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Lori Chavez-DeRemer was ousted from her role as Donald Trump’s labor secretary on April 20, 2026, but not before amassing an astonishing number of scandals, even for the Trump administration. Chavez-DeRemer, her top aides, and her husband were accused of mistreatment—and even criminal misconduct—against her staff and misusing taxpayer money. Chavez-DeRemer was under investigation for, among other things, having an affair with a member of her security detail. She was also accused of taking her staff to a strip club on a taxpayer-funded trip, had a “stash” of alcohol in her office, and had aides buy alcohol for her during work hours. Her husband was accused of sexual misconduct against two female aides in the Labor Department and was subsequently barred from the department’s headquarters, and three of Chavez-DeRemer’s top aides resigned amid an investigation into their own alleged misconduct. Prior to her nomination, Chavez-DeRemer was a hypocritical member of Congress. She opposed the bipartisan infrastructure bill that created good-paying jobs for Americans, and then, after being elected, flip-flopped and began praising the law, including taking credit for the funding of local projects. As a member of Congress, Chavez-DeRemer skipped at least five subcommittee hearings at which her Republican colleagues were bashing labor unions and Democratic members spoke up in unions' favor. Chavez-DeRemer's staff could not answer why she would not show up in support for unions. Chavez-DeRemer also opposed President Biden’s student-loan forgiveness despite her family’s own Paycheck Protection Program loans -- worth $1.3 million – being forgiven. |
¶ Chavez-DeRemer's Tenure In Trump's Cabinet Was Marred By Scandals
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Was Investigated For Having An Affair With A Member Of Her Security Detail
January 2026: The Labor Department’s Inspector General Was Investigating At Least Five Meetings Between Chavez-DeRemer And A Staff Member With Whom She Was Reportedly Having An Affair. According to the New York Post, “A sprawling internal investigation into Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has uncovered an alcohol ‘stash’ in her Washington, DC, office — and evidence she took subordinates to a strip club while on an official departmental trip, according to five sources familiar with the probe. The investigation has also confirmed that rumors the secretary pursued an 'inappropriate' relationship with an underling were discussed internally months ago and dismissed by her chief of staff Jihun Han — who was put on leave Monday along with his deputy Rebecca Wright, three of the sources affirmed. […] The Labor Department inspector general’s office, helmed by former New York GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, is seeking all potential evidence — including video footage — about at least five purported meet-ups between the married mother-of-two and her alleged paramour at the secretary’s DC apartment and a Las Vegas hotel. The subordinate in the alleged ‘inappropriate’ relationship with the secretary, who did not respond to a request for comment, has since been placed on administrative leave, sources said.” [New York Post, 1/18/26]
March 2026: Brian Sloan, A Member Of Chavez-DeRemer’s Security Detail, Resigned Amid An Investigation Into Chavez-DeRemer, Including Whether She Was Having An Affair With Sloan. According to POLITICO, “A member of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s security team who figured prominently in an internal investigation that has roiled the agency resigned last week, according to two department officials who granted anonymity to discuss the matter. Brian Sloan was one of four people placed on leave by DOL as its inspector general’s office probes allegations of misconduct by Chavez-DeRemer and her top aides. Sloan was sidelined amid claims that he was involved in a romantic affair with the married Labor secretary.” [POLITICO, 3/19/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Was Accused Of Misusing Taxpayer Money
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Held A Birthday Party For Herself At The Labor Department’s Building
April 2025: Chavez-DeRemer Held A Birthday Party For Herself At Labor Department Headquarters. According to The New York Times, “She was sworn in as secretary on March 11, as DOGE was slashing the department’s work force and dismantling programs. When Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and her top aides wanted to have a birthday party for her at the Frances Perkins Building, the department’s headquarters, staff questioned using departmental funds, so they renamed it a swearing-in celebration, a person familiar with the planning said. Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and dozens of political staff members socialized at hightop tables with blue tablecloths and drank wine. Screens showed pictures of her. Guests sang 'Happy Birthday,' and Ms. Chavez-DeRemer blew out candles on a cake, according to people who were there. The date was April 7 — her birthday.” [New York Times, 3/2/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Reportedly Took Aides To A Strip Club On A Taxpayer-Funded Trip
