Congressional Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Statement on Confirmation of Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Donald Norcross (NJ-01) released the following statement on the confirmation of Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor: 

“As Deputy Secretary, Mr. Sonderling supported the systematic dismantling of the Department of Labor, threatening the health, safety, and livelihood of workers across the country. He remained silent as the Trump Administration stripped collective bargaining rights from more than a million federal workers. Under his watch, workers were left more vulnerable to injury, wage theft, and exploitation. That record cannot be ignored.

Americans deserve a Secretary of Labor who puts working people first, not corporations and billionaires. We are ready to work with Secretary Sonderling to strengthen labor standards and expand economic opportunity across this nation, but we will hold him accountable if he fails to meet that responsibility. The Department of Labor exists to protect working people, and Secretary Sonderling now has an opportunity to put workers’ rights back at the forefront of its mission. We hope he seizes it.”