WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered remarks during today’s confirmation hearing on the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Click here to watch the hearing live.
Cassidy’s speech as prepared for delivery can be found below:
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will please come to order.
Thank you, Mr. Sonderling for appearing before the Committee, and for your willingness to again serve the American people; this time as Deputy Secretary of Labor.
The Deputy Secretary of Labor is not only the second-in-command at the Department of Labor (DOL) but serves as the “chief operating officer,” managing 17,000 employees and a $14 billion budget. The Deputy Secretary leads sub-agencies within DOL, guiding policymaking, regulation, and enforcement of the nation’s labor laws.
If confirmed, Mr. Sonderling will play a crucial role in enacting President Trump’s pro-worker agenda. Based on his extensive experience in labor and employment policy, both as a public servant and law professor, it is clear Mr. Sonderling is qualified.
Mr. Sonderling previously led DOL’s Wage and Hour Division and served as commissioner to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the first Trump administration.
When President Trump nominated Mr. Sonderling as EEOC commissioner in 2020, the Senate confirmed him with bipartisan support.
As commissioner, Mr. Sonderling worked in a non-partisan manner to address illegal workplace discrimination and enforce laws as Congress intended. When Democrat EEOC members attempted to disregard congressional authority and inject progressive ideology into its regulations, Mr. Sonderling opposed these efforts. I am confident Mr. Sonderling will bring this sense of duty and commitment to the rule of law if confirmed as Deputy Secretary.
While at the Wage and Hour Division, Mr. Sonderling was instrumental in developing President Trump’s independent contractor policy, empowering millions of workers to earn a living in the manner in which they choose.
He also clarified the joint employer standard, protecting the American franchise model that employs over nine million Americans.
The Biden administration overturned these commonsense policies, enacting a labor agenda that hurt workers and the nation’s economy. With President Trump back in office and new DOL leadership, I look forward to the return of pro-worker regulations at the Department.
Thank you for appearing before the Committee. I look forward to hearing more about how you will implement President Trump’s pro-America agenda to empower all workers and create economic growth nationwide.
###
For all news and updates from HELP Republicans, visit our website or Twitter at @GOPHELP.