Biden to nominate Julie Su as labor secretary

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Tuesday he will nominate Julie Su to be the next secretary of labor.

Su is currently the deputy secretary of labor. If confirmed by the Senate, she would be the first Asian American to serve as a Cabinet secretary under Biden.

“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 a 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.”

If confirmed, Su would replace Marty Walsh, who left the administration to become head of the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

A source in the labor movement said the White House notified them of the decision earlier on Tuesday.

Before Biden announced his pick, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., showered praise on Su’s abilities.

“I’m just going to say: Julie Su is terrific. I worked with her back in California. And now, as deputy labor secretary, she is amazing,” Warren said Tuesday.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, declined to comment when asked earlier Tuesday if Su will be the nominee.

“I think you’ll find out soon enough,” he said.

Politico first reported that Biden would nominate Su.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.