Washington—Last night, by a vote of 47-41, the U.S. Senate confirmed Keith Sonderling to serve as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.
The American Trucking Associations applauded the Senate's action and welcomed Sonderling to his new role. ATA strongly backed Sonderling’s nomination due to his extensive experience with issues vital to the trucking industry as well as his advocacy for commonsense protections for independent contractors.
“The 8.4 million hardworking men and women employed in the trucking industry rightfully expect steady, thoughtful leadership from DOL,” said ATA Chief Advocacy & Public Affairs Officer Henry Hanscom. “Equipping today’s and tomorrow’s truckers with the tools they need to succeed, and protecting their ability to launch and grow their own businesses if they choose, is essential. Maintaining a regulatory environment that functions well for both workers and employers is also critical.”
“Meeting these challenges requires a Secretary of Labor with deep workforce expertise, strong policy judgment, and proven agency-management experience,” Hanscom continued. “Mr. Sonderling has demonstrated that he possesses all three of these traits. We congratulate him on this well-deserved promotion, and we look forward to working with him as he assumes this new leadership role.”
Sonderling has met with ATA’s Women In Motion Council on multiple occasions, most recently in June 2026. In those meetings, WIM members raised their concerns that the previous administration’s independent contractor rule would jeopardize the livelihoods of 350,000 independent truckers—including many women—who choose this employment model. Sonderling played a pivotal role in proposing a new rule that would reinstitute protections for independent contractors, restoring clarity and order to the law in this area.