TPA Urges HELP Committee to Reject Su Nomination

For Immediate Release                                                 Contact: Abigail Graham: (202) 417-7235

April 19, 2023                                                         

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, April 20, 2023, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold a hearing to consider Julie Su’s nomination as Secretary of Labor. Due to Julie Su’s history as the architect of California’s AB5, which enacted polices that severely hurt the gig economy, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) urges Congress to reject her nomination to head the U.S. Department of Labor.

Patrick Hedger, TPA Executive Director, offered the following comment:

“Unfortunately, Californians have seen firsthand the regressive effects of Julie Su’s policies. Now, President Biden has nominated Su to serve as Secretary of Labor.

“In today’s economy, more Americans than ever are searching for flexibility in the workforce. Access to employment as independent contractors—including driving for ride share apps, tutoring, pet sitting, and more – is critical to filling this demand. This is especially the case for working parents, with 47 percent having looked for a second job to make ends meet as the costs of basic goods continue to rise. As a leading figure behind AB5, Su forced many California independent contractors to reclassify as employees, limiting their ability to take on additional gigs in the midst of a struggling economy. Bringing these policies to a national level would prove detrimental to the nation’s workers and ossify chunks of the economy.

“Moreover, as California Labor Secretary, Su’s department struggled significantly to responsibly meet residents’ needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Su’s tenure, the Golden State issued nearly $20 billion in fraudulent COVID unemployment relief, by far the most of any state. This calls into question Su’s ability to head the U.S. Department of Labor and be an effective steward of the taxpayer dollars it receives.

“Tomorrow, as the Senate HELP Committee holds its hearing to consider Su’s nomination, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance urges members to consider how essential access to flexible gig work is for millions of Americans around the country and reject her nomination.”

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Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.