On February 24, the Senate voted, 80-17, to confirm former-Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) as the 25th secretary of the Department of Labor.
Prior to becoming secretary of the Department of Labor, Secretary Solis was in her fifth term representing the 32nd District of California. She was the Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues during the 109th Congress. Prior to her election to the House of Representatives, Secretary Solis was a member of the California State Assembly. Subsequently, she was elected to the California State Senate — the first Latina in California’s history — and became known for her work on issues, such as domestic violence, teen pregnancy, health care, and education. In 2000, she became the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her work in environmental justice.
The Department of Labor has oversight of federal laws and programs affecting workplace rights, benefits, and statistics, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (P.L. 103-3), federal minimum wage laws, labor and employment statistics, occupational safety and health, labor relations, and workers’ compensation.
