Lori Chavez-DeRemer | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2025 | |
| 30th United States Secretary of Labor | |
| Assumed office March 11, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Keith Sonderling |
| Preceded by | Marty Walsh |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOregon's5th district | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Kurt Schrader |
| Succeeded by | Janelle Bynum |
| Mayor ofHappy Valley | |
| In office January 18, 2011 – January 15, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Rob Wheeler |
| Succeeded by | Tom Ellis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lori Michelle Chávez (1968-04-07)April 7, 1968 (age 56) Santa Clara, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Stuart Erwin (great-granduncle) |
| Education | California State University, Fresno (BBA) |
Lori Michelle Chavez-DeRemer (/ˈtʃɑːvɛzdəˈriːmər/; néeChávez; born April 7, 1968) is an American politician who has served as the 30thUnited States secretary of labor since 2025. A member of theRepublican Party, she served as theU.S. representative forOregon's 5th congressional district from 2023 to 2025 and as the mayor ofHappy Valley, Oregon, from 2011 to 2019.
She is the first Republican woman to represent Oregon in the House. Additionally, she is one of the first twoHispanic women (alongsideAndrea Salinas) elected to theUnited States Congress from Oregon. Chavez-DeRemer served one term in the House before being defeated in 2024 by DemocratJanelle Bynum.
On November 22, 2024, President-electDonald Trump nominated Chavez-DeRemer as secretary of labor. Chavez-DeRemer was the only Republican co-sponsor and one of three congressional Republicans to support theProtecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act),[1] though she partially walked back her support during her labor secretary confirmation hearing in 2025. The act would give workers more advantages when organizing or joiningunions andbargaining with employers.[1][2] Her nomination was backed byTeamsters PresidentSean O'Brien, who praised her support of the PRO Act and thanked Trump for the pick, but faced opposition from some business groups.[2][3] She was confirmed by theSenate on March 10, 2025, by a vote of 67–32.
Born on April 7, 1968, inSanta Clara, California, Chavez-DeRemer grew up inHanford, California, and was raised by her father, Richard Chavez, described as a "Mexican AmericanTeamster".[4][5] Chavez-DeRemer graduated fromHanford High School in 1986.[6][7][8] She earned a bachelor's degree inbusiness administration fromCalifornia State University, Fresno.[9]
Chavez-DeRemer was elected to the city council ofHappy Valley, Oregon, in 2004.[7] She was elected mayor in 2010 and reelected in 2014. She served as mayor until 2018.[10]
In 2016, after incumbentShemia Fagan opted not to seek reelection to her seat inOregon House District 51, Chavez-DeRemer filed to run as a Republican, and won the primary unopposed.[11] She lost by 564 votes to restaurateurJanelle Bynum in the November general election, in what was the most expensive state House race in Oregon of 2016.[12][13]
In June 2017, Chavez-DeRemer formed apolitical action committee to explore a gubernatorial bid in2018.[14] In October 2017, she announced in a YouTube video that she would not run for governor, clearing the primary for eventual nomineeKnute Buehler.[15][16]
In March 2018, Chavez-DeRemer announced her intention to again run for House District 51.[17] She was unopposed in the Republican primary. She again lost to Bynum, by 2,223 votes.[18][19]
Chavez-DeRemer won the May 2022 Republican primary forOregon's 5th congressional district. The district, which had been represented for seven terms by moderate DemocratKurt Schrader, was significantly altered in redistricting after Oregon gained a House seat. It lost its share of the Pacific coastline and the state capital ofSalem, but stretched further south to gain rapidly-growingBend. Schrader lost the Democratic primary to progressiveJamie McLeod-Skinner and refused to endorse her in the general election.
Chavez-DeRemer defeated McLeod-Skinner in the November 8 general election.[20][21]
Both Chavez-DeRemer and McLeod-Skinner lived just outside the district at the time of the election. Under theU.S. Constitution, members of the U.S. House must be residents of their state, but do not have to live in the district.[22]
Chavez-DeRemer ran for reelection in 2024 against Democratic nomineeJanelle Bynum. The race was considered one of the most competitive in the U.S. House and drew more than $26 million inoutside spending. The race was called for Bynum on Friday, November 8.[23]
On November 22, 2024, PresidentDonald Trump nominated Chavez-DeRemer as hissecretary of labor.[26] She appeared before theSenate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on February 19, 2025.[27] When asked by multiple senators about theProtecting the Right to Organize Act, which she co-sponsored while serving in Congress, Chavez-DeRemer stated that she no longer supported provisions overturning stateright to work laws and did not provide a direct answer as to whether she still supported the bill as a whole.[28] The committee advanced her nomination in a 14–9 vote on February 27.[29] She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 67–32 vote on March 10.[30]
Chavez-DeRemer was sworn in as the 30thUnited States Secretary of Labor on March 11, 2025.
