After weeks of delays, the Senate voted Tuesday afternoon 80-17 to confirm Hilda Solis as the secretary of Labor.
Republicans were concerned about Solis’ public advocacy of the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as card-check legislation, a bill labor unions are pushing as a way for employees to more easily unionize. The bill is unpopular with Republicans and critics who say the bill takes away the secret ballot for unions.
Solis, a Democratic representative from California, had also faced scruitiny after tax discrepancies showed up in her husband’s tax returns.
