U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the 3 million members of the National Education Association and the 50 million students they serve, we urge you to support and push for a vote NEXT WEEK on confirming Acting Secretary Julie Su as Secretary of Labor. Votes on this issue may be included in NEA’s Report Card for the 118th Congress.
At the Department of Labor, Acting Secretary Su has continued her mission of fighting for workers’ rights, protecting our nation’s most vulnerable workers, and leveling the playing field for employers that pay higher wages, provide benefits such as paid leave and workplace flexibility, keep workplaces safe, and take other steps to support employees.
Acting Secretary Su, who has cultivated close relationships with key leadership throughout the federal government, the business community, and organized labor, has a proven track record of working across the aisle and delivering strong results for the economy. She helped avert a major rail shutdown last year, keeping business and labor at the table to reach an agreement that Congress approved. Clearly, she will be ready to lead the Labor Department on Day 1.
From 2019 to 2021, Julie Su was the Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, with over 11,000 employees dedicated to securing fair labor and workplace conditions for workers and businesses. From 2011 to 2018, she served as California Labor Commissioner. Under her leadership in California, new systems were put in place to prevent and remedy fraud and abuse of the unemployment system; these systems stopped $60 billion in fraudulent payments. Acting Secretary Su’s commitment to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in unemployment remains a hallmark of her leadership.
Acting Secretary Su’s life story is a testament to the role our nation plays as a beacon to families who come to America from across the globe. Her immigrant parents owned a small laundromat and she grew up as their translator. This gave her a deep understanding of the immigrant experience and small business, inspiring her to dedicate her career to ensuring that the most vulnerable workers are protected, and that businesses adhering to workplace standards do not face unfair competition from those that do not.
While the COVID-19 health emergency has officially ended, American workers continue to suffer the fallout from a pandemic that took millions of lives, devastated many families’ finances, and upended employers of all sizes and types. Elevating Julie Su—who would be the first Asian American member of the Biden cabinet—to Secretary of Labor would allow for a smooth transition and continuity to assist workers and employers in recovering from the pandemic.
Acting Secretary Su’s experience, expertise, perspective, and ability to listen deeply to all points of view will continue to inform her work to improve workplace protections and economic opportunity for all workers.
Please support and push for a vote NEXT WEEK on confirming Acting Secretary Julie Su as Secretary of Labor.
Sincerely,
Marc Egan
Director of Government Relations
National Education Association
