On behalf of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of the nation’s pre-eminent Hispanic organizations, Héctor Sánchez, NHLA Chair and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, issued the following statement following this week’s mark up in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which voted 12-10 to approve Thomas Pérez’s nomination to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor and send his nomination to the full Senate.
“The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee did the right thing today in advancing Tom Perez’s nomination to the full Senate. The Latino community is proud to stand behind Mr. Perez – a highly qualified nominee to serve as Secretary of Labor. Now it is time for the full Senate to confirm him without any further delay so that he can get to the important business of creating quality jobs and ensuring safe workplaces for all ofAmerica’s workers.”
NHLA launched an online action center last month with information on Mr. Pérez’s nomination and tools for the public to get engaged in supporting his confirmation by contacting their Senators and organizing online via social media. On the site, Latino organizations across the nation can also co-sign a letter through this Fridayurging the Senate to swiftly confirm Mr. Perez as the nation’s next Labor Secretary.
Sen. Robert Menéndez (D-NJ),Chairman of the Senate Democratic Hispanic Task Force, issued a statement today urging the full Senate’s prompt confirmation of Pérez:
“I am pleased the HELP Committee favorably reported Tom Perez’s nomination to the full Senate, but we must remember the Committee vote was still along party lines. Republicans continue to try and block Mr. Perez’s confirmation for no reason, without any real objection—only an ideological objection to allowing this President or this Congress to govern, or at least to select a Cabinet that will help us do so.
“At a time when Republicans should be reaching out to Hispanic Americans rather than reverting back to the same-old political strategies that failed them during the last election, it is unfortunate that the President’s first Hispanic choice for his second-term cabinet continues to be under attack. I urge my Republican colleagues to stop the obstructionism and do what’s right for the country: vote to confirm Tom Perez as the next Secretary of Labor when his nomination comes before the full Senate for consideration.”
Menéndez and twelve other Senate Democratic Hispanic Task Force Members –U.S.Senators Cardin, Mikulski, Kaine, Boxer, Warren, Gillibrand, Reed, Schumer, Blumenthal, Lautenberg, Hirono, and Heinrich – sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin to reiterate their strong support for Tom Perez’s nomination. The letter highlights Perez’s distinguished record of accomplishments and impressive career in public service as reasons for their endorsement.
