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Trump's bipartisan-backed labor pick clears last hurdle before Cabinet confirmation

President Donald Trump's Labor Secretary nominee, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, advanced past her last procedural vote on Thursday, teeing up a final confirmation vote next week. 

The nominee easily got past the last hurdle by a 66-30 bipartisan vote. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted against the motion, the only Republican to do so. 

Chavez-DeRemer is now one step closer to becoming the secretary of the Department of Labor, and she will face a final vote on Monday. 

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Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Chavez-DeRemer walked back her PRO Act support. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Several Democrats ended up voting to move the Trump nominee forward, including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Adam Schiff of California and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. 

She recently managed to get past the key Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) with bipartisan backing. There was initially some uncertainty whether her nomination would be reported out favorably, as Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had pledged to oppose her. 

Chavez-DeRemer ultimately received 14 votes to advance from the committee last month, with 9 senators opposing. 

She earned the votes of Hassan, Hickenlooper and Kaine, in addition to nearly all Republicans, except for Paul. 

In a previous statement announcing her support prior to the committee vote, Hassan said, "The Department of Labor plays an integral role in supporting workers and small businesses alike, and after hearing significant support from constituents, including members of labor unions in New Hampshire, I will support Representative Chavez-DeRemer's nomination as Secretary of Labor."

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Sen. Maggis Hassan campaigning

Hassan revealed she would support Trump's labor pick. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

"Though we may not agree on everything, after meeting with Representative Chavez-DeRemer and listening to her testimony during her confirmation hearing, I believe that she is qualified to serve as the next secretary of labor, and I look forward to working with her to support New Hampshire's workers and small businesses," she continued.

After attending Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday, she told Fox News Digital she was "grateful" to have gotten some Democratic support in committee. 

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Donald Trump, Lori Chavez-Deremer

Trump nominated Chavez-DeRemer, a former House Rep.  (Reuters/ Getty Images)

During her hearing, Chavez-DeRemer was questioned over her past support for the controversial Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would effectively kill state-level laws that bar employers and unions from requiring workers to pay union dues as a condition of their employment. Republicans have long opposed overturning such Right-to-Work laws at the state level. 

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Rand Paul, Lori Chavez DeRemer

Rand Paul has already voted against Trump's labor secretary pick. (Reuters)

Trump's labor pick recently walked back her support for the policy as she was questioned by senators. "Like President Trump, I believe our labor laws need to be updated and modernized to reflect today's workforce and the business environment," she said during the hearing. 

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"As a member of Congress, the PRO Act was the bill to have those conversations that mattered deeply to the people of Oregon's 5th congressional district. I recognize that that bill was imperfect, and I also recognize that I am no longer representing Oregon as a lawmaker."

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner. 

Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.

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