The Honorable Patty Murray, Chairman
The Honorable Richard Burr, Ranking Member
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairwoman Murray and Ranking Member Burr:
I write to express the AFL-CIO’s support for Lisa Gomez’s confirmation as Assistant Secretary for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) at the U.S. Department of Labor and to call for her swift confirmation. Ms. Gomez is highly qualified for this position and her prompt confirmation will ensure continuation of EBSA’s important work protecting the retirement income security and health care of millions of working and retired Americans.
Ms. Gomez has both the expertise and temperament to lead EBSA. For decades, she has been advising employee benefit plans on complying with ERISA and other federal and state laws affecting their operation. Her years attending benefit plan trustee meetings, reviewing plan vendor agreements, learning the language and perspective of plan actuaries, and representing plans in litigation have given her deep knowledge in all aspects of the complex laws that fall under EBSA’s purview. Furthermore, in her leadership roles within the legal profession, she has demonstrated an ability to work with advocates from all sides of the employee benefits bar and to identify the important issues affecting plans, their participants, beneficiaries, and sponsors.
Ms. Gomez’s role leading a busy labor and employment law firm necessarily puts her in the position of employer, mentor, and business owner. She has volunteered her services in numerous leadership and administrative roles to support the legal profession, including as co-chair of the American Bar Association Joint Committee on Employee Benefits. In the employee benefits field, a firm’s clients include plans, plan trustees, employers, unions, plan participants and beneficiaries. A successful EBSA leader must be able to see the law from these varying perspectives and Ms. Gomez’ background has given her that broad view.
Last, her easy temperament and strong work ethic—qualities that led her into her leadership positions—make her well suited to undertake EBSA’s important work. She is an excellent choice and should be confirmed without delay.
Sincerely,
William Samuel
Director, Government Affairs