The Senate on Monday confirmed Marty Walsh as labor secretary in a 68-29 vote .
Mr. Walsh, Boston's mayor since 2014, has an extensive labor background, including leading the Boston Metropolitan District Building Trades Council from 2011-2013.
During his Feb. 4 hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Mr. Walsh was asked about getting people back to work, protecting workers during the pandemic, boosting unemployment insurance and improving job training programs. On a bipartisan basis, the committee approved his nomination in an 18-4 vote on Feb.11.
Before the committee vote, in a written response to a question posed by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the committee's chairwoman, Mr. Walsh took issue with Trump-era rules for ERISA fiduciaries on selecting investments and exercising voting rights.
"I am especially concerned that the recent rules could make it harder for plans to make investment decisions based on ESG factors, even when those factors are related to the economic wellbeing of plans and their participants," Mr. Walsh said in his written response. "Given ERISA's overarching goal of protecting plans and their participants, that is reason enough to review the rule-makings."
On March 10, the Labor Department said it would not enforce both rules, though they remain on the books.
