Chavez-DeRemer travels for Trump
QUICK FIX
FREQUENT FLIER: Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has said she believes one of the core functions of her job is to be an on-the-ground liaison for the administration in order to ferry back the views of workers and employers to the White House.
She has set out to visit all 50 states — a goal she's mentioned in last month's Cabinet meeting, recent television appearances and several other venues. Two months in, she's already been to a half-dozen and is set to be in Ohio on Monday.
Chavez-DeRemer has gone to Las Vegas to speak to a Teamsters conference, checked out the Port of Miami, visited a Denver apprenticeship center run by the carpenters union, and traveled to an Arizona community college to see its workforce development program, among other stops.
Frequent travel is a part of the job for Cabinet-level officials, regardless of administration, though destinations are often shaped by White House priorities and a given secretary's personal style.
Marty Walsh managed to make it to 40-plus states during his time as former President Joe Biden's Labor secretary, though he didn't get to a few in the Great Plains before he left for the NHL Players Association in early 2023. (Walsh also never moved to D.C., opting instead to stay in a hotel when in town and keeping his Massachusetts residence.)
His successor, acting Labor secretary Julie Su, had limited travel for a stretch after taking over. But it picked up after the Biden administration tacitly acknowledged that she couldn't get confirmed, particularly in the later part of 2024.
Biden's Transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, managed to fill the map like Chavez-DeRemer wants to — but Trump's labor secretary is trying to pack it all into 2025, rather than a presidential term.
'We'll finish all 50 states by the end of the year,' she said at the April 30 Cabinet meeting.
Travel opportunities also tend to pick up when Congress is out of session as lawmakers — at least the ones of the president's party — consider it a coup to show off part of their district or state to a high-level official. But there is a considerable amount of coordination involved even in routine plans, as out-of-town travel can take weeks of staff's time to set up and run thousands of dollars once security and other logistics are factored in — to say nothing about unforeseen circumstances.
'There's a finite amount of resources to do other things,' said one DOL aide from the Biden administration. 'There are a lot of demands on your time in D.C. that keep you in town.'
DOL did confirm that Chavez-DeRemer flies commercial — a detail that was infamously not necessarily a given in Trump's first administration.
'The 'America at Work' listening tour is about bringing real-world experiences back into the conversation in Washington,' DOL spokesperson Courtney Parella said in a statement. 'By hearing directly from workers, employers, and community leaders, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer is working to ensure that federal policy reflects the modern workforce and supports long-term economic growth.'
(Sort of) related: 'A Hit to Business Travel Is Grounding Road Warriors,' from The Wall Street Journal.
GOOD MORNING. It's Monday, May 12. Welcome back to Morning Shift, your go-to tipsheet on labor and employment-related immigration. Send feedback, tips and exclusives to nniedzwiadek@politico.com, lukenye@politico.com, rdugyala@politico.com and gmott@politico.com. Follow us on X at @NickNiedz and @Lawrence_Ukenye. And Signal @nickniedz.94.
Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories.
LEGAL BATTLES
RIFS IN LIMBO: A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order that enabled the administration to fire tens of thousands of federal workers and to eliminate certain agencies entirely, our Hassan Ali Kanu reports.
Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said in her order federal laws give the president broad power to reorganize the government, including to order mass layoffs. But she added the White House must also follow a set of rigorous legal and procedural requirements.
The judge's order blocks any new reduction-in-force notices through May 23, and pauses prior ones from taking effect. DOL and the National Labor Relations Board were among the agencies specifically named in the order.
The Trump administration has already moved to appeal.
AROUND THE AGENCIES
DEMS NEED NOT APPLY: The Trump administration continues to rip through relatively obscure corners of the federal government to boot out Democratic appointees.
On Thursday night, Trump ousted the three members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission — which works to ensure that toxic or dangerous toys, cribs and electronics are not on the market — despite statutory protections designed to prevent their removal for political reasons. The commissioners have said they intend to sue over their removals, which leaves the CPSC without a quorum necessary for much of its operations.
The group includes Richard Trumka Jr., the son of the late head of the AFL-CIO, who became a conservative foil for comments he made about the safety of gas stoves.
'Is the federal agency within the executive branch?' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday. 'Who is the head of the executive branch? He has the right to fire people within the executive branch.'
GOV'T SUES ITSELF: The Labor Department sued the U.S. Postal Service last week for allegedly firing a worker who reported an on-the-job injury.
The lawsuit filed in the Western District of Texas accuses USPS of violating federal law by firing the worker after she reported breaking her finger while delivering mail.
