Staff Reports
In an unsurprising turn of events, the Senate bid adieu to the first session of the 118th Congress by jettisoning Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su’s nomination back to the White House. This bold move means President Biden will have to trot Su back out for a re-nomination in the new year. It’s basically a political “try again” for Su, and the Senate Republicans are itching for a nominee who can keep things on the level without dipping into partisan shenanigans.
Acting labor secretary Julie Su’s nomination returned to the White House https://t.co/9n9puEvTAs pic.twitter.com/bvojRn1EHU
— New York Post (@nypost) December 21, 2023
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) didn’t mince words, declaring that the top priority is a Secretary of Labor who can gracefully enforce the law, manage the department like a pro, and steer clear of political pandemonium. And guess what? He’s not convinced Su has what it takes in any of these departments. In a statement, he urged Biden to slice ties with Su and rope in a nominee who can mosey through the Senate’s confirmation process without breaking a sweat.
No stranger to the ol’ Department of Labor, former secretary Marty Walsh slipped on out in February to take the reins at the National Hockey League Players’ Association. That set the stage for Su to step into the spotlight, and boy, has it been a bumpy ride with the Senate Republicans and the ever-discerning Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) butting heads with the administration.
Now, the ball is in Biden’s court as he contemplates whether to go for round two with Su or switch things up with a fresh face to commandeer the Department of Labor. The White House is betting on the former, affirming that Su will get another crack at the Secretary spot when the new year rolls around.
But let’s not forget the elephant in the room. Su’s road to confirmation has been a rocky one, with Senate Republicans loudly calling for her removal after 126 days of struggling to secure the Senate’s endorsement. Cassidy didn’t hold back, pointing out that Su has been practically camping out at the agency without getting the green light from the Senate.
The fine print of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 comes into play here – it’s got rules about how long an acting official can hold the fort, and Su is nearing the end of her lawful acting tenure. In fact, she’s been keeping the seat warm for a record-breaking 281 days, and it’s got folks raising their eyebrows at this unprecedented marathon of uncertainty.
In a twist of fate, the Government Accountability Office rolled out a report in September at the request of House Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), confirming that Su is playing by the rules and isn’t bound by the Vacancies Act’s time constraints. Talk about defying the odds!
Ah, but we can’t forget about Senator Manchin. He’s got some major hang-ups about Su taking the Labor Department’s helm due to her “progressive” background. He’s got this vision of the Labor Department’s head honcho being a well-oiled machine, steering both labor and industry to a happy compromise. But he’s not sold on Su being the one to make that dream a reality, and that’s got him chaining up his support.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is busy shining a spotlight on Su’s past gig as California’s labor secretary, where she played the role of accidental Santa Claus by dishing out a whopping $31.4 billion to scammers through the state’s Employment Development Department.
Su also slammed the brakes on COVID relief payments during the pandemic, leaving around 5 million residents in the lurch, and oops, she mistakenly turned down those life-saving payments for another 1 million folks, as revealed in a nonpartisan report commissioned by California’s legislature. Yikes, that’s not the kind of resume booster you’d want floating around during a nomination showdown.