April 18, 2025: Chavez-DeRemer Took Subordinates To A Portland, Oregon-Area Strip Club At The End Of A Taxpayer-Funded Trip. According to the New York Post, "A sprawling internal investigation into Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has uncovered an alcohol 'stash' in her Washington, DC, office — and evidence she took subordinates to a strip club while on an official departmental trip, according to five sources familiar with the probe. […] The interviews have also uncovered a previously unreported incident involving Chavez-DeRemer allegedly taking subordinates to an Oregon strip club in April 2025, per three of those sources and records reviewed by The Post. The April 18 visit to the club, Angels PDX, outside of Portland came at the tail end of a five-day trip to meet with the state’s Democratic governor Tina Kotek, a CEO of a truck manufacturing company, and to tour an Intel chip center and view an ‘ironworker project,’ official travel schedules show. Travel vouchers show taxpayers forked over $2,890.06 in total for the secretary’s Oregon trip, with costs of $1,324.21 for transportation, $722 for lodging, $655 for meals and $188.35 for miscellaneous expenses.” [New York Post, 1/18/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Reportedly Drank Alcohol On The Job
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Reportedly Kept A Stash Of Alcohol In Her Office
Chavez-DeRemer Reportedly Kept A Stash Of Champagne, Bourbon, And Kahlua In Her Labor Department Office. According to the New York Post, “The former Oregon congresswoman is also accused of drinking in her office during the workday and committing ‘travel fraud’ by having her chief of staff and deputy chief of staff ‘make up’ official trips to destinations where Chavez-DeRemer can spend time with family or friends on the taxpayers’ dime. […] The complaint also described Chavez-DeRemer drinking in her office — with references to ‘a stash’ of champagne, bourbon and Kahlua that she keeps there.” [New York Post, 1/9/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer And Her Top Aides Reportedly Requested Staff Bring Her Alcohol
July 2025: Chavez-DeRemer Asked A Staff Member To Bring Bottles Of Rosé Or “Josh Sauvi B” To Her Hotel Room.According to The New York Times, “The original complaint to the inspector general accused Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and her aides of drinking on the job and keeping a stash of liquor at the office, according to The New York Post, which first reported the complaint in January. In one text message, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer asked a staff member to bring rosé to her hotel room. ‘Do they sell by the bottle,’ she asked. The staff member responded that they did, but were out of rosé. Ms. Chavez-DeRemer responded with another selection: ‘How about the josh sauvi B.’ The messages are undated, but a picture of the menu in the text message exchange suggests it is from a hotel bar in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where Ms. Chavez-DeRemer went on an official visit last July.” [New York Times, 4/15/26]
September 5, 2025: Chavez-DeRemer’s Deputy Chief Of Staff, Rebecca Wright, Told An Aide To Get “A Bottle Or 2” Of Wine Or Champagne Because Chavez-DeRemer “Wants To Do A Toast When This Meeting Is Over.” According to The New York Times, “Just before 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s deputy chief of staff at the time, Rebecca Wright, told one of the women to pick up ‘a bottle or 2’ of wine or champagne. ‘Lori wants to do a toast when this meeting is over,’ Ms. Wright said.” [New York Times, 4/15/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Was Accused Of Retaliating Against Aides Who Filed Reported Her Husband Sexually Assaulted Them
Three Aides Filed Complaints Of Workplace Discrimination Against Chavez-DeRemer, Alleging That She Created A Hostile Workplace And Sought To Retaliate Against Them For Reporting Her Husband For Sexual Misconduct. According to MS NOW, “At least three people have lodged formal workplace discrimination complaints against Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, alleging she created a toxic workplace and sought to retaliate against women who reported her husband for sexual misconduct in her office, according to two sources familiar with the allegations. Two of the complaints were filed by young female staffers who have alleged that Chavez-DeRemer’s husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, subjected them to unwanted sexual touching late last year when they were working at U.S. Department of Labor offices.” [MS NOW, 4/9/26]
Chavez-DeRemer Was Accused Of Directing Aides To Perform Personal Chores For Her. According to MS NOW, “At least three people have lodged formal workplace discrimination complaints against Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, alleging she created a toxic workplace and sought to retaliate against women who reported her husband for sexual misconduct in her office, according to two sources familiar with the allegations. […] The allegations, filed as Equal Employment Opportunity complaints, portray Chavez-DeRemer as an agency leader who fostered a hostile workplace where staff feared punishment for speaking out or resisting directives they considered inappropriate. One of the complaints says the Labor Secretary also directed staff to perform personal chores for her, including cleaning out one of her clothing closets, according to one of the sources.” [MS NOW, 4/9/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer’s Family Was Accused Of Inappropriate And Criminal Behavior Toward Female Aides