It also accuses officials at the postal service's Caldwell, Texas, facility of denying the worker immediate medical care, continuing to schedule her for shifts while she was injured and giving her the runaround for several days before terminating her.
USPS did not respond to a request for comment.
Related: 'Trump fires top US copyright official,' from our Katherine Tully-McManus.
More agency news: 'The Department of Labor just dropped its investigation into Scale AI,' from TechCrunch.
On the Hill
TAKING ANOTHER STAB: Senate HELP Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) are reintroducing a bill to lower the age for participating in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by allowing individuals as young as 18 to contribute to ERISA-backed plans under certain circumstances.
'Americans who don't attend college and immediately enter the workforce should be given every chance to save for retirement,' Cassidy said in a statement. 'This legislation empowers American workers, giving them more opportunities to plan for a secure retirement.'
The Helping Younger Americans Save for Retirement Act would also gut provisions that backers say make it costly for businesses to cover young employees, such as mandatory audits for employers with workers under the age of 21.
Unions
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TENSIONS: Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' intent to veto a bill that would ease union organizing in the state has aggravated the labor movement, which is now considering mounting a campaign to bypass lawmakers via a 2026 ballot measure.
Polis had cited business concerns with the bill, SB 5, and had urged legislators to make several changes that they rejected, the Denver Post reports.
At issue is a law unique to Colorado that effectively requires unions to win twice, once to be workers' representatives and again — with at least a 75-percent supermajority — to have the authority to bargain over dues and other fees.
'Unions have proposed a 2026 ballot measure that would require employers to have 'just cause' before they fire workers,' the Post reports. 'At the same time, a libertarian activist is advancing an anti-union 'right-to-work' ballot proposal in response to the SB-5 push.'
More union news: 'Is It Time for Unions to Rethink Everything?' from The Nation.
Even more: 'CSX reaches tentative 5-year deal with BLET covering 3,400 workers,' from Reuters.
In the Workplace
SPANBERGER COOL ON REPEAL: Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who is running to flip the governor's mansion, said she would not sign a repeal of Virginia's right-to-work law, WRIC reports.
When she was in Congress, Spanberger co-sponsored the PRO Act that would have, among other things, overridden state right-to-work laws.
'I support labor,' she told the outlet. 'I support our strong Virginia economy, but no, I don't support a full repeal of our current right-to-work statute.'
More workplace news: 'Amid DOGE cuts, families struggle with bills, consider leaving D.C.,' from The Washington Post.
WHAT WE'RE READING
— 'He championed the anti-ESG movement for years. Now, he's a senior policy adviser at DOL,' from Pension & Investing.
— 'Elon Musk's regulatory troubles have begun to melt away in Trump's second term,' from NBC News.
— 'Workday gets contract from US agency behind DOGE staff cuts, no other bids,' from Reuters.
— 'Policy that let federal employees use preferred bathroom formally overturned by Trump administration,' from the Government Executive.
THAT'S YOUR SHIFT!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Liberals concede tax cut stance a 'strategic mistake'
The coalition's new finance spokesman has conceded campaigning against tax cuts was a significant error, promising to push for lower rates in the next term of parliament. James Paterson said the coalition's position against Labor's two-part tax cuts, which would be a reduction of more than $500 a year from July 2027, had cost votes at the May election. While a review of policies was being carried out after the election loss, Senator Paterson said lower taxes would be a significant part of the platform. "We made a strategic mistake at the last election by opposing a tax cut and taking to the election repealing of that tax cut, and that's not a mistake we'll repeat," he told ABC's Insiders program on Sunday. "It's certainly in the Liberal Party's DNA to argue for and advocate for lower taxes whenever they can be afforded and whenever they are achievable." It comes as the coalition has come out against Labor's policy to double the tax rate on superannuation balances above $3 million. The tax rate would increase to 30 per cent in a bid to limit the number of people using their super balances for tax deductions, rather than their retirements. Senator Paterson said the policy was a grab for revenue. "We're never going to make that easier for the government, and we're fighting this because we're opposed to it in principle and we're proud to do so," he said. The median super balance for 60 to 64-year-olds is roughly $200,000 for men and $150,000 for women, with the vast majority of retirees unlikely to feel the impact of Labor's proposal. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday said the changes would make the superannuation system fairer. Opposition industrial relations spokesman Tim Wilson said the government had broken trust with voters on the proposal. "Many people walked into the polling booth at the last election didn't think that the government was going to impose a new tax on unsold assets that was going progressively creep into the superannuation balances of millions of Australians," he told Sky News.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
4 Social Security changes Washington could make to prevent benefit cuts
