Senate Confirms Hilda Solis as Labor Secretary

Hilda Solis is the new Secretary of labor!

After Republicans backed away from an expected filibuster and agreed to stop their weeks of delaying tactics, the Senate this afternoon approved Solis’s nomination by an 80-17 vote.

Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to get this done.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said "The confirmation of Rep. Hilda Solis is a huge victory: Finally, Americans will have a secretary of labor who represents working people, not wealthy CEO’s. It is also a historic moment as Rep. Solis becomes the first Hispanic Secretary of Labor. The delay of Rep. Solis’s nomination for partisan and ideological reasons was overcome by the grassroots support of millions of Americans who are struggling and desperately need a secretary of labor who will be their voice."

After a scheduled Feb. 12 vote was postponed because of Republican objections, the union movement created a Facebook page, "Americans for Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor" to build some e-roots support for Solis. Nearly 2,000 people signed on.

Read the full text of Mike Hall's article about the Solis confirmation on the AFL/CIO Blog at:

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/02/24/senate-confirms-solis-as-labor-secretary/

Thank you all again for your hard work and support.

Bob Daraio