¶ Chavez-DeRemer’s Husband Was Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Female Aides
2026: Chavez-DeRemer’s Husband, Shawn DeRemer, Was Barred From The Labor Department’s Headquarters After At Least Two Female Staff Members Told Officials He Had Sexually Assaulted Them. According to The New York Times, “The husband of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has been barred from the department’s headquarters after at least two female staff members told officials that he had sexually assaulted them, according to people familiar with the decision and a police report obtained by The New York Times. The women said Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, had touched them inappropriately at the Labor Department’s building on Constitution Avenue.” [New York Times, 2/19/26]
- In One Of The Alleged Incidents, DeRemer Gave One Of The Women An Extended Embrace, According To Video Footage. According to The New York Times, “The women said Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, had touched them inappropriately at the Labor Department’s building on Constitution Avenue. One of the incidents, during working hours on the morning of Dec. 18, was recorded on office security cameras, the people said. The video showed Dr. DeRemer giving one of the women an extended embrace, and was reviewed as part of a criminal investigation, one of the people said.” [New York Times, 2/19/26]
January 24, 2026: The Metropolitan Police Department Filed A Police Report About Force Sexual Contact In December At The Labor Department’s Headquarters. According to The New York Times, "On Jan. 24, Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department filed a report about forced sexual contact in December at the Labor Department, according to their report, which was viewed by The Times. The police report is the only one from the last three months associated with the Labor Department’s address, a police spokesman said, adding that the Police Department’s sexual assault unit is investigating.” [New York Times, 2/19/26]
February 2026: U.S. Attorney For The District Of Columbia Jeanine Pirro Decided Against Charging Shawn DeRemer. According to CBS News, “Shawn DeRemer, the husband of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, will not face federal charges over allegations of assault at the department's Washington, D.C., headquarters, multiple sources told CBS News Friday evening. After reviewing evidence, including security camera video, federal prosecutors have decided against charging DeRemer, the sources said. In a statement provided to CBS News, a spokesperson for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Friday night that 'based upon the evidence presented to this office in relation to the video, there is no indication of a crime.’” [CBS News, 2/20/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer And A Top Aide Instructed Female Aides To “Pay Attention” To Her Husband And Father
New York Times: Chavez-DeRemer And Her Deputy Chief Of Staff, Rebecca Wright, Instructed Females Aide To “Pay Attention” To Chavez-DeRemer’s Husband And Father. According to The New York Times, "Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and her top aides and family members routinely sent personal messages and requests to young staff members that are now under review by the department’s inspector general. […] Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s husband exchanged text messages with young female staff members, as did her father. Some of the young women were instructed by Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and the former deputy chief of staff to 'pay attention' to the men, according to people familiar with the investigation. […] Just before 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s deputy chief of staff at the time, Rebecca Wright, told one of the women to pick up 'a bottle or 2' of wine or champagne." [New York Times, 4/15/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer’s Husband Allegedly Texted With Female Aides
April-May 2025: Chavez-DeRemer’s Husband, Shawn DeRemer, Told A Female Labor Department Aide That He Was “Feeling Forgotten” Because She Had Not Texted Him And “Figured (She Was) Still In Church Repenting.” According to The New York Times, “Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and her top aides and family members routinely sent personal messages and requests to young staff members that are now under review by the department’s inspector general. […] Sometimes the requests came in the middle of the workday. Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s husband exchanged text messages with young female staff members, as did her father. […] In an April 2025 exchange provided to investigators, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s father, Richard Chavez, wrote to a young female staff member: ‘Hearing u/r in town. Wishing you would let me know. I could have made some excuses to get out and show u around. Please keep this private.’ […] A few weeks later, the same staff member messaged Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, and apologized for not being in touch. ‘I’ve been having so much fun traveling with LCD and being in the moment for everything!! I promise from now on I’ll check in.’ He responded: ‘You better. I was feeling forgotten. I figured you were still in church repenting after your exposure to the demon state of Oregon.’” [New York Times, 4/15/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer’s Father Allegedly Texted With Female Aides And Asked One To “Keep This Private”
