Alexis Herman impresses Senate panel judging her for labor post

Jet, April 7, 1997

"Alexis Herman has the potential to be one of the best Secretaries of Labor this country can ever have," voiced Texas Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson following the long-delayed Capitol Hill hearing.

A longtime supporter of President Clinton, who nominated her for the post against the wishes of key labor constituencies, the Mobile, AL, native earned respect by her handling of delicate White House issues with diverse groups, stressed the Black Congresswoman, who added, "She is a wonderful choice."

It took only four hours of hearing testimony for lawmakers to debunk much of the media charges that Ms. Herman mixed politics in her official duties as director of the Office of Public Liaison.

The overflow turnout, including Jesse Jackson and Ms. Dorothy Height as well as Los Angeles Rep. Maxine Waters, the Black Caucus chair, quickly crowded the hearing of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. The chairman, Sen. James M. Jeffords (R-VT), had consistently postponed the session, which provoked an avalanche of letters and telegrams from supporters demanding action on the job of the Black woman destined to become the most powerful minority member during the Clinton second term.

Impressed by her performance, some committee members predicted that she would be confirmed by mid-April to begin the challenging Labor Secretary post.