4 Social Security changes Washington could make to prevent benefit cuts Show Caption Hide Caption Biden criticizes Trump administration's handling of Social Security Social Security overhaul sparks criticism from Biden over service disruptions, layoffs and automation as Trump defends changes as efficiency. Straight Arrow News Social Security is an important source of income for millions of Americans, but the program has a serious financial problem. Costs have increased faster than revenues in recent years because the aging population is growing more quickly than the working population. As a result, the trust fund, the financial account that pays benefits, is on track to be depleted within a decade. Specifically, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the trust fund will be exhausted in 2034. That would eliminate one source of revenue (i.e., interest earned on trust fund reserves), and the remaining tax revenues would only cover 77% of scheduled payments. That means a 23% benefit cut would be necessary in 2035. Fortunately, the lawmakers in Washington have several years to find a better solution. Here are four Social Security changes that could prevent deep, across-the-board benefit cuts. 1. Apply the Social Security payroll tax to income above $400,000 Social Security is primarily funded by a dedicated payroll tax, which takes 6.2% of wages from workers and employers. But some income is exempt from the payroll tax. Specifically, the maximum taxable earnings limit is $176,100 in 2025. Income above that threshold is not taxed by Social Security. Importantly, the Social Security program is projected to run a $23 trillion deficit over the next 75 years as it's strained by shifting demographics. But the deficit could be slashed by applying the payroll tax to more income. For instance, including income above $400,000 would eliminate 60% of the 75-year funding shortfall, says the University of Maryland. 2. Gradually increase the Social Security payroll tax rate to 6.5% over six years Under current law, the Social Security payroll tax rate is 6.2% for workers and their employers. But gradually raising that figure would eliminate a portion of the long-term deficit. For example, increasing thetax rate by 0.05% annually over a six-year period would eliminate 15% of the 75-year funding shortfall, according to the University of Maryland. Now that I've discussed two possible changes, let's step back and look at the big picture. There are basically three ways to resolve Social Security's financial problems: (1) increase revenue, (2) reduce costs or (3) some combination of the first two options. The changes discussed so far would increase revenue, but the next two changes would cut benefits. However, they are more subtle cuts than the 23% across-the-board reduction that would follow trust fund depletion. 3. Gradually increase full retirement age to 68 by 2033 Workers are eligible for retirement benefits at age 62, but they are not entitled to their full benefit — also called the primary insurance amount (PIA) — until full retirement age (FRA). Anyone that claims before full retirement age receives a smaller payout, meaning they get less than 100% of their PIA. FRA is currently defined as 67 years old for workers born in 1960 or later, but raising the figure would reduce the long-term deficit. For instance, increasing FRA to 68 years old by 2033, meaning it would apply to workers born in 1965 or later, would eliminate 15% of the 75-year funding shortfall, according to the University of Maryland. 4. Reduce benefits for retired workers with income in the top 20% Social Security benefits are determined as percentages of two bend points. Specifically, income from the 35 highest-paid years of work is adjusted for inflation and converted to a monthly figure called the average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) amount. The AIME is then run through a formula that uses two bend points to determine the PIA for each worker. Modifying the second (highest) bend point would eliminate a portion of the long-term deficit by reducing benefits for high earners. For instance, the University of Maryland estimates that reducing benefits for individuals with income in the top 20% could reduce the 75-year funding deficit by 11%. Here's the big picture: The four changes I've discussed would eliminate 101% of Social Security's $23 trillion funding shortfall, which would prevent across-the-board benefit cuts in 2035. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook Offer from the Motley Fool: If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets"could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. JoinStock Advisorto learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" »
The Hill
6 hours ago
- The Hill
Democrats see political trap in Trump's Biden probe
Democrats are warning members of their party not to fall into a political trap after President Trump ordered an investigation into former President Biden's mental state and executive actions at the end of his term. Trump directed his counsel, in consultation with the attorney general, to probe 'whether certain individuals conspired to deceive the public about Biden's mental state' amid renewed scrutiny of his predecessor's age and health in the lead-up to last year's election. The probe threatens to keep an issue in the news that Democrats would like to move on from and could force them into the uncomfortable position of having to defend Biden despite his unpopularity. 'We need to avoid taking the bait for a totally unfounded political stunt, which is what this investigation is,' said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). 'It's a distraction from the problems that everyday Americans face in our economy: tariffs, rising prices and the 'Great Big, Beautiful Bill.'' Biden also cast the play as a distraction from controversy swirling around the current White House, pushing back sharply against Trump's suggestion that he was not the one making the decisions from the Oval Office. Trump's call for an investigation fixates on Biden's use of an autopen to sign executive actions, claiming that, if advisers 'secretly used' the mechanism 'to conceal his incapacity,' it would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of presidential power. 'Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency,' Biden said in a statement. 