Labor Dept. Nominee Is Nearly Unnoticed in Hearing

When senators spent two hours yesterday grilling President Bush's choice to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, perhaps the happiest person in the room was Paul DeCamp, whose nomination to a key Labor Department post was also up for confirmation.

Now a senior policy adviser in the department, DeCamp shared the witness table but escaped unscathed, but for a handful of barbed questions from Democrats who are opposed to his nomination to be wage and hour administrator -- the official who enforces rules governing minimum wages, overtime and other workplace issues affecting 130 million American workers.

DeCamp, a lawyer, introduced himself as a child of working-class parents. He said his previous jobs stocking shelves and flipping burgers made him a committed supporter of laws that protect workers from unfair labor practices.

Several Republican senators, including Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (Wyo.) and Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), praised DeCamp as a highly qualified expert in labor law.

But DeCamp conceded that, on his watch at the department, large numbers of temporary and immigrant workers were victimized by wage theft and other illegal practices -- in particular during the Gulf Coast cleanup after Hurricane Katrina.

"Why should we think you're going to do a better job as wage and hour administrator?" asked Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), waving reports documenting recent wage scandals.

DeCamp also drew criticism for having represented Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in a class-action lawsuit by 1.6 million low-wage female workers over alleged sex discrimination.

"Have you ever defended a worker in a lawsuit against an employer?" asked Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

"I have not," DeCamp replied.