President-elect Donald Trump announced on Friday Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) as his choice to serve as the Secretary of Labor. “Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America,” Trump announced on Truth Social.
“I look forward to working with her to create tremendous opportunity for America Worker, to expand Training and Apprenticeships, to grow wages and improve working conditions, to bring back our Manufacturing jobs,” Trump added. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a one-term congresswoman from Oregon’s 5th District, narrowly lost her bid for reelection to Democrat Janelle Bynum on November 5 but now has landed a big role.
Trump Picks Firebrand Chavez-DeRemer
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Chavez-DeRemer, a former mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon, had previously tried to enter Congress in 2016 and 2018 before finally securing a seat in the 2022 primary elections. During her brief tenure in the House, the 56-year-old congresswoman served on the Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.
Her nomination for the Labor Secretary position has received solid backing from the Teamsters Union.
According to Politico, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, who addressed the Republican National Convention in July, expressed his full support for Chavez-DeRemer in private discussions last week. A union spokesperson added, “We think she would be an outstanding choice.”
Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination also garnered the endorsement of GOP leaders.
On Truth Social, Donald Trump praised her broad appeal, stating, “Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success – Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!.”
Multifaceted Woman
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Chavez-DeRemer is a mother of two, a small business owner, and a committed public servant whose journey began in 2002 with the Happy Valley Parks Committee, according to the president-elect’s post.
She is married to her high school sweetheart, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, an anesthesiologist.
Chavez-DeRemer is the second Hispanic to be selected by Trump for his Cabinet, alongside Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). This year’s election saw the former president gain substantial support from Latino voters, reducing the Democrats’ traditional edge with this demographic.
Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination defies expectations that Trump would choose a Labor Secretary likely to adopt a tough stance against unions and favor business interests exclusively, though he retains other tools to influence labor policies in that direction.
If approved by the Senate, Chavez-DeRemer would lead a vast department responsible for critical agencies managing the U.S. workforce, enforcing labor laws, and overseeing workplace safety regulations.
She would also join a growing list of current and former House members taking on high-ranking roles in Trump’s administration. However, as an outgoing member of Congress, her appointment would not affect the slim Republican majority in the House next year.
