The first Senate hearing for R. Alexander Acosta, President Trump’s nominee to head the Labor Department, has been postponed until later this month.
The event, which had been set for this week, was pushed back due to a scheduling conflict, a spokesman for Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said.
“Because Chairman Alexander will be joining President Trump in Nashville on Wednesday, Alexander Acosta’s confirmation hearing will be rescheduled to Wednesday, March 22nd at 9 a.m. The Executive Session for committee members to vote on Mr. Acosta’s nomination will be scheduled for the following week,” said committee spokesman Taylor Haulsee.
Acosta, dean of the Florida International University of Law, is Trump’s second nominee for the cabinet post. The prior pick, fast food businessman Andrew Puzder, withdrew from consideration last month following numerous delays to his first Senate hearing and staunch opposition to his bid from Senate Democrats and organized Labor. Acosta, a former assistant attorney general for civil rights under President George W. Bush, has been more favorably received.
