Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) lauded President Obama’s nomination of Marylander Tom Perez to be the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. He looks forward to a fair and open confirmation process to fill this important position as soon as possible.

 “Tom Perez has made his home state of Maryland proud as an aggressive champion for justice and the public good his entire career at the federal, state and local levels of government.  If confirmed as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor, Tom will bring to the position the depth of experience and management skills needed to continue to revive a beleaguered American work force during such a fragile time for our economy. 

“Tom is a former Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and a former advisor to Senator Edward Kennedy. In his current position, as director of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, Tom has restored the office’s role as our nation’s moral conscience and a force against discrimination.  He will be missed greatly in this position but I know that Tom will bring to the Department of Labor the same drive and determination to empower hard-working individuals who simply want a fair shot at the American Dream.”

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