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Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The White House said Tuesday it will nominate Julie Su to serve as the next U.S. Labor secretary, replacing the outgoing Marty Walsh. In a statement, President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Su, a graduate of Harvard Law School.
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"It is my honor to nominate Julie Su to be our country's next secretary of Labor. Julie has spent her life fighting to make sure that everyone has a fair shot, that no community is overlooked, and that no worker is left behind," Biden said in the statement.
"Over several decades, Julie has led the largest state labor department in the nation, cracked down on wage theft, fought to protect trafficked workers, increased the minimum wage, created good-paying, high-quality jobs, and established and enforced workplace safety standards," Biden said in the statement.
Su is currently the deputy secretary of Labor, a position she has held since 2021.
The 54-year-old previously worked as Labor secretary for the State of California, where she focused on bridging the gap between unions and employers. As California Labor secretary, she developed the "Wage Theft is a Crime" campaign.
Before that, she spent 17 years as a civil rights attorney.
A number of groups, including AAPI Victory Alliance, applauded Su's nomination as the first Asian American Pacific Islander to serve on the Presidential Cabinet.
"I'm proud to lead AAPI Victory Alliance in congratulating Julie Su on this historic nomination. It is incredible to see the president nominate the current deputy labor secretary to be his administration's first AAPI Cabinet secretary," AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore said in a statement Tuesday.
"We applaud the president for continuing to diversify his Cabinet with Julie Su's nomination," Nikore added. "Our goal has been to work with the administration to uphold our shared values of diversity, equity and inclusion in staffing the federal government at all levels. That is why it is so inspiring and heartening to see the president nominate the most diverse slate of appointees in American history."
Vice President Kamala Harris also applauded Su's nomination, saying Su is a "longtime advocate for workers -- first in my home state of California, and now as a leader in the Biden-Harris administration."
"She understands that the future of our economy depends on building a well-trained and inclusive workforce. I look forward to continuing to work with Julie, who will help fulfill our pledge to be the most pro-worker administration in history as our country's next Secretary of Labor." Harris said in a statement, as she also thanked outgoing Labor Secretary Walsh.
"Over the past two years, Secretary Walsh and I have traveled the nation to meet with workers at union halls, training centers and job sites," Harris said. "He is always fighting for the rights and dignity of America's workers. I am grateful to Marty for his service to our administration and our country, and for his friendship."
Su replaces former Boston mayor Marty Walsh, who stepped down earlier this month after being named the next director of the National Hockey League Players' Association.
Walsh officially moves into the NHLPA role in mid-March. His departure marks the first Cabinet secretary to step down during Biden's tenure.
