta and Congress on a more moderate approach on the ‘Time Card,’ or overtime, rule – a provision put forward by the previous administration that went too high, too fast in raising the salary threshold for overtime pay."

Regarding David Zatezalo, Alexander said: “I look forward to working with Mr. Zatezalo – who started as a union-member miner and then worked his way up to lead an energy infrastructure company – on issues related to enforcing mine safety laws and improving the safety of the mining profession.”
 
Regarding nominees for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Alexander said: “As members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Janet Dhillon and Daniel Gade, will be charged with protecting employees from discrimination and helping create clearer rules for employer initiatives, including wellness programs.”
 
Regarding Carlos Muniz, Alexander said: “Carlos Muniz is a well-qualified candidate for General Counsel at the Department of Education. I look forward to him working with Secretary DeVos to implement the laws as Congress wrote them, including the law we passed fixing No Child Left Behind.”
 
Regarding Peter Robb, Alexander said: “As General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, Peter Robb will have the important job of helping workers who feel their right to organize collectively has been violated or assisting employers when some of their employees want to form a union. He also will have an opportunity to help restore the board to the role of a neutral umpire.”
 
Regarding nominees for the National Mediation Board, Alexander said: “Gerald Fauth, III, Kyle Fortson, and Linda Puchala are three well-qualified nominees for the National Mediation Board, and I look forward to seeing their important work handling labor disputes in our country’s airline and railroad industries.”
 
The committee held a confirmation hearing for Ms. Stanton, Mr. Zatezalo, and Mr. Robb on October 4. The committee held a confirmation hearing for Mrs. Dhillon, Dr. Gade, and Mr. Muniz on September 19. The committee held a confirmation hearing for Mr. Pizzella on July 13.

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