Tim Kaine Questions Trump DoL Nominee on Women in the Workforce and Part-Time Work

Concerns Over Agency Quorums and Nominations

• 🏛️ Senator Kaine expresses concern over the intentional strategy of keeping important congressional agencies without a quorum, citing the example of the commission that should have five members but only has two.
• ⚠️ This strategy, which includes firing members and not nominating Democratic members, is seen as an intentional effort to undermine the mission of these agencies.
• ⚖️ Kaine emphasizes that while a president's party should have a majority on these commissions, it should not result in a monopoly, and the tradition of a full commission has been honored by past administrations.

Part-Time Work and Women in the Workforce

• ❓ Senator Kaine questions a nominee about his statements regarding women and part-time work, asking if he believes part-time work is more of a woman's thing.
• 📊 The nominee clarifies that his observation was based on labor market surveys indicating a preference for flexible or part-time work among a substantial number of women, not a categorical statement.
• ✅ He affirms that opportunities available to men and women should be equal, and acknowledges the existence of significant barriers for women in the workplace.

Women's Bureau and Nominee's Stance

• 🚫 Kaine points out the nominee's apparent support for eliminating the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau.
• 🗣️ The nominee states he supports the president's agenda but has not personally advocated for the elimination of the Women's Bureau.