President Biden will nominate Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su to head the Labor Department, replacing Marty Walsh, the White House said Tuesday, setting up for a fiery confirmation process after she faced Republican criticism for a massive unemployment insurance scandal that happened on her watch as California’s labor chief.

The White House called Su a "tested and experienced leader" and said she would help to build a "more inclusive economy" in an announcement Tuesday.

"Over several decades, Julie has led the largest state labor department in the nation, cracked down on wage theft, fought to protect trafficked workers, increased the minimum wage, created good-paying, high-quality jobs, and established and enforced workplace safety standards," Biden said.
 

Su, the former secretary of labor for California, was confirmed by a razor-thin margin, 50-47, by the U.S. Senate in July 2021 to serve in her current role.