U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer has reached the halfway point of her 50-state “America at Work” listening tour, with recent visits to Illinois and Minnesota. The initiative aims to gather input from workers across the country and relay their concerns to President Trump’s administration.
In Chicago, Chavez-DeRemer met with Teamsters health care workers at Rush University Medical Center. She referenced her personal background as the daughter of a Teamster and discussed how this experience influences her approach to bringing together business and labor interests. The Secretary listened to nurses about their workplace challenges and discussed ways to strengthen workforce support.
In Le Sueur, Minnesota, Chavez-DeRemer toured Cambria, a family-owned quartz countertop manufacturer. During the visit, she observed how recent federal policies are affecting local businesses. Cambria recently announced plans for an $80 million processing plant and rail center in southern Minnesota, which is expected to create new jobs and boost domestic manufacturing in the region.
The company is one of nearly 96,000 Made in America businesses operating in Minnesota that have benefited from tax relief provided by recent legislation supported by President Trump’s administration. According to projections shared during the visit, Minnesota workers may see wage increases exceeding $7,000, while a typical family with two children could take home up to $11,100 more due to these policy changes.
Secretary Chavez-DeRemer began her tour in early April with the aim of collecting feedback directly from American workers for policymakers in Washington. Stops so far have included Idaho, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming as part of broader efforts by the Trump Administration to expand workforce training programs and connect Americans with available jobs.
“After visiting more than half the country in just over four months, the message I’m relaying to President Trump is clear: Hardworking men and women everywhere are excited to join the workforce and help usher in a new Golden Age of prosperity,” said Secretary Chavez-DeRemer. “The historic success of the President’s first 200 days is already being felt through policies like historic tax relief for hardworking families and free and fair-trade deals that are bringing jobs back to the U.S. As I continue traveling to all 50 states on my ‘America at Work’ tour, I’ll continue doing my part to ensure every American worker has the skills they need to thrive under the blue-collar boom President Trump has ignited.”
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