Rep. Chu Applauds Nomination of Julie Su as Deputy Secretary of Labor

Washington, D.C. — Today, President Joe Biden nominated Julie Su to be the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), who had supported her nomination, issued the following statement:

"I'm thrilled that an outstanding Asian American leader, Julie Su, has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Labor. I commend President Biden for upholding his promise to build an administration that reflects the diversity of our nation and for recognizing Julie's tremendous talents and the contributions that AAPIs have to offer. His choice today sends a clear message that experience and compassion have returned to our government. From her time as a workers' attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ-LA) through her current role as California Labor Secretary, Julie has fought for workers from all different unions and of all different backgrounds. But she has been particularly involved in serving the underserved, those earning the least and being exploited the most. Most notably, Julie prosecuted the infamous 1995 case of the enslaved Thai garment workers in southern California. Not only did she free the enslaved workers, she successfully prosecuted the human traffickers responsible and prevented the exploited workers from being deported. She went on from there to push for anti-sweatshop legislation and to stop the exploitation of truck drivers at the ports. Today, as California's Labor Secretary, she has fought against wage theft and for the health and safety of all workers during the pandemic. She is dedicated, committed, and ready to serve this administration with her talent and experience so that all workers in this country can lead better lives.

"The nomination of Julie Su by President Biden is particularly meaningful because it recognizes the talents and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the leadership of this country. Besides Julie, he has nominated other eminently qualified Asian Americans. He has made two cabinet-level nominations, Neera Tanden as Director of the Office and Management and Budget and Katherine Tai as the U.S Trade Representative, the first Asian Americans to ever hold these positions. He has nominated Vivek Murthy to a key position in protecting our health during the COVID crisis as our Surgeon General, and nominated Rohit Chopra to safeguard American families' economic health as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. America is better off when those with a seat at the table making the decisions look like America. I applaud President Biden for these outstanding nominations, who add significantly to the diversity and the strength of his administration. It is a win-win for both the Biden administration and the AAPI community. We urge the Senate to confirm these nominees swiftly."