Boston Mayor Marty Walsh‘s nomination for labor secretary advanced through a Senate committee on Thursday, setting up the Democrat for a vote before the full Senate with the clock ticking at home on a home rule petition to call off a special election for mayor if he resigns before March 5.
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions voted 18-4 on Thursday to approve President Joe Biden’s nomination of Walsh to lead the U.S. Department Labor.
Walsh had his confirmation hearing last week where he encountered little resistance, and spoke up in support a federal $15 an hour minimum wage.
“Workers – who are the backbone of our economy – are being pushed to the brink. They need us to acknowledge this crisis is far from over, and pass additional relief as soon as possible. And they need a Secretary of Labor like Mayor Walsh who will act quickly to keep workers safe, defend and expand workers’ rights, and be a partner in helping our economy come back stronger and fairer for all workers,” HELP Committee Chair Sen. Patti Murray (D-Washington) said at that hearing.
The Boston Globe reported that the no votes all came from Republicans – Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Braun of Indiana, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Jerry Moran of Kansas.
Walsh has said he will resign as soon as he is confirmed by the Senate.
With the Senate in the middle of its impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, it’s unclear when that vote might occur.
If Walsh were to resign before March 5, city rules stipulate that there should be a special election, even though a regularly scheduled mayoral election is already on the calendar for later in the year.
The City Council voted unanimously to cancel the special election, but the city’s home rule petition to alter its charter must be approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Charlie Baker.
Rep. Chynah Tyler, a Roxbury Democrat and chair of the Boston delegation on Beacon Hill, filed the home rule petition this week, and members of the delegation have said they support the change and believe it could be acted upon quickly.
Speaker Ron Mariano is expected to set up committees on Friday, including a Committee on Election Laws, which could receive the bill.
It’s not clear whether lawmakers will hold a hearing on it, or try to fast track it without a public hearing.
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