Key facts
- Brett Matsumoto, President Donald Trump's nominee for Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, advanced from a key Senate committee.
- The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 12-11 along party lines to advance Matsumoto's nomination.
- James Macy and David Prouty were also approved by the committee for positions at the National Labor Relations Board.
- Matsumoto stated he did not believe BLS data had been fabricated or rigged and expressed faith in the agency's career staff.
Brett Matsumoto, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), has moved closer to confirmation after clearing a key Senate hurdle. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 12-11 along party lines to advance his nomination to the full Senate. The committee also approved nominations for James Macy and David Prouty for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with similar party-line votes.
The BLS is a critical agency responsible for producing key economic data, including labor market statistics and inflation figures, which are relied upon by the Federal Reserve, economists, investors, and the public to assess the health of the U.S. economy.
During his confirmation hearing, Matsumoto stated that he did not believe BLS data had been fabricated or rigged, addressing concerns stemming from Trump's previous removal of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, whom Trump had accused of issuing "fake" job numbers. Matsumoto, an economist with experience at the BLS and currently on leave to work at the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, expressed confidence in the career staff who collect and process data and pledged to ensure their published output is maintained. He also indicated a commitment to addressing technical issues that have affected data quality in recent years, without echoing Trump's assertions of political manipulation.
Trump had previously removed McEntarfer, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, following significant revisions to previously reported job creation figures. Trump's initial choice for the BLS head, E.J. Antoni, was later withdrawn.