Letter of Support From Diverse Business Organizations for Julie Su

The Honorable Bernie Sanders

Chairman

Senate Committee on Health, Education & Labor 

The Honorable Bill Cassidy 

Ranking Member

Senate Committee on Health, Education & Labor 

April 18, 2023

Dear Chairman Sanders and Ranking Member Cassidy,  

We write to you to express our support for the nomination and swift confirmation of Deputy Secretary Julie Su to serve as the next Secretary of Labor. Our organizations represent the voices of America’s diverse small businesses, including AAPIs, Black, Hispanic and women entrepreneurs. She has played a critical role in shepherding the Good Jobs Initiative and implementing important economic legislation such as the CHIPS and Science Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Her efforts are ensuring that the benefits of these laws are accessible to the small business community. 

Over the past two years, Deputy Secretary Su has established herself as a strong leader for workers as she’s led the U.S. Department of Labor alongside Secretary Marty Walsh. In her time as Deputy Secretary, and now Acting Secretary, Su has overseen several unprecedented workforce challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, labor shortages and disruptions to the supply chain which challenged both workers and employers to continue running businesses. Furthermore, her confirmation would make her the first Cabinet Secretary of AAPI descent to serve in the Biden Administration. 

Prior to her role as Deputy Secretary of Labor, she served as the Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, where she oversaw important initiatives such as the California Future of Work Commission, which proposed ideas to help the workforce of the future, such as creating a “California Job Quality Index” to define high-quality jobs and help workers know who are good employers offering good benefits. Deputy Secretary Su is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and small business owners, and understands the unique challenges that small businesses deal with on a daily basis to scale, and keep their doors open.

It is clear that the Deputy Secretary possesses the experience necessary to lead the Department of Labor at a critical time both for workers and businesses, and to meet the needs of the workforce of the future.

In 2021, the Senate confirmed Julie Su to serve as Deputy Secretary of Labor in a 50-47 vote. We urge the Senate to swifty confirm Deputy Secretary Su to serve as Secretary of Labor so that she can continue to lead the Department at this critical time for small businesses and entrepreneurs. 

Sincerely, 

African American Alliance of CDFI

National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship 

National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB)

National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)

Pacific Community Ventures

Prosperity Now

Operation HOPE

Small Business for America’s Future 

Snowy Mountain Development Corporation 

Snowy Mountain Development Regional Port Authority

United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)

Women Impacting Public Policy

Cc: members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education and Labor