Yesterday afternoon, the Senate voted to confirm Alexander Acosta as the 27th U.S. Secretary of Labor by a vote of 60 to 38. Mr. Acosta is the final appointee to complete the confirmation process and is currently the only Latino in President Trump’s cabinet.
Even though Mr. Acosta is the last member to join the cabinet, his past experience on the National Labor Relations Board will serve him well because he needs to hit the ground running on several issues. Not only does he need to help select assistant secretaries for the Occupational and Mine Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA and MSHA), but he also will face several thorny policy issues that have been on hold in recent months.
These issues include silica exposure limits, underground escapeway requirements, overtime exemption thresholds, and the contentious fiduciary rule that would require brokers to put clients’ retirement savings interests ahead of their own interests.