Enough Is Enough: Confirm Hilda Solis Now
Almost two months have gone by since President Obama nominated Rep. Hilda Solis for Secretary of Labor.
But some Senate Republicans are playing petty politics, holding up her confirmation.
It looks like a cynical and misguided attempt to score points at the
expense of the new Democratic President and his cabinet nominee.
America desperately needs a Secretary of Labor, with 600,000 workers
losing their jobs just last month. Rep. Solis is eminently qualified
for the post. Her entire career is a testament to her deep commitment
to making sure everyday people have equal access to educational and
economic opportunity. Plus she brings a deep commitment to
environmental justice and green jobs for all.
I got to see that commitment up close, when I worked with Rep. Solis
on the Green Jobs Act of 2007. That innovative law is designed to get
skills and training to America's workers in the critical, emerging
industries of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Rep. Solis
co-authored and championed that bill -- and got it signed into law by
President Bush. She'll bring the same vision, political skill and
bipartisan approach to the Department of Labor.
But instead of getting to work solving the country's problems, Rep.
Solis has been forced to wait and watch while a few Republican Senators
try to make political hay of her husband's small business tax woes.
Her husband, Sam Sayyad, owed a few thousand dollars in back taxes. He
paid them. And the county says there is no reason to think he was
trying to avoid paying his taxes.
So enough is enough. It's time to put country before politics.
Give America the Labor Secretary we need and deserve. Confirm Hilda
Solis ... NOW.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Almost two months have gone by since President Obama nominated Rep. Hilda Solis for Secretary of Labor.
But some Senate Republicans are playing petty politics, holding up her confirmation.
It looks like a cynical and misguided attempt to score points at the
expense of the new Democratic President and his cabinet nominee.
America desperately needs a Secretary of Labor, with 600,000 workers
losing their jobs just last month. Rep. Solis is eminently qualified
for the post. Her entire career is a testament to her deep commitment
to making sure everyday people have equal access to educational and
economic opportunity. Plus she brings a deep commitment to
environmental justice and green jobs for all.
I got to see that commitment up close, when I worked with Rep. Solis
on the Green Jobs Act of 2007. That innovative law is designed to get
skills and training to America's workers in the critical, emerging
industries of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Rep. Solis
co-authored and championed that bill -- and got it signed into law by
President Bush. She'll bring the same vision, political skill and
bipartisan approach to the Department of Labor.
But instead of getting to work solving the country's problems, Rep.
Solis has been forced to wait and watch while a few Republican Senators
try to make political hay of her husband's small business tax woes.
Her husband, Sam Sayyad, owed a few thousand dollars in back taxes. He
paid them. And the county says there is no reason to think he was
trying to avoid paying his taxes.
So enough is enough. It's time to put country before politics.
Give America the Labor Secretary we need and deserve. Confirm Hilda
Solis ... NOW.
Almost two months have gone by since President Obama nominated Rep. Hilda Solis for Secretary of Labor.
But some Senate Republicans are playing petty politics, holding up her confirmation.
It looks like a cynical and misguided attempt to score points at the
expense of the new Democratic President and his cabinet nominee.
America desperately needs a Secretary of Labor, with 600,000 workers
losing their jobs just last month. Rep. Solis is eminently qualified
for the post. Her entire career is a testament to her deep commitment
to making sure everyday people have equal access to educational and
economic opportunity. Plus she brings a deep commitment to
environmental justice and green jobs for all.
I got to see that commitment up close, when I worked with Rep. Solis
on the Green Jobs Act of 2007. That innovative law is designed to get
skills and training to America's workers in the critical, emerging
industries of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Rep. Solis
co-authored and championed that bill -- and got it signed into law by
President Bush. She'll bring the same vision, political skill and
bipartisan approach to the Department of Labor.
But instead of getting to work solving the country's problems, Rep.
Solis has been forced to wait and watch while a few Republican Senators
try to make political hay of her husband's small business tax woes.
Her husband, Sam Sayyad, owed a few thousand dollars in back taxes. He
paid them. And the county says there is no reason to think he was
trying to avoid paying his taxes.
So enough is enough. It's time to put country before politics.
Give America the Labor Secretary we need and deserve. Confirm Hilda
Solis ... NOW.