WASHINGTON — Keith Sonderling appeared at a confirmation hearing on Thursday, July 16, 2026, to become the next Secretary of the Department of Labor. Sonderling, President Donald Trump's nominee to run the Department of Labor, has served as acting secretary since April 2026 following the departure of former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

Sonderling's nomination comes after a series of leadership changes at the department. Chavez-DeRemer left her post in April 2026 to take a job in the private sector, a move that followed multiple allegations that she had abused her position's power. Sonderling, who was confirmed as deputy secretary in March 2025, stepped into the acting role immediately afterward.

During his testimony before the Senate committee, Sonderling highlighted his extensive experience across multiple roles within and adjacent to the department. He noted that he was a senior advisor at the Department of Labor during Donald Trump's first term, served as a Republican member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and taught laws enforced by the Department of Labor as an adjunct professor at George Washington University. “Few people have had the opportunity to experience the department from so many perspectives,” Sonderling told lawmakers.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., expressed strong support for Sonderling’s nomination, stating that he was qualified to serve as the next Labor secretary. “He is committed to making America the best place to get a job,” Scott said. Other Republican senators echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Sonderling’s record on workforce policy and regulatory reform.

However, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., voiced firm opposition to the nomination. Murray criticized recent actions taken by the department under Sonderling’s leadership, including the rescission of a Biden-era rule that would have expanded eligibility for overtime pay. The Department of Labor estimated that the rescinded rule would have provided overtime protections to an additional 4 million lower-paid salaried workers. A federal judge had previously blocked the Biden-era rule during the final months of Joe Biden’s presidency, but the Trump administration formally eliminated it in 2026.

“I fear any vote to confirm you is for more of the same: to strip overtime protections for our workers, to undercut our unions and to let giant corporations get away with robbery, literally,” Murray said. Her remarks reflected broader Democratic concerns about the department’s direction, including its decision to fire the vast majority of employees in the office that protects workers from discrimination by federal contractors.

Democratic lawmakers also questioned Sonderling about the department’s involvement in managing Department of Education grant programs. They expressed concern that some education-related funding was being administered by Labor Department personnel. Sonderling clarified that Department of Education staff have been detailed to the Department of Labor and are making policy decisions, while his department is assisting on the back end in dispersing funding.

He added that $1.5 billion came to the Department of Labor at midnight on July 1, 2026, and was disbursed within an hour or two. “And the states love this,” Sonderling said.

Artificial intelligence’s impact on the workforce emerged as another key topic during the hearing. Senators expressed concern about how AI might displace or reshape American jobs. Sonderling stated that the Department of Labor is collecting information from companies and unions about AI usage, and that the Bureau of Labor Statistics will review this data to help steer job training money to states more effectively.

“What we believe we're going to see is that AI-impacted jobs can potentially make you more productive. It can make your workplaces safer, but we can't get that information yet,” Sonderling said.

On unemployment insurance integrity, Sonderling emphasized a “verify first and pay later” approach to claims. He said he is advising states to adopt stricter verification protocols to prevent fraud. As part of this effort, the Department of Labor is working with the state of Alabama on a centralized verification system.

“They have some of the lowest fraud and improper payment rates in the country because they are verifying,” he said. He also noted that he worked with Vice President JD Vance as part of a task force focused on preventing fraud.

Looking ahead, Sonderling confirmed that the department is pursuing a new rule for determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor—a classification that affects eligibility for minimum wage, overtime, and other labor protections. This ongoing regulatory initiative, combined with the department’s recent actions on overtime and contractor status, underscores the significant policy shifts underway at the agency.

The confirmation of Keith Sonderling would cement a series of major policy reversals at the Department of Labor, affecting millions of American workers. The rescission of the overtime rule alone impacts an estimated 4 million lower-paid salaried employees, while staffing cuts in the office enforcing protections against discrimination by federal contractors could weaken oversight in a sector employing millions. The department’s expanded role in managing education grants and its data-driven approach to AI’s labor market effects signal a broader reorientation of federal workforce policy under the Trump administration’s second term.

With control of labor regulations, unemployment systems, and workforce training funds, the Labor Department plays a central role in shaping economic opportunity. Sonderling’s confirmation would maintain continuity in an agenda focused on deregulation, contractor classification changes, and fraud prevention—priorities that have drawn sharp partisan division, as evidenced by the contrasting statements from Sens. Murray and Scott during the hearing.