Capitol Building by Andrew Malone is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Last month, President Trump announced the nomination of Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to become U.S. Secretary of Labor. Sonderling was previously confirmed by the Senate as Deputy Secretary of Labor.

As Acting Secretary Sonderling awaits an upcoming vote in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Americans for Tax Reform joined a coalition of 12 pro-worker groups in a letter to HELP Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.), urging the committee to report the nomination favorably.

Read the full letter here or below.

Tuesday, July 14

Chairman Bill Cassidy

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

428 Senate Dirksen Office Building

Washington, DC, 20510

Dear Chairman Cassidy:

We write in strong support of the nomination of Keith Sonderling to serve as Secretary of Labor and respectfully urge the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to report his nomination favorably so the full Senate can move swiftly to confirm him.

Keith Sonderling has already proven he is well-qualified to lead the Department. As Acting Secretary Labor, he has provided steady leadership while ensuring American workers and employers alike benefit from clear, consistent enforcement of federal labor laws. His success in that role builds on his tenure as Deputy Secretary, where he gained firsthand experience managing the Department’s operations and advancing its mission. Together, these positions have given him an exceptional understanding of the Department of Labor and the experience needed to serve successfully as Secretary.

He also brings unique experience to the position. As a Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Mr. Sonderling earned respect for his thoughtful approach to enforcing our nation’s workplace civil rights laws. Earlier, as Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, he oversaw enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other federal workplace laws. Few nominees have brought such broad leadership experience across the federal government’s labor and employment agencies.

Mr. Sonderling has also been at the forefront of discussions about the future of work. He has consistently encouraged innovation and the responsible adoption of new technologies while ensuring workers remain protected under existing laws as the economy advances.

The Department of Labor has a vital responsibility to support a strong American workforce, promote economic opportunity, and ensure that our labor laws are administered fairly and effectively. Confirming a Secretary with Mr. Sonderling’s experience, institutional knowledge, and proven experience will help the Department continue to fulfill that mission.

For these reasons, we respectfully urge the Committee to report Mr. Sonderling’s nomination favorably and encourage the Senate to confirm him promptly so he can continue the important work he has already begun.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

F. Vincent Vernuccio, President, Institute for the American Worker

Lisa B. Nelson, Chief Executive Officer, ALEC Action

Chip Rogers, Chief Executive Officer, Americans for Fair Treatment

Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform

Russ Brown, President, Center for Independent Employees

Rowan Saydlowski, Director, Center for Worker Freedom

Gene Hamilton, Senior Advisor, The Coalition to Protect American Workers (CPAW)

Sean Higgins, Research Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute

Akash Chougule, President, The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP)

Rusty Brown, Southern Director, Freedom Foundation

Mailee Smith, Vice President of Policy and Litigation, Illinois Policy

Paul Gessing, President, Rio Grande Foundation