A veteran state and federal lawmaker, Hilda L. Solis was the U.S. Representative for California's 32nd District when she was nominated for the Department of Labor on Jan. 20, 2009. During her eight years in Congress, her legislative agenda included health care, environmental protection and bettering the lives of working families. Her signature federal legislation was the Green Jobs Act of 2007, "which provided funding for 'green' collar job training for veterans, displaced workers, at-risk youth and individuals in families under 200 percent of the federal poverty line."
"This legislation is an opportunity to advance not only the energy security of our nation, but also the economic security of our families," Solis said. "Through targeted job training efforts, we can support both our nation's innovation and technological leadership and lift people out of poverty."
As California's first Latina state senator, Solis gained national prominence with her successful fight to push passage of the state's environmental justice law over strong opposition. The oldest daughter of immigrant parents, she focused on the disproportionate presence of toxic landfills and other polluting projects near minority and low-income residential areas. Although her first legislation was vetoed by former California Gov. Pete Wilson in 1997, Solis reintroduced it and saw it signed into law by Gov. Gray Davis in 1999. In 2000, Solis became was honored with the 2000 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award for her work in fighting for the new law.
Solis' federal experience includes work in the Carter administration's White House Office of Hispanic Affairs and as a management analyst in the Civil Rights Division of the Office of Management and Budget.
The secretary graduated from California State Polytechnic University (Pomona), and received her master of public administration from the University of Southern California.
Deputy Secretary Seth D. Harris was a law professor at New York Law School and director of its labor and employment law programs when he was nominated to be deputy secretary of labor. He was sworn in on May 26, 2009. Harris came with seven years of department experience, having served during the Clinton administration under Secretaries Robert Reich and Alexis Herman. His jobs at the department included counselor to the secretary and acting assistant secretary for policy. He received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a law degree from the New York University School of Law.
Key officials in the office include Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, Deputy Secretary Seth Harris, Chief of Staff Katherine Archuleta, Deputy Chief of Staff Jeff Navin, Senior Advisor for Communications and Public Affairs Carl Fillichio, and
Senior Managing Director for Public Affairs Jaime Zapata.
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