Chavez-DeRemer is described byThe New York Times as "a mainstream Republican" who pitches herself as an independent thinker.[31]
Chavez-DeRemer voted to provide Israel with support following the2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[32][33]
Chavez-DeRemer was one of six Republicans to sign abipartisan letter spearheaded by centrist members of the House of Representatives in which they pledged to respect the results of the2024 presidential election.[34]
Chavez-DeRemer, along with Democratic minority leaderHakeem Jeffries, cosponsored legislation to reformfederal cannabis laws. She also cosponsored the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which would expand the power of public sector unions.[35]
Chavez-DeRemer was the only Republican co-sponsor and one of three congressional Republicans to support theProtecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) strongly opposed by business groups.[1] The act would give workers more advantages when organizing or joining unions and bargaining with employers, also weakening state right-to-work laws.[1][2] She was supported byTeamsters PresidentSean O'Brien for the position of Secretary of Labor, who thanked President-elect Trump for the nomination, noting her support of the PRO Act.[2] Her nomination was opposed by some business interest groups.[3]
She stated that she personally opposes abortion but would oppose a national abortion ban and supportsIVF treatments.Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a group that opposes abortion, scored her views with a B.[36]
Chavez-DeRemer is married to Shawn DeRemer, ananesthesiologist. They have two children and live in Happy Valley.[37]
Chavez-DeRemer is aRoman Catholic.[38]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Janelle Bynum | 191,365 | 47.7 | |
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer (incumbent) | 180,420 | 45.0 | |
| Independent | Brett Smith | 18,665 | 4.7 | |
| Libertarian | Sonja Feintech | 6,193 | 1.5 | |
| Pacific Green | Andrea Thorn Townsend | 4,155 | 1.0 | |
| Write-in | 495 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 401,293 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer (incumbent) | 54,458 | 98.18 | |
| Republican | Write-in | 1,009 | 1.81 | |
| Total votes | 55,467 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer | 178,813 | 50.91 | |
| Democratic | Jamie McLeod-Skinner | 171,514 | 48.83 | |
| Write-in | 906 | 0.26 | ||
| Total votes | 351,233 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer | 30,438 | 42.77 | |
| Republican | Jimmy Crumpacker | 20,631 | 28.99 | |
| Republican | John Di Paola | 11,486 | 16.14 | |
| Republican | Laurel L. Roses | 6,321 | 8.88 | |
| Republican | Madison Oatman | 1,863 | 2.62 | |
| Republican | Write-in | 429 | 0.60 | |
| Total votes | 71,168 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Janelle Bynum (incumbent) | 14,843 | 53.92 | |
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer | 12,620 | 45.85 | |
| Write-in | 63 | 0.23 | ||
| Total votes | 27,526 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer | 2,453 | 97.77 | |
| Republican | Write-in | 56 | 2.23 | |
| Total votes | 2,509 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Janelle Bynum | 14,310 | 50.85 | |
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer | 13,746 | 48.85 | |
| Write-in | 86 | 0.30 | ||
| Total votes | 28,142 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lori Chavez-DeRemer | 3,255 | 96.14 | |
| Republican | Write-in | 96 | 2.86 | |
| Total votes | 3,351 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Lori Chavez-DeRemer (incumbent) | 3,682 | 94.63 | |
| Write-in | 209 | 5.37 | ||
| Total votes | 3,891 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Lori DeRemer | 2,749 | 94.63 | |
| Write-in | 156 | 5.37 | ||
| Total votes | 2,905 | 100.0 | ||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOregon's 5th congressional district 2023–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Julie Su Acting | United States Secretary of Labor 2025–present | Incumbent |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded byas United States Secretary of Commerce | Order of precedence of the United States as Secretary of Labor | Succeeded byas United States Secretary of Health and Human Services |
| U.S. presidential line of succession | ||
| Preceded byas United States Secretary of Commerce | Eleventh in line as Secretary of Labor | Succeeded byas United States Secretary of Health and Human Services |
Members of theCabinet of the United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet members |  | |
| Cabinet-level members | ||
*acting Cabinet of Donald Trump | ||
