Statement on Nominations

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I come to the floor today to speak about the two nominations we are about to vote on.

The first one is the nomination of John Pallasch to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor overseeing the Employment & Training Administration. This is a critically important role that manages nearly two-thirds of the Department of Labor's budget and our Nation's workforce development programs, which serve over 22 million youth, workers, jobseekers, and seniors who are working to improve their employment opportunities and the lives of their families.

This position is particularly important now as we are seeing the Trump administration work to undermine some of the most crucial programs within the Employment & Training Administration. They are attempting to close Job Corps centers that help train at-risk youth, conserve our natural resources, and provide economic opportunities in rural areas and communities in need. They are also proposing a duplicative, lower quality apprenticeship program that would put workers at risk and give taxpayer dollars to for-profit colleges with very little accountability.

It is clear that the Employment & Training Administration needs a leader now who is knowledgeable, who is experienced, and who is committed to providing workers with the training, support, and benefits they need to succeed in this changing economy. Unfortunately, Mr. Pallasch is not that person. Throughout this nomination process, Mr. Pallasch has shown that he has very limited experience with or understanding of the programs that he would be overseeing.

I am going to vote against this nomination, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

At this time, I also want to once again reiterate my disappointment in the unprecedented obstruction to Democratic nominees to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board. Last Congress, Republicans refused to confirm two very highly qualified and respected nominees to additional terms on the EEOC and the NLRB.

Earlier this year, Republicans broke yet another longstanding tradition by confirming a majority nominee to the EEOC without a Democratic pair.

Last week, the White House announced its intention to nominate a bipartisan pair of nominees to the EEOC. After a year of obstruction, I am encouraged by this small step toward bipartisanship and normalcy, but I am here today to urge the White House to formalize these nominations as quickly as possible so that the Senate can confirm them and restore balance to the EEOC.

I strongly urge the White House to nominate a full slate of nominees--Republican and Democrat--to both the NLRB and EEOC.

For those reasons and because of Mr. Pallasch's lack of experience and knowledge about the programs and the policies he would be responsible for, I will vote against his nomination. Nomination of Robert L. King

Madam President, I also come to the floor today to oppose the nomination of Robert King to be the Department of Education's Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. This position is especially important because so many of our Nation's students are struggling today in higher education.

Over the last few years, I have heard from students who are worried about how they are ever going to afford their textbooks or their rent or even their food, who are worried if their college is preparing them for a good education and if they are going to be able to get a good- paying job and pay off their loans.

First-generation college students are struggling to navigate their financial aid and how to succeed on a college campus for the first time. I am hearing about those worried about being able to get an education without being discriminated against or harassed or assaulted on campus. Those are just a snapshot of the issues students are facing in higher education today.

These challenges are not easy to solve. That is why Chairman Alexander and I are working now to address all of those issues and more in our reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

As we work to update this critically important law, we cannot ignore the current actions of this Department of Education, which is loosening and eliminating rules that benefit predatory colleges instead of protecting students. Students should have an ally at the Department of Education, someone who understands the challenges they are facing and is committed to helping students succeed.

Among other responsibilities, this Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education is responsible for developing rules, for developing a budget and legislative proposals for higher education, and overseeing our country's quality assurance system of accreditation--a system this Secretary is currently dismantling.

This position is also responsible for programs that help our low- income students and first-generation students and students with disabilities as they prepare for and try to succeed in college and programs that help support minority-serving institutions.

On these issues specifically, Mr. King's record is particularly concerning. Mr. King blamed students for the daunting challenges in higher education today, even saying students are making ``bad economic choices.'' He also refused to answer questions on whether he believes students face systemic barriers in higher education or whether income inequality plays a role in a student's ability to earn a degree. There are students in higher education who are skipping meals today or living in a car. Mr. King would not acknowledge that problem.

Finally, on an issue that is so important to me and one that is imperative to a student's ability to succeed in higher education, Mr. King blamed alcohol and bad judgment--not perpetrators--for the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses.

I don't believe Mr. King has the right understanding of what students are facing today to be our Nation's next Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. I urge my colleagues who are committed to making higher education within reach for all students to join me in voting against his nomination.

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