https://www.axios.com/2023/06/21/julie-su-senate-confirmation-republicans
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) poses for a photo with Su. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
33 Republican senators are calling on President Biden to withdraw his nomination of Julie Su for Labor Secretary, according to a letter obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: Republicans are trying to force Democrats to make a decision on Su’s nomination, which has been stalled for nearly two months. Su was cleared by the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on a party line vote in April.
State of play: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has privately indicated to the White House that he is opposed to her nomination, meaning that one more Democratic defection will likely doom her candidacy.
Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) have not said how they will vote.
Tester has publicly expressed his frustration that her nomination hasn’t been called up for a full vote. “Are we ever gonna vote on her?” he said earlier this month.
Driving the news: In a letter organized by Sen Mike Braun (R-Ind.), two-thirds of the GOP conference, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), demanded that Biden pull her nomination.
“Given this present state of affairs, we respectfully urge you to withdraw the nomination,” the senators write.
“We appreciate your responsiveness to this request, and ask for prompt confirmation that the nomination of Julie A. Su is formally withdrawn.”
The other side: Biden officials have been touting Su’s role in finding a compromise between West Coast dockworkers and shippers as evidence that she would be an honest broker in any disputes between unions and business interest.
“Julie Su is highly-qualified to be Labor Secretary, was unanimously confirmed as Deputy Secretary of Labor by all Senate Democrats, and has support from business and labor groups across the spectrum,” said Emilie Simons, a White House spokesperson.
Between the lines: Sinema has been subject of a lobby campaign from both sides of the Su divide. She often works with Sen. Jim Lankford (R-Okla.), who signed the letter.
