WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement following an off-the-floor HELP Committee vote on the nominations of Loren Sweatt to serve on the National Mediation Board (NMB), and Gwynne Wilcox to serve on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The nominations of Sweatt and Wilcox were reported out of the Committee favorably by votes of 21-0 and 12-9 respectively and were referred to the Senate floor for a final vote at a later date. Cassidy voted against Wilcox’s nomination.
The NMB is an independent federal agency tasked with facilitating labor relations within the nation’s railroad and airline industries. The agency is made up of three members, and no more than two may be of the same political party. If confirmed, Sweatt will fill the vacancy left by departing Republican NMB member, Gerald W. Fauth, III.
“Since 2021, Loren has been a vital part of the HELP Committee’s work to protect American workers and ensure enforcement of our labor laws is free of political influence,” said Dr. Cassidy. “She brings decades of professionalism and expertise in labor policy that make her more than qualified for this role, and I wholeheartedly support her nomination.”
Before joining the HELP Committee staff in March of 2021, Sweatt served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at the U.S. Department of Labor. Prior to her leadership of OSHA, Sweatt served for 15 years as a Senior Policy Advisor at the House Education and the Workforce Committee.