'This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.' On Capitol Hill, where Trump's House-passed spending bill is hitting snags in the Senate as Elon Musk feuds with Trump and calls to kill the legislation, other Democrats are echoing that framing. 'He's clearly trying to deflect attention from the disastrous effect he's had on the US economy,' said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). 'He only brings up Joe Biden when he's really worried about something, like 'Vladimir Putin is playing me and the world sees it. My tariffs thing is not working out.'' 'So I would say, give it as little attention as possible,' Kaine said, suggesting Democrats should turn the inquiry around on Trump and say, ''You're the president now. What about your evidence of mental decline?'' Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Ruben Gallego (D-N.M.) concurred that the move is a distraction from the bill and that Democrats should respond by drawing Americans' focus to the budget concerns instead. Engaging could also risk legitimizing some of Trump's claims about the end of Biden's term, suggested Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright. He called the push for an investigation 'a distraction pitch that Donald Trump is trying to throw down at the batter's box, hoping somebody will swing at it.' 'Anytime we fall into the trap, then we trap our own selves,' Seawright said of Democrats. 'We should focus on this moment and not try to get caught up into conversations that don't gain us anything electorally or politically.' Questions about Biden's age and health dogged him along the 2024 campaign trail, contributing to his eventual exit from the race. Trump, who railed against his two-time rival as 'Sleepy Joe' as they jostled for the White House, has continued to raise the issue, while Democrats seek to turn the page and look toward the midterms and 2028. Trump has repeatedly blasted Biden over his autopen use, questioning whether orders signed by his predecessor — including 11th-hour preemptive pardons for his family members and others to protect against 'politically motivated prosecutions' — are void as a result. The White House confirmed this week that the Department of Justice is reviewing Biden's pardons. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has also started its own inquiry into what Republicans have cast as a 'mental decline cover up.' This week, Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) demanded interviews from some of Biden's former top aides as well as his doctor, Kevin O'Connor. At the same time, new books, including 'Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again' from CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson, have renewed debate about his mental acuity. The scrutiny also comes after Biden was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer last month. The diagnosis itself prompted questions about whether the timing was intended as a distraction and did little to quell talk about whether the 82-year-old should have dropped out of the race earlier. Republicans, for their part, are largely heralding the inquiries as a pursuit in transparency. 'The American people deserve to know who was making decisions from the White House between 2021-2025. I hope this investigation uncovers the truth,' Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) said on X of Trump's probe. A number of Democrats seen as 2028 hopefuls, asked in recent weeks about the end of Biden's presidency, have acknowledged his weaknesses. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told an Iowa town hall last month that his then-boss's decision to run for reelection 'maybe' hurt Democrats, and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told Politico there's 'no doubt' Biden suffered cognitive decline. Across the board, though, Democrats have been pointing toward the future and hoping to move on from questions about their former party leader as they stare down the high-stakes midterms next year and aim for the White House in 2028. Biden's favorability was at 39 percent in the latest YouGov/The Economist polling, compared to Trump's 44 percent and former Vice President Harris's 42 percent. 'If Democrats shift their focus to this, then they risk further alienating and frustrating their base that is ready to put Biden behind them,' said Democratic strategist Fred Hicks. He pointed out Trump's public fallout this week with Musk, who's suggested that Trump's bill could be 'bankrupting America,' and suggested it could be opening for Democrats in their pushback against the administration. But although Democrats are pushing for the party to ignore not just the probe but the Biden discourse more broadly, many have acknowledged that the issue is likely to dog them through 2028 and could even be a political liability for some potential presidential contenders. Strategist Hank Sheinkopfinterpreted Trump's new probe not as a trap or bait, but as a direct attack, and countered some of his fellow Democrats by arguing that the party ought to respond. ''Take [Trump] on or lose in 2026' is really the reality which they don't want to deal with. They somehow believe that if they don't take them on, they'll win anyway,' Sheinkopf said of party leaders. 'What they want is [to say], 'Biden, we're not talking about that, that's the past.' But that's the present. So it's a delusional argument,' he said. 'Trump is making this the present. He's defining the Demcoratic Party by Biden, and the things he's going to say about Biden, whether they are true or not. So you can't let that stand.'
