Senate Committee Cancels Vote on Labor Secretary Nomination

Workforce Management
February 6, 2009
Senate Committee Cancels Vote on Labor Secretary Nomination

Rep. Hilda Solis will have to wait a while longer for her nomination as the next secretary of labor to come before the full Senate after a committee postponed its vote on her nomination on Thursday, February 5.
USA Today reported Thursday that the California Democrat’s husband had not paid $6,400 in tax liens against his auto repair business until February 4. Some of the penalties had been outstanding for 16 years.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a briefing Thursday that Solis’ nomination is not in jeopardy.
“We reviewed her tax returns and her tax returns are in order,” Gibbs said. “We’re not going to penalize her for her husband’s business mistakes. Obviously, her husband I think has and should pay any taxes that he owes.”
The Solis confirmation process has been stalled since her
-appearance before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on January 9. Solis refused to state a position on a controversial bill that would make it easier for employees to form a union and did not offer her opinion about right-to-work laws and other policies.
After the hearing, panel Republicans submitted a series of written questions to Solis about the union legislation as well as her service on the board of American Rights at Work, an advocacy organization. Solis had not indicated her position in House financial disclosures, according to published reports.

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