Senate HELP Committee Delays Vote on Secretary of Labor Nominee

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions was forced to delay its vote to advance the nomination of Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling to be the long-term secretary due to a lack of attendance.

A spokesperson for the Senate HELP Committee confirmed the delay to PLANADVISER, adding that the committee will take up the vote next week. The spokesperson did not confirm the exact new date for a vote.

Though the House of Representatives is scheduled to begin its summer recess next week and return August 31, the Senate will be in session through the first week of August and is then scheduled to return September 14.

Congress, particularly the House, has been active throughout this week in an attempt to finish priority items before its scheduled recess and before midterm general election campaigns truly kick off.

During the brief opening statements at the Senate HELP hearing, Senator Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, made clear his intention to vote yes on Sonderling’s nomination, while Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, who caucuses with committee Democrats, made clear his intention to vote no. The split indicated that Sonderling would likely gain committee approval in a party-line vote.

Prior to becoming acting secretary following the resignation of former Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Sonderling served as deputy secretary of labor. He was confirmed by the Senate in a 53-to-46 vote in March 2025, with one senator abstaining.

President Donald Trump nominated Sonderling to fill the secretary of labor position on a long-term basis in June. Last week, Democrats on the Senate HELP Committee pressed Sonderling on many issues, including his commitment to Trump’s workforce agenda. Republicans, meanwhile, defended Sonderling’s work so far at the DOL.