[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 72 (Thursday, April 27, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2565-S2566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NOMINATION OF ALEXANDER ACOSTA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on another matter, despite much 
unnecessary obstruction, the Senate has continued to move forward with 
the confirmation process for administration nominees.
  Just this week, we have confirmed two more impressive individuals--
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Deputy Attorney General Rod 
Rosenstein. Today, we will have the opportunity to confirm a third. 
That nominee, Alexander Acosta, understands the difficult task ahead of 
him as the next Secretary of Labor. Fortunately, he has an impressive 
background that will serve him well as he takes on these tough issues. 
It explains why Acosta has earned high acclaim from numerous pro-job 
groups, like the National Association of Manufacturers, which called 
him an ``exceptional choice to lead the Department,'' and the chamber 
of commerce, which noted his ``extraordinary history of government 
service and refined skills.''
  He has also earned support from across the political spectrum, 
including from people like Lafe Solomon, a National Labor Relations 
Board Acting General Counsel in the Obama administration, who said 
Acosta is ``very open-minded and fair'' and ``deserves to be Secretary 
of Labor.''

[[Page S2566]]

  We have also heard from unions that have backed him as well. In their 
words, Acosta is an ``advocate for the middle class,'' a nominee with 
``strong credentials and an impeccable reputation,'' and someone they 
can work with ``to protect and make better the lives of working men and 
women across America.''
  Acosta's leadership at the Labor Department will serve as a much 
needed change from what we saw under the previous administration, when, 
too often, onerous regulations that stifled instead of encouraged 
growth were given high priority, which came at a disadvantage to the 
very workers the previous administration claimed to be helping.
  Of course, much work remains when it comes to providing relief to 
middle-class workers, but today's vote to confirm Acosta represents 
another positive step in that direction.

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