President Donald Trump’s pick for labor secretary said at her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday that she would focus on beefing up registered apprenticeships, noting that she hasn’t yet talked to the president about non-registered apprenticeships, which many congressional Republicans support, as did Trump during his first presidency.
Some members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee asked Lori Chavez-DeRemer her views on so-called IRAPs (industry-recognized apprenticeship programs), which Democrats have largely opposed. She responded that she hasn’t yet discussed IRAPs or the first Trump administration’s policies on apprenticeships with the president, and that she would first focus on registered apprenticeships.
“Right now, we’re focused on the registered apprenticeships,” said Chavez-DeRemer, a former Oregon lawmaker who served on the House Education and Labor Committee.
When asked by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) if she would only use federal apprenticeship funding for registered apprenticeships, Chavez-DeRemer said she would.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) later asked Chavez-DeRemer whether she would withhold funding appropriated by Congress to programs if Trump asked her to do so. Chavez-DeRemer said she didn’t want to delve into hypotheticals but said she would follow the law, adding “I do not think the president would ever ask me to break the law.”
Support for job training
Chavez-DeRemer responded to committee members on a range of topics, from the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, to immigration and child labor, to Trump advisor Elon Musk’s access to confidential government data. They also asked her about workforce preparation.
Chavez-DeRemer said that, as a former mayor, she has worked with businesses and community colleges to help broaden job and career options that don’t require a four-year degree. That includes developing and strengthening two-year degrees and certificates that lead to family-sustaining jobs, she said, adding that investing in workforce development is crucial.
“This shouldn’t be a party issue,” said Chavez-DeRemer, who noted that she attended courses at Clackamas Community College (Oregon).
When asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire) how she would open more apprenticeships in rural areas, Chavez-DeRemer said it is a challenge and that she would like to work with lawmakers on addressing it, but she observed that community colleges already provide key credentials to land jobs. She also noted that developing a strong workforce pipeline would require providing students with opportunities at younger ages, including high schools and junior high.
