Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise in support of the nomination of Patricia Smith for Solicitor of the Department of Labor. Commissioner Smith is a dynamic and effective leader with over 30 years of experience in labor law, and I am very proud to support her nomination. She has exhibited exceptional leadership during her 10 years as New York's Labor Commissioner. In this capacity, she managed 3,700 employees in 80 offices and oversaw an annual budget of $11 billion. In response to the current economic climate, Ms. Smith executed critical programs to reduce the impact of layoffs. She also implemented career training to assist individuals in entering high demand fields. Additionally, she has enhanced labor law enforcement in order to safeguard workers and reward responsible employers. Commissioner Smith fully embodies the integrity and the diligence this position demands and has a wealth of experience, making her well qualified to enforce critical issues such as workplace safety and health, fair wages, equal employment opportunity, veterans protection, and retirement and health benefits. Prior to her term as labor commissioner, she served as Chief of the Labor Bureau in the New York Attorney General's Office for 8 years. In that capacity, she established a method of labor law enforcement that other attorneys general and enforcement agencies have used as a model.…”