National Restaurant Association Encourages Congress to Approve President-elect Trump’s Picks to Lead the Department of Labor
Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Keith Sonderling have small business leadership and policymaking experience needed to create regulations that support restaurant industry growth
Washington, D.C. – More than 15.7 million people work in restaurants and foodservice outlets across the country – making the industry the nation’s second-largest private sector employer. Because of this, the work of the Department of Labor (DOL) is a top priority for the National Restaurant Association and the choice of its leadership is critical to the success of the U.S. economy.
Today, the Association issued the following statement of support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominations of Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Secretary of Labor and Keith Sonderling as Deputy Secretary of Labor:
“The Association encourages Congress to quickly confirm Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Keith Sonderling to lead the Department of Labor,” said Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. “As leaders, they consistently prioritize policies that are clear, effective, and grounded in economic realities, providing much-needed clarity for restaurant operators navigating today’s complex regulatory landscape.
“Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer’s experience as a small business owner has given her the important perspective of American employers seeking to understand their obligations under the law and how those obligations impact both the employees and the potential prosperity of their business. She has a record of supporting restaurant and foodservice entrepreneurs and employees by voting to protect a popular path to restaurant ownership and DOL apprenticeship programs, which can help upskill and develop individuals pursuing careers in restaurants. We encourage the U.S. Senate to confirm Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer as the Secretary of Labor with confidence she will bring her strong judgment, experience, and leadership to the issues facing American enterprises and employees pursuing opportunity and prosperity.
“Keith Sonderling brings unparalleled expertise in labor policy and regulatory frameworks. His roles at the Department of Labor have equipped him with a deep understanding of how policy decisions impact businesses and he has been a consistent advocate for a clear, commonsense standard for Joint Employer status, which the Association also supports. His dedication to fair labor practices and profound understanding of workforce development further underscores his suitability for this critical role.”
About the National Restaurant Association
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.5 million employees. Together with 52 State Associations, we are a network of professional organizations dedicated to serving every restaurant through advocacy, education, and food safety. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find @WeRRestaurants on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.