Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Wednesday she has “no confidence” in President Trump’s pick to lead the Labor Department.
“I have to say, this has really been frustrating,” Warren told Alexander Acosta during a heated exchange at his Senate confirmation hearing.
“You have dodged every one of my questions. None of these were trick questions.”
{mosads}Warren pressed Acosta to protect several Obama-era labor regulations, including a retirement investment rule, overtime protections for low-wage workers and workplace exposure limits for silica dust.
Acosta would not commit to defending the rules, saying his hands were tied by a handful of Trump’s executive orders.
“Based on that executive action, I cannot make a commitment, because the Department of Labor has been ordered to review all rules,” Acosta said.
“I understand you may not want to answer my questions, but there are about 150 million American workers who are pretty interested in the answers,” Warren snapped back.
“These are questions that determine whether or not they can go to work every day without getting lung cancer, whether they will be paid fairly so they will have enough money to put food on the table and send their kids to college, and whether after a lifetime of back-breaking work, they’ll have a chance to retire with dignity,” Warren said.
“If you can’t give me straight answers … I don’t have any confidence you’re the right person for this job,” she added.