patricia smith has dedicated last several years of her life to helping workers find jobs and keep jobs since taking over as commissioner, smith as spearheaded a $4.25 million initiative to prepare new yorkers for jobs in emerging and green technologies. she's revamped the state's unemployment rhee training programs to allow more workers to get approved for training dollars at the same time they're collecting unemployment benefits. she's promoted the state's shared training program which gives businesses an alternative to layoffs as they face a temporary deklain in business. increase the number of businesses participating to 1,620 in 2009. these just a few of her many impressive accomplishments in the area of job training and workforce development. but where commissioner smith really gained her reputation as one of the finist labor lawyers in the country is in the area of enforcement. she is committed to protecting workers' rights. in 2008, the new york department of labor collected $24.6 million in back wages for 17,000 workers across the state. this was a 37% increase in collections f

patricia smith, commissioner smith, i should say, is an accomplished attorney with a detailed knowledgeof our labor laws and a deep compliment to improving the lives of working families. at present, she is commissioner of the new york department of labor. and since becoming commissioner of the new york department of labor, she has played a prominent role in working new york's families weather the current economic crisis. she has implemented creative new work-sharing programs to help employers avoid layoffs. she has revamped the state's unemployment insurance system to help workers access benefits more easily. she's created a new program to help low-income workers train for careers in high-demand fields such as green technology and construction and health care. through these nicialts, commissioner comij has demonstrated impressive leadership skills. she has built positive working relationships with legislators, worker advocates and the business community. in a letter urging her confirmation, the business council of new york -- the business council of new york had this to say: "ms. smith

patricia smith's nomination and confirm ms. smith as solicitor general at the u.s. department of labor signed by margaret dorfman, the new york women's chamber of commerce. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. harkin: ms. smith is imminently well qualified and well vetted and we need a solicitor of labor at the department of labor. this nomination has been hanging here since last april. since last april. it's time to move on. but, again, the republicans are exercising their right. although i think there's an abuse of that right to drag it out for 30 more hours, keep the senate in session for no purpose whatsoever other than just to slow things down in this chamber. to me that's -- that's not a good enough excuse. whatsoever. when only one person came here today to speak against her and that person spoke against her yesterday. i read the transcript. nothing new. same stuff. so i would hope that we could collapse this time frame and vote on it. but evidently the republicans are intent on stretching this out to the maximum 30 hours. as i said, maybe they're

patricia smith of new york to be solicitor for the department of labor signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by mass consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is: is it the sense of the senate the debate on the nomination of ann patricia smith shall be brought to a cloasms the yeas and nays -- to cleesms the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the r vote: quorum call: vote: vote: the presiding officer: anyone -- are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? if not, on this vote, the yeas are 60, the nays are 32. three-finals of the senators duly chosen and sworn shall having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: mr. president, i ask now unanimous consent notwithstanding rule 22 that the senate consider the following nominations: calendar number 561, clifford stanley to be under secretary of defense of person ale he will and readiness, calendar number 603, plawr a kennedy for a u.s. representative, c

president, i rise in support of the nomination of patricia smith for solicitor of the department of laboroner smith is a dynamic and effective leader with over 30 years of experience in labor law, and i'm very proud to support her nomination. she has exhibited exceptional leadership during her tenure as new york's labor commissioner. in this capacity, she managed 3,700 employees in 80 offices and oversaw an annual budget of of $11 billion. in response to the current economic climate, mrs. smith executed critical programs to reduce the impact of layoffs and also implemented career training to assist individuals in entering high-demand fields. additionally, she has enhanced labor law enforcement in order to safeguard workers and reward responsible employers. commissioner smith fully embodies the integrity and the diligence that this position demands and has a wealth of experience, making her well qualified to enforce quilt issues such as workplace safety and health, fair wages, equal employment opportunity, veterans' protection, and retirement and health benefits. prior to her term as labor

