In this edition of Intel for Intercessors, we closely examine the appointment of Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer as President Trump’s choice for the 30th United States Secretary of Labor.

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Many laud President Trump for assembling one of the strongest, most competent teams around himself in modern governance history. This is particularly true of his Cabinet appointments. Though it was anticipated that the President would face harsh opposition to his list of nominees, not a single candidate thus far has been rejected by the Senate.

Though it is still very early, all eyes are watching and waiting to compare and contrast the President’s second administration with the abnormally high turnover of appointments in his first administration.  By the end of his first term in 2020, the turnover rate of President Trump’s Cabinet and top aides was an unprecedented 91%, far exceeding his predecessors, Obama (24%) and Bush (33%). Most analysts attribute that turbulence to Trump’s inexperience with Beltway politics and suspect counsel.

On March 10, 2025, the Senate confirmed Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Labor Secretary with a decisive 67-32 vote, a rare bipartisan event in a hotly polarized era. The former Oregon congresswoman, who lost her House seat in November 2024, was thrilled to have President Trump give her the nod for this critical and influential role.

Roles, Responsibilities, and Opposition 

In short, the Labor Secretary is the point person for the federal government to balance worker rights with employer needs while fostering an environment for robust economic health.  Sec. Chavez-DeRemer will be part administrator, advocate, and data-driven strategist in this role. The Secretary advises the President on labor policies and economic issues to improve working conditions, wages, and employment opportunities nationwide.

The Labor Secretary is responsible for enforcing labor laws, ensuring workplace safety and fairness, administering unemployment insurance, and boosting job training programs. With these critical responsibilities front and center, it is worthwhile to examine opposition to her appointment briefly.

Unsurprisingly, Senator Rand Paul voted against Sec. Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination, primarily due to her past support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.  The PRO Act is a pro-union bill that libertarian-leaning Paul strongly opposes, as he has consistently advocated for right-to-work laws. Senator Paul introduced the National Right-to-Work Act, which allows workers to opt out of joining unions or paying union dues in states that adopt it.

The PRO Act, which Sec. Chavez-DeRemer co-sponsored during her time in Congress, would have overridden state laws, strengthened unions by making it easier for workers to organize, and imposed penalties on employers who interfered with unionization efforts.  During her confirmation hearing, Paul pressed her on this issue, asking if she still supported the PRO Act.  Perhaps in a moment of political posturing, Sec. Chavez-DeRemer testified she “fully supported” states’ rights and that she no longer backed certain aspects of the bill.

Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer was born in California on April 7, 1968.  Her father, Richard Chavez, was a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of the largest labor unions in the United States and Canada. While the Teamsters aim for higher work wages, better benefits, and favorable conditions through collective bargaining, they are known for enforcing mandatory dues, employing aggressive tactics, being prone to corruption, and sometimes cultivating a tenuous employee/employer relationship.

Many believe Senator Paul was right to highlight Sec. Chavez-DeRemer’s positions during her hearing.

Personal Life, Entrepreneur, and Public Servant

Sec. Lori was the first Republican woman elected to Congress in Oregon, serving from 2023 to 2025. Before her stint as a congresswoman, she served as the Mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon, from 2010 to 2018.  Key to her role as Labor Secretary, she and her husband, Shawn DeRemer, founded and own a small business in anesthesia management. Starting with just five employees in 2005, they now employ over 200 people in the Pacific Northwest.  Sec. Chavez-DeRemer’s experience as an entrepreneur has shaped her advocacy for policies supporting small businesses and reducing regulatory burdens.

As Labor Secretary, Sec. Chavez-DeRemer heads the Department of Labor, overseeing policies and programs related to the American workforce. She will enforce federal laws governing workplace conditions, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets standards for minimum wage, overtime, and child labor protections. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is also under Lori’s purview, and it is designed to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

The Labor Secretary collects and disseminates critical data specific to labor statistics, such as unemployment, inflation, the Consumer Price Index, and job growth trends, which are used to design and implement government policy to strengthen the economy. She will also manage job training and employment programs and mediate and resolve conflicts between workers and employers.

Combine all of this with other responsibilities, and the Labor Secretary will be a key economic adviser to the President.  She will work closely with President Trump, briefing him on labor and market conditions, recommending policy, and collaborating with other Cabinet members, including Treasury and Commerce, providing key economic strategies during periods of expansion and contraction.

During her time in Congress, Sec. Chavez-DeRemer maintained a 100% pro-life voting record, which she proudly highlighted during her Senate confirmation hearing.

The Chavez-DeRemers have twin daughters, born in 1996. They have been consistent in keeping their family life out of the public eye, but in her opening statement at her confirmation hearing, she announced that one daughter is expecting a baby, thus making her a grandmother for the first time. Rumor also has it that her daughters are often embarrassed by the Secretary’s self-proclaimed “bad mom dancing.”

As intercessors, let’s partner with this administration by praying for Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, her family, and her role as Labor Secretary. This Cabinet position carries great responsibility and requires wisdom, discernment, and bold leadership in turbulent times. May Our Lord grant favor to her efforts, draw her nearer to Himself, and release blessings to our country through her leadership.

How are you praying for Secretary Chavez-DeRemer? Share your prayers and scriptures in the comments!

Keith Guinta blogs at www.winepatch.org. He is a husband and father, and he has been a worship leader and church planter. Photo Credit: US Department of Labor – https://www.flickr.com/photos/52862363@N07/54382147836/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=163103924.