President Biden’s pick to lead the Labor Department testified before a Senate panel Thursday as her nomination hearings got underway. Julie Su appears to face roadblocks by both Republicans and conservative Democrats who oppose her pro-worker, pro-union track record. Su, who is serving as the deputy labor secretary and is also a civil rights attorney, would be the first Asian American to serve as secretary in Biden’s Cabinet.

Julie Su: “After law school, I spent nearly two decades representing workers. What I learned is that too many people still work full-time, year round, and live in poverty. Too many are denied a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. At the same time, I learned that working people, when given a chance to organize, to be heard, not only make things better for themselves but help to bring the American dream within reach to those around them.”