When President Trump nominated me to be U.S. Secretary of Labor, I had to sit down and explain to my two daughters that if confirmed, we would have to move from Miami. They wanted to know why. I tried to explain what being the Secretary of Labor meant in words that a four- and six-year-old could understand. I said, “Daddy helps his students find good jobs, and the president has asked Daddy to help people all over America find good jobs too.” That made sense to them, and it encapsulates many of the responsibilities of the Secretary of Labor.
Friday was my first day at the department. I had lunch in the cafeteria with some of my new colleagues, and many shared their thoughts about the challenges we face and how we can meet them. I look forward to getting to know more Americans across the country, and hearing their thoughts and ideas. For now, I want to introduce myself.