April 2025: Chavez-DeRemer’s Father, Richard Chavez, Told A Female Labor Department Aide That He “Could Have Made Some Excuses To Get Out And Show U Around” And Asked Her To “Keep This Private.” According to The New York Times, “Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and her top aides and family members routinely sent personal messages and requests to young staff members that are now under review by the department’s inspector general. […] Sometimes the requests came in the middle of the workday. Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s husband exchanged text messages with young female staff members, as did her father. […] In an April 2025 exchange provided to investigators, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s father, Richard Chavez, wrote to a young female staff member: ‘Hearing u/r in town. Wishing you would let me know. I could have made some excuses to get out and show u around. Please keep this private.’ The staff member responded: ‘Will do, no need to worry!’ She apologized for not reaching out, and said she would be back in Oregon soon. Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s family is based in Oregon, and she served one term in the House for the state’s Fifth Congressional District. ‘When are u leaving an where u staying,’ he responded.” [New York Times, 4/15/26]
¶ Three Of Chavez-DeRemer’s Top Aides Resigned Amid An Investigation Into Their Alleged Misconduct
March 2026: Chavez-DeRemer’s Chief Of Staff, Jihun Han, And Deputy Chief Of Staff, Rebecca Wright, Resigned Amid An Investigation In Alleged Misconduct. According to the New York Post, “Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s top aides are resigning from the department amid an inspector general’s probe into their alleged mistreatment of staff and misuse of taxpayer dollars for personal travel with the Cabinet official, sources told The Post. Chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy Rebecca Wright were offered the choice of resigning or being fired by the White House Monday night, roughly two months after department watchdog Anthony D’Esposito launched an investigation into the senior aides.” [New York Post, 3/3/26]
- Han And Wright Allegedly Provided “Cover” For Chavez-DeRemer’s Alleged Misconduct, And Han Allegedly Pressured Staff To Silence Questions About Chavez-DeRemer’s Rumored Affair. According to the New York Post, “Han and Wright were said to have provided 'cover' for the secretary’s alleged misconduct, sources said, with Han having leaned on staffers to silence questions about Chavez-DeRemer’s rumored affair in late 2025 by instructing them to 'leave it alone,' according to sources and the complaint.” [New York Post, 3/3/26]
March 2026: Chavez-DeRemer’s Director Of Advance, Melissa Robey, Resigned After She Was Placed On Leave During An Investigation Into Whether She Misused Taxpayer Dollars For Official Travel. According to New York Post, “A fourth employee has left the Department of Labor after being sidelined amid a sprawling watchdog probe of Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer involving alleged travel fraud and other misconduct, The Post has learned. Melissa Robey, who served as director of advance in the secretary’s office, was fired on Tuesday at the prompting of the White House, sources said. On March 4, Robey was put on administrative leave following allegations that she misused taxpayer dollars for official travel — one day after Chavez-DeRemer’s two top aides resigned from their positions while facing similar allegations.” [New York Post, 3/25/26]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Was Absent From Labor-Related Hearings
Chavez-DeRemer Did Not Show Up To Five Subcommittee Hearings Covering Labor Topics. According to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, “But when her fellow Republicans on the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee held a series of union-bashing meetings over the past year, Chavez-DeRemer didn’t show up and join Democratic representatives in speaking up for unions. Chavez-DeRemer spokesman Aaron Britt didn’t say why she missed those five meetings but defended her record on labor issues in a statement.” [Oregon Capital Chronicle, 8/8/24]
HEADLINE: “Oregon Rep. Chavez-DeRemer Continues Courting Union Support, Skipped Hearings On Labor Issues.” [Oregon Capital Chronicle, 8/8/24]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Flip-Flopped On Key Issues When It Benefited Her
¶ Lori Chavez-DeRemer Criticized The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Before Claiming Credit For Local Projects
