Trump's nominee for Labor secretary clears final hurdle before confirmation vote
Most polls suggest that President Donald Trump scored a political victory earlier this week with his first address to a joint session of Congress.
However, the president also picked up another major win on Thursday when one of his nominees got one step closer to being confirmed.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer's confirmation vote will take place next week
Lori Chavez-DeRemer is Trump's pick to head up the Department of Labor, and Fox News reported that she cleared a procedural vote in the Senate on Thursday.
That move sets the stage for a final confirmation vote, which Chavez-DeRemer is expected to face this coming Monday.
Although the vote tallies for many of Trump's nominees have largely broken down along partisan lines, that wasn't the case for Chavez-DeRemer.
Fox News noted how Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul stood out as the lone GOP member to vote against her confirmation.
Nominee received support from multiple Democrats
Meanwhile, Chavez-DeRemer picked up support from a number of Democratic lawmakers who have previously opposed figures that Trump has put forward.
They included Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Nevada Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, Georgia Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia, along with New Hampshire Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen.
Fox News recalled that Hassan had released a statement expressing support for Chavez-DeRemer Hassan late last month after the nominee had been approved by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
"The Department of Labor plays an integral role in supporting workers and small businesses alike, and after hearing significant support from constituents, including members of labor unions in New Hampshire, I will support Representative Chavez-DeRemer's nomination as Secretary of Labor," Hassan was quoted as saying.
"Though we may not agree on everything, after meeting with Representative Chavez-DeRemer and listening to her testimony during her confirmation hearing, I believe that she is qualified to serve as the next secretary of labor, and I look forward to working with her to support New Hampshire's workers and small businesses," the senator added.
Chavez-DeRemer withdraws support of PRO Act
Fox News recalled that Chavez-DeRemer has been questioned over her history of supporting the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act while serving as an Oregon congresswoman.
Chavez-DeRemer retracted her support for the bill in a statement last month, saying, "Like President Trump, I believe our labor laws need to be updated and modernized to reflect today's workforce and the business environment."
"As a member of Congress, the PRO Act was the bill to have those conversations that mattered deeply to the people of Oregon's 5th Congressional District," she stressed.
"I recognize that that bill was imperfect, and I also recognize that I am no longer representing Oregon as a lawmaker," Chavez-DeRemer went on to add.