February 17, 2017 - NHLA Statement on Alexander Acosta for Secretary of Labor

NHLA STATEMENT ON ALEXANDER ACOSTA FOR SECRETARY OF LABOR

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of the nation’s 40 preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, welcomes Alexander Acosta’s nomination for the United States Secretary of Labor. Unlike Andrew Puzder, Mr. Acosta’s background and credentials demonstrate that he has a long record of public service and he is a viable candidate for the position of Secretary of Labor. A number of NHLA representatives have known Mr. Acosta throughout his years of public service and believe him to be fair and open, and, overall, consider him a qualified candidate to serve on President Trump’s Cabinet.

NHLA vigorously advocates for expanding workforce opportunities and the protection of the rights of Latino workers and working families, including increasing the minimum wage, ensuring gender equity, promoting worker safety, and enforcing employment laws. As such, the coalition is reserving final judgment on Mr. Acosta’s fitness for the position until there has been an opportunity for further evaluation of his views on employment issues and the role of the Department of Labor. NHLA leaders will call on the committee to ask tough questions to better understand Mr. Acosta’s policy positions and how they will impact Latino and all families.

Mr. Acosta’s selection marks the first Latino to be nominated to a Cabinet position under the Trump Administration. NHLA has been critical of President Trump’s failure to ensure that his Cabinet is both diverse and inclusive. Specifically, Latino leaders have urged President Trump to nominate an individual who upholds the values that are important to all families and places workers’ rights before business interests.

"I am pleased to know that the President finally heard our demands for diversity in his Cabinet. While this is an important move, it is not enough to have just one Latino high level nominee in the Trump Administration. Despite this, we are encouraged by Acosta’s nomination for Secretary of Labor. He is significantly more qualified and a much more serious candidate than Andrew Puzder. Acosta’s record does raise some concerns related to voting rights and the hiring fallout that occurred at DOJ during his time there. We plan to follow his confirmation hearings closely to learn more about his positions and plans on issues that impact Latinos and all workers. We look forward to working with him and intend to hold him accountable to the Latino community and the entire nation that he has been tapped to serve," said Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of LCLAA.

“Acosta’s nomination is a long-awaited positive sign from the Trump Administration. Not only would Acosta be the first prominent Latino member of this Administration, he is well known as a thoughtful, fair, and experienced public servant willing and able to work across the aisle and with the diverse communities deeply affected by the work of the Labor Department,” stated Janet Murguía, Co-Chair of NHLA’s Economic Empowerment and Labor Committee and NCLR President and CEO.

“We at Farmworker Justice look forward to learning about Mr. Acosta’s vision for the Department’s fulfillment of its mission. The Department of Labor maintains important programs and responsibilities regarding agricultural workers. These include employment and training programs, licensing farm labor contractors, setting occupational safety standards, administering the H-2A agricultural guestworker program, and enforcing the minimum wage and other wage-hour laws. Many farmworkers experience low wages and violations of their limited labor protections. We hope to learn the nominee’s views on building a more sustainable, prosperous and equitable agricultural sector,” said Bruce Goldstein, Co-Chair of NHLA’s Economic Empowerment and Labor Committee and President, Farmworker Justice.

"While we may not agree with some of the stances that Dean Acosta has taken in non-labor related issues such as voter ID, we recognize that he is a very qualified nominee and we welcome the appointment of a Latino to the cabinet. We look forward to hearing from Dean Acosta regarding the specifics of his plans for the Labor Department and call upon the Senate to hold an open and inclusive confirmation process. We will pay special attention to his positions on minimum wage, seasonal and migratory workers, work visas, workforce development, discrimination and other areas impacting the quality of life and career advancement of hard-working people across America," said Kenneth Romero-Cruz, Co-Chair of NHLA's Government Accountability Task Force and Executive Director of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL).

“I applaud the nomination of Dean Alexander Acosta of FIU School of Law for the Secretary of Labor and recognize his stellar credentials, accomplishments and his commitment to the Latino community,” said Dr. Elena Rios, Co-Chair of NHLA’s Health Committee and President and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA).

“R. Alexander Acosta is an outstanding choice for this cabinet position,” said Javier Palomarez, NHLA Member and President & CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). “His record reflects a skill set and expertise both in the private and public sector which will serve the administration and the nation greatly. We are thrilled to work with Acosta on a host of economic and labor issues which directly affect our members and the Hispanic community as a whole. When Gov. Purdue was nominated for Secretary of Agriculture, I said we will continue to advocate for diversity within the administration, including if and when a cabinet position becomes available during President Trump’s time in office. Our ongoing dialogue with the administration have proven effective.”

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP AGENDA

The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda is composed of 40 of the leading national and regional Latino civil rights and public policy organizations and other elected officials, and prominent Latinos Americans. NHLA coalition members represent the diversity of the Latino community – Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Latino Americans. NHLA’s mission calls for unity among Latinos around the country to provide the Latino community with greater visibility and a clearer, stronger influence in our country’s affairs. NHLA brings together Latino leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. For more information, please visit: www.nationalhispanicleadership.org.

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