Washington — The nomination process for appointees of President Donald Trump is gaining momentum, with several candidates already confirmed by the Senate and additional hearings on the horizon for his Cabinet selections. Some of these nominees have started their roles, while others are preparing to face the Senate committees that oversee the relevant federal agencies they are intended to manage.
This week, the Senate has scheduled a couple of notable hearings outlined below:
**Wednesday**
**10 a.m. EST: Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Department of Labor**
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, narrowly missed reelection last year but garnered significant support from union members within her district. If confirmed, she will be responsible for managing the department’s workforce and budget while prioritizing issues that impact workers’ wages, health, safety, and their ability to unionize. One of her key responsibilities will also involve overseeing employers’ rights regarding termination policies. Notably, she is among a small faction of House Republicans who have shown support for the “Protecting the Right to Organize” (PRO) Act, which aims to facilitate organizing efforts for workers and impose penalties on companies that infringe upon their rights. Furthermore, this legislation seeks to amend existing “right-to-work” laws that are present in more than half of the states. She is set to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
**Thursday**
**10 a.m. EST: Linda McMahon, Department of Education**
Preparations are underway for Trump to significantly reduce the size and scope of the Department of Education, albeit within the legal confines of executive power, as funding and the department’s existence are primarily guided by Congressional decisions. Reports indicate an executive order from the White House will instruct McMahon, the nominee for education chief, to initiate the agency’s winding down while urging Congress to consider its abolition. Other reports suggest Trump lightheartedly remarked that he wants McMahon to effectively “put herself out of a job.”
McMahon, a billionaire associated with professional wrestling, previously led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2019. She also made two unsuccessful attempts to secure a Senate seat in Connecticut as a Republican. Her involvement in educational matters includes a term on the Connecticut Board of Education starting in 2009. McMahon is known for her advocacy for charter schools and school choice, and most recently, she co-chaired Trump’s transition team, aiding in the appointment of key roles within his second administration. She will also be addressing the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
