That's according to Chuck Todd at MSNBC.
Solis looks like a great pick. The California congresswoman is a workers' labor secretary. She is the daughter of naturalized parents. She fights for women, immigrants’ rights, education, worker safety and healthcare. Here's what she said recently on the guest worker program:
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) issued the following statement in regard to the recent changes made to the H-2A guest worker program by the U.S. Department of Labor. These include changes in the wage scales, rules to recruit foreign workers and reductions in worker protections.Her bio:
“With many families already burdened by this bad economy, our nation cannot afford these guest worker program changes. This recent action by the Bush administration is just the latest example of how out of touch the president is with working families, especially with Latino families that make up a large portion of the farm workers in this country.
“There is no question that the guest worker program needs significant overhaul but slashing wages and reducing basic rights for the most vulnerable workers in our country, especially hardworking Latino farm workers, is not the answer. I look forward to working with the Obama administration and the Democratic majority to find the best solutions to strengthen this workforce and protections afforded to them.”
First elected in 2000, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis is serving her fourth term in Congress representing California's 32nd Congressional District, which includes Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Irwindale, Rosemead, South El Monte, and West Covina and portions of Monterey Park and East Los Angeles. Solis’ priorities in Congress include expanding access to affordable health care, protecting the environment, and improving the lives of working families.
Solis is the first Latina to serve on the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where she is Vice Chair of the Environment and Hazardous Materials (EHM) Subcommittee and a member of the Health and Telecommunications Subcommittees. From 2003-2006, she served as the Ranking Democratic Member of the EHM Subcommittee. Solis also serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources and in March 2007 was named a member of the newly created House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.
Solis also serves as Co-Vice Chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. She is a Senior Whip, as well as a Regional Whip for Southern California. Solis is also Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Task Force on Health and the Environment, under which she spearheads annual summits across the country about racial and ethnic health disparities.
In 2007, Solis was appointed to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission), as well as the Mexico – United States Interparliamentary Group. In June 2007, Solis was elected Vice Chair of the Helsinki Commission’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. She is the only U.S. elected official to serve on this Committee.
Here she is talking about children's healthcare:
Here she is on the economy:
