Senate Confirms Smith as the Nation’s ‘Workers’ Lawyer’
By a 60-37 vote, the U.S. Senate this afternoon confirmed M. Patricia Smith as the solicitor of labor. The solicitor of labor oversees enforcement of the nation’s most important labor laws and sets enforcement priorities that have a major impact on workers and their lives.
The late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) described the solicitor general’s job as “the workers’ lawyer.” During her confirmation hearing last year, Smith said she would bring to the job a “philosophy of proactive enforcement.” Says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:
At a time when working families are bearing the brunt of the economic recession and violations of workplace rights are rampant, Ms. Smith’s commitment to strong, fair and effective enforcement of our workplace laws is crucial.
The vote follows some nine months of Republican obstruction in an attempt to block Smith from the U.S. Department of Labor post as the nation’s top labor lawyer.
Senate Breaks Blockade on Labor Solicitor Nominee
The Senate just now voted (60-32) to end debate on the nomination of M. Patricia Smith, clearing her way for confirmation as solicitor of labor and breaking the stranglehold Republicans had put on her to be the nation’s top labor lawyer.
President Obama nominated Smith, currently New York state’s labor commissioner, nine months ago, but Republican obstructionist tactics blocked a vote on the nomination.
The solicitor of labor oversees enforcement of the nation’s most important labor laws and sets enforcement priorities. During her confirmation hearing last year, Smith said she would bring to the job a “philosophy of proactive enforcement.”
That would be quite a change from the previous administration, writes Pat Garafolo in Think Progress Wonk Room.
Under the Bush administration’s corporate-friendly Labor Department, the solicitor’s office sat on its hands and failed to enforce even the most flagrant labor violations.
Time to End Republican Blockade of Labor Nominee
Nine months ago, President Obama nominated New York State Labor Commissioner Patricia M. Smith to be solicitor of labor. Since then, Republican obstructionist tactics have blocked a vote on the nomination.
Today, the Senate is finally scheduled to vote on Smith’s nomination. But Republicans will attempt to block the vote with a filibuster that will take a 60-vote cloture motion to overcome.
In a letter to Senate members, AFL-CIO Government Affairs Director William Samuel says:
At a time when workers are bearing the brunt of the economic recession and violations of workplace rights are rampant, the Labor Department needs a solicitor with Ms. Smith’s commitment to strong, fair, and effective enforcement of our workplace laws. We urge you to support Ms. Smith for this critically important position, and to vote for cloture.
Late to the Game, Wyoming’s Enzi Seeks to Derail Labor Nomination
Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.)—who brags about blocking health care reform (more on that later)—now wants to block President Obama’s choice of Patricia Smith to be the top Department of Labor lawyer.
Earlier this week, Enzi apparently got around to reading the transcripts of Smith’s May 7 confirmation hearing for solicitor of labor. Now, some three-and-a-half months after sitting through the hearing and voicing no objections to Smith’s answers or nomination, he wants Obama to withdraw Smith’s name, reports BNA’s Daily Labor Report (subscription required).
