[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 3, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1476-S1477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Nomination of Julie A. Su

  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to 
support President Biden's nominee to serve as Secretary of Labor, 
current Acting Secretary Julie Su.
  Julie is a proud Californian and a champion for workers everywhere. 
She was a tireless advocate for workers in California for years. I was 
honored to introduce her before the HELP Committee 2 years ago when she 
was first nominated to serve as Deputy Secretary of Labor.
  I should note that, that year, I was also proud to see every single 
Democratic Senator vote to confirm her nomination. In the time since, I 
think it is perfect to ask, what has happened? I will tell you what has 
happened. She has gained even more experience in defending workers 
nationwide and in managing a Federal Department.
  As a highly effective Deputy Secretary of Labor and now as Acting 
Secretary, she has played a critical role in helping the administration 
add 12.6 million jobs to the American economy, which is more job gains 
than any previous President has achieved in a 4-year term. It is 
further proof that job creation and strong labor protections are not 
mutually exclusive. In fact, they go hand in hand in building a strong, 
resilient economy.
  Julie's service and track record come as no surprise, frankly, when 
you understand where she came from. She is the daughter of immigrants 
and a native of California. She knows personally the sacrifices that 
many working families make to make ends meet. Her parents worked hard 
for decades in minimum wage jobs before establishing and growing their 
own small business.
  So, yes, colleagues, Julie Su and her family have seen both sides of 
a paycheck. They instilled in Julie a strong work ethic, which has led 
her to take on tough fights as a labor lawyer, as labor secretary for 
the State of California, as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of 
Labor, and now as Acting Secretary.
  I also have to note, as the secretary of the California Labor and 
Workforce Development Agency--the then-fifth largest economy in the 
world and now the fourth largest economy in the world--she was a strong 
manager who led a number of major departments, boards, and panels at 
the State level.
  Her experience and qualifications are unmatched. As former Secretary 
Walsh put it, Julie is a ``lifelong champion of America's workers.''
  I will end with this: If confirmed, she would be the first Asian 
American to serve as a Secretary in President Biden's Cabinet. Millions 
of Americans will see themselves represented at the highest levels of 
government and take pride in her story as a daughter of working-class 
immigrants.
  I was proud to hear her impressive recent testimony in the HELP 
Committee when I introduced her once again and where she was 
successfully voted out of committee. She is exactly the type of labor 
champion we need at this critical time.

[[Page S1477]]

  I urge my colleagues to join me in once again confirming her 
nomination.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Louisiana.