Lori Chavez-DeRemer Criticized The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Before Flip-Flopping And Claiming Credit For Local Projects. According to Oregon Capital Chronicle, " As a candidate in 2022, Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer said the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law was 'not a benefit' and would see 'pennies on the dollar' returned to communities. But as the U.S. representative of Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, Chavez-DeRemer has praised the law and some of the more than $5.2 billion in Oregon-specific investments that have been announced in the past two years. When the Environmental Protection Agency announced earlier in May that Oregon would receive more than $28 million through the bipartisan infrastructure law to help identify and replace lead service lines, Chavez-DeRemer joined Democratic colleagues in the state’s congressional delegation to applaud the announcement. 'This is a welcome announcement that will help countless families and businesses across the state access clean drinking water for generations to come,' she said. 'I’m glad more federal funding is coming to Oregon under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I’ll keep working to reinvest Oregonians’ hard-earned tax dollars into much-needed infrastructure projects.’ [...] And in March, she took credit for helping secure $1.29 million in funding available because of the infrastructure law so the Bend Municipal Airport could build a permanent air control tower. 'It’s critical that we keep our airport infrastructure up to date to maintain a resilient supply chain and a healthy economy,' she said at the time. 'I’ll continue supporting efforts to utilize funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to invest in Oregon and Oregon’s economy.'" [Oregon Capital Chronicle, 5/29/24]
¶ Lori Chavez-DeRemer Opposed Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Despite Having $1.3 Million In PPP Loans Forgiven
Lori Chavez-DeRemer Opposed Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Despite Having $1.3 Million In PPP Loans Forgiven. According to Willamette Week, "Chavez-DeRemer, the former mayor of Happy Valley, who along with her physician husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, built a thriving anesthesiology and wellness business, has railed against federal spending during the Biden presidency. 'Congress has spent our country into oblivion,' she says on her campaign website. 'The Radical Left’s policies have turned our economy into shambles and pushed inflation to record-breaking numbers.' She says she opposes Biden’s plan to reduce student debt—noting she and and her husband paid back $380,000 of their own student loans. Records show, however, that one of their businesses, Anesthesia Associates NW LLC, got $1.3 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loans—subsequently forgiven—in 2020 and 2021. In each of those years, Chavez-DeRemer’s federal disclosure filings show, she and her husband reported income of between $1 million and $5 million from that business. So they were taking home healthy profits while accepting a bailout—something Chavez-DeRemer says shouldn’t be available to people with student debt." [Willamette Week, 10/8/22]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Supported a Six-Week Abortion Ban
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Supported A Six-Week Abortion Ban
2022: Lori Chavez-DeRemer Supported A Six-Week Abortion Ban. According to a post on Twitter by Lori Chavez-DeRemer, “Thank you @Salem_Statesman. Oregon has passed extreme laws that allow abortion on demand and taxpayer-funded abortions. A vast majority of Americans want restrictions on abortion and I would be in favor of passing legislation like the heartbeat bill. #OR05.” [LChavezDeRemer Twitter Account, 5/3/22]
¶ Since Being Elected To Congress, Chavez-DeRemer Turned Her Back On The LGBTQ+ Community
¶ May 2023: Students Protested Chavez-DeRemer being invited To Speak At Their Commencement Over Her Anti-LGBTQ+ Voting Record
May 2023: Students From An Oregon Community College Protested The Invitation Of Chavez-DeRemer To Speak At Their Commencement Due To Her Anti-LGBTQ+ Votes. According to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, “A group of LGBTQ students has called on Central Oregon Community College to rescind its commencement address invitation to U.S. Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, saying she has ‘a record of transphobia and supports anti-transgender policies.’” [Oregon Capital Chronicle, 5/8/23]
¶ During her first term in congress, Chavez-Deremer Supported Anti-Lgbtq+ Legislation
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Co-Sponsored And Voted For The So-Called “Parents Bill Of Rights,” Which Democrats Argued Could Harm LGBTQ+ Youth
March 2023: Chavez DeRemer Supported A Bill That Would Require Schools To Consult With Parents Before Allowing Students To Change Their Name Or Gender. According to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, “The letter also cited Chavez-DeRemer’s support for H.R. 5, the ‘Parents Bill of Rights,’ which also passed the House and would require schools to consult with parents before a student is allowed to change his or her name or gender.” [Oregon Capital Chronicle, 5/8/23; H.R. 734, House Vote 161, 3/24/23]
- Chavez-DeRemer Co-Sponsored The “Parents Bill Of Rights” Legislation, Which Sought To Limit How