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ATA backs Sonderling for DOL, urges swift Senate action
Chris Spear cites experience, policy expertise and leadership at the Department of Labor
Key Takeaways:
- President Donald Trump nominated acting labor secretary Keith Sonderling on June 29, drawing swift support from American Trucking Associations.
- ATA said Sonderling’s labor policy approach matters to more than 350,000 truckers who operate as independent contractors.
- ATA urged the Senate to confirm Sonderling as DOL continues actions on independent contractor rules and English-language proficiency requirements.
American Trucking Associations is urging the Senate to swiftly confirm Keith Sonderling as labor secretary after President Donald Trump announced the nomination.
“ATA strongly supports Keith Sonderling’s nomination to serve as secretary of labor,” ATA President Chris Spear said. “He has the experience, policy expertise and proven leadership needed to guide the Department of Labor at a critical moment for America’s workforce.”
His statement came hours after Trump revealed the nomination June 29 on social media. Sonderling is the acting DOL secretary.
Trump noted that Sonderling previously served as DOL deputy secretary and chief operating officer in the president’s first term and also served as acting and deputy administrator of the Wage and Hour Division.
“Throughout his career, Keith has proven his dedication to delivering strong results for the Hardworking People of our Country, and I know he will do an incredible job in his new role,” Trump said.
In April, Trump designated Sonderling to serve as acting labor secretary, elevating him from deputy secretary, a role he filled under the administration after being confirmed by the Senate in March 2025.
The trucking industry continues to back Sonderling. Spear said Sonderling understands practical realities facing workers and employers and has demonstrated leadership by beginning to restore the first Trump administration’s independent contractor rule, rooted in decades of case law.
“That action is essential to protecting the livelihoods of more than 350,000 truckers who choose to operate as independent contractors because of the freedom, flexibility and economic opportunity this model provides. Independent truckers are small-business owners who help keep America’s supply chain moving, and they deserve federal labor policy that protects their right to earn a living on their own terms,” Spear added.
Recently, Sonderling directed the DOL to require companies to verify English-language proficiency in job orders and applications for hiring foreign nationals to drive commercial vehicles.
The agency’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification on May 14 issued “sub-regulatory guidance” about the ability to speak and read English within its frequently asked questions, saying it “clarifies employer obligations to protect workers, motorists.”
At the time, Sonderling said the DOL’s ELP requirement would be consistent with federal law under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
“Holding employers to existing English-language proficiency requirements is critical to keeping Americans safe on our roads,” Sonderling noted.