patricia smith of new york to be solicitor. the presiding officer: under the previous order, there will be 20 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees -- between the senator from iowa, mr. harkin be, and the senator from wyoming, mr. enzi, or their designees. who yields time? mr. enzi: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from wyoming. mr. enzi: thank you. i rise again in opposition to the nomination of patricia smith to serve as the solicitor of the labor department. as i noted monday, the framers crafted the system of checks and balances to ensure that each government branch has the means to review the actions of the other branches. here in the senate, one of those checks is our constitutional duty to provide advice and consent on executive branch nominations. the leader earlier talked about the amount of time that it takes for cloture on people. it does take quite a while, but it's part of the process. now, i can tell you when there's a hearing on a person, if

. >> they've already rushed through the nomination of patricia smith in the labor department on a straight party line vote. that was after a republican senator from wyoming produced a damming report that showed she had a -- evidence showed she had lied during her senate testimony about her role in a program when she was labor commissioner in new york that allowed union members to enforce wage and hour laws in new york. talk about the fox guarding the henhouse. >> neil: your argument is if you were to read from massachusetts that unions were on the ropes or big spending -- deals might be on the ropes, do not count these guys out. they're resourceful. >> that's exactly right. they're -- they don't have the votes for card check sweeping in congress so they're trying to do everything they can in a back doorway to pay back unions before they lose the super majority and make sure big labor is behind them in november, especially since they're unhappy over the healthcare bill. >> mark, you were on this before anybody. hat's off to you. thank you very much. >> thanks for having me. >> this guy, $50

becker just like they opposed patricia smith.ut i think it's important for the general public to get the facts and understand what this is all about. first and foremost, critics have suggested that mr. becker would come to the board with an agenda and that he would try to implement the employee free choice act by administrative fiat. as you are all aware, i am a supporter of the employer free choice act, as is president obama. he campaigned on it. i hope to see it passed by congress. i would look forward to the debate. i hope it's signed into law by the president. but i have no illusions that those important changes can somehow be accomplished administratively and neither does craig becker. he has clearly and consistently explained on numerous occasions that all three major reforms in the employer free choice act, the card check, binding arbitration for first contracts and increased penalties for violations of the law, cannot be accomplished without a change in the statute. and as we all know, statutes can only be amended by thos

members about to continue work on the nomination of patricia smith to be labor department

senate as a medevac is working on a nomination of patricia smith to be the solicitor general for the department of labor. some conversation about that issue in about an hour and half with the president and senate democratic conference. a few more minutes of your phone calls, and reminder you can see the president's comments and question and answer again tonight, 8:00 eastern on c-span2. washington, d.c., mike on our democrat's line. welcome. >> caller: how are you doing? after watching the republican in the democratic caucus meeting with obama, i'm at a point where i'm excited about obama finally making a right argument that the criticism that has been levied against him has been for the most part ill-informed or at least ill advised that the bulk of the budget was a budget that he walked into office with. so now the new budget, the one that is more a century his first annual budget, the only thing that is really done has laid a good groundwork for willison should be a appropriate amount of spending. i think the bulk of the criticism has really, really not taken into account the vast

and the nomination of patricia smith to be solicitor of the labor department.ate gavels in at 2:15 eastern. and that will be on c-span 2. on c-span3, coming up at 2:30, an intelligence committee. director of national intelligence, dennis blair. he's testifying -- they're testifying on threats to national security. it's election day in illinois. reports from the associated press indicate that voter turnout appears to be light so far today as voters are decided which democrats will maintain the party's hold on the governor's office. now live to the house floor here on c-span. empore: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by our chaplain, father coughlin. chaplain coughlin: lord, your spirit of understanding, truth, and peace, may this congress prove to be your fit instrument to foster yet a greater union and assure equal justice for all your people. we ask this because you have give us your just commands and reveal your redeeming love both now and forever. amen. the speaker pro tempore: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceed