White House Sends Su Labor Secretary Renomination to Senate

The White House sent Julie Su’s nomination to be labor secretary back to the Senate, once again backing the embattled leader who hasn’t yet been confirmed despite the Democratic majority in the chamber.

President Joe Biden renominated Su for the role Monday, after she languished in the Senate after her initial nomination for nearly 10 months without a vote on the floor. Su still faces significant hurdles on her path to confirmation, as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) has said he would oppose her nomination and the White House indicated that Independent Kyrsten Sinema may also vote against Su.

Su has been serving as head of the US Labor Department in an “acting” capacity since her predecessor, Marty Walsh, left the administration. During that time the agency has tackled major rulemakings to address employee classification, increase overtime pay benefits, and overhaul the apprenticeship system.

Su’s status has drawn the ire of business groups and Republican lawmakers who say Biden is circumventing the “Advice and Consent” clause of the US Constitution. In the time since the Senate sent Su’s nomination back to the White House at the end of 2023 session, critics have called on the administration to take the opportunity to nominate someone else.

One of Su’s fiercest defenders, Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), has praised Su’s record of uplifting workers. In a floor speech in December, Hirono claimed sexism and racism have also been factors in the opposition against Su, who would be the first confirmed Asian American cabinet secretary in Biden’s administration.