NWLC Urges Senate Committee to Support Nomination of Tom Perez for Secretary of Labor

(Washington, D.C.) This morning, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is slated to hold a confirmation hearing for Tom Perez, the current Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and nominee to be the next Secretary of Labor.

“The National Women’s Law Center is proud to support the nomination of Tom Perez to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor,” said NWLC Co-President Nancy Duff Campbell. “The next Labor Secretary will have the opportunity to continue the important progress of ensuring fairer workplaces for women and men that has been made during Secretary Solis’ tenure. Mr. Perez has demonstrated such a commitment throughout his career.”

Under Tom Perez’s leadership, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has reinvigorated enforcement of federal laws against discrimination. Among other things, it has litigated groundbreaking Title IX sexual harassment complaints against public schools, colleges, and universities; challenged discriminatory barriers for women working in nontraditional fields in state and local government; investigated gender discrimination by law enforcement agencies; brought numerous cases to enforce the Fair Housing Act’s prohibition of gender discrimination; fought for equal pay and protected women’s ability to obtain reproductive health care without harassment or intimidation under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.

“Throughout his career, Tom Perez has worked to protect and advance legal rights and protections crucial to the women of this country,” said NWLC Co-President Marcia D. Greenberger. “He has the experience and the commitment to enforcing the federal laws upon which women, and all workers, rely. NWLC offers its strong support of Tom Perez to be the Secretary of Labor and urges the committee to support his nomination.”

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