Solis sworn in as secretary of labor

Mar 20, 2009

In an 80-17 vote, the Senate confirmed Hilda L. Solis as secretary of labor on Feb. 24.

The nomination was stalled for several weeks after questions surfaced regarding Solis' husband's tax liens and her role as a board member and treasurer of a nonprofit, pro-labor union organization.

Labor unions hailed the confirmation shortly after the vote. Among them was the Washington-based Service Employees International Union, which released a statement saying Solis understands challenges confronting workers in the global economy.