Senate Votes to Advance Acosta as Labor Secretary

The full Senate voted 61-39 Wednesday to advance R. Alexander Acosta’s nomination as Labor secretary, with a confirmation vote likely taking place Thursday.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, said in a Wednesday statement that the Senate is now poised to confirm Acosta and “begin creating an environment for workers to succeed in a rapidly changing workplace.”

The Senate voted Wednesday to end debate on Acosta’s nomination and move to a vote.

“We are fortunate to have a presidential nominee for Labor secretary who understands how a good-paying job is critical to helping workers realize the American dream for themselves and for their families,” Alexander said.

Acosta “became the first person in his family to go to college and from there has had an impressive career. He’s already been confirmed by the Senate three times for other positions — and I expect that we’ll confirm him a fourth time for his most important position.”