Solis Departure Leaves Large Shoes to Fill in Obama Administration Cabinet

The White House announced that Hilda L. Solis is resigning from her position as secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor after having served four years. Prior to becoming secretary of labor, Solis was a congresswoman representing the 32nd Congressional District of California. She also served in the California Assembly and Senate. Throughout her career, Solis has been an advocate for the rights of immigrants and their families.
Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center:
Secretary Hilda Solis has dedicated her career to ensuring that all Americans, regardless of where they were born, are treated with dignity and fairness. As a Latina from Los Angeles, she has served not only as a fierce advocate for her community but also as a role model for immigrant and Latino children across the country. The Obama Administration has large shoes to fill at the Department of Labor. We expect nothing less than a person with Secretary Solis’s commitment to all workers, regardless of income, gender, or nationality, to serve as our next secretary of labor.
Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC):
Secretary Solis has been a strong advocate for the Hispanic community and for all American workers. I’m proud to have had the opportunity to serve alongside Sec. Solis for many years in the House and witness her tireless commitment and vision firsthand. In her role overseeing the Department of Labor, Sec. Solis has continued to serve her country dutifully and protect American families. I wish her the best in all her future endeavors.
President Obama: 
Growing up in a large Mexican-American family in La Puente, California, I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to serve in a president’s Cabinet, let alone in the service of such an incredible leader.
“Leaving the department is one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made, because I have taken our mission to heart. As the daughter of parents who worked in factories, paid their union dues and achieved their goal of a middle class life, and as the first Latina to head a major federal agency, it has been an incredible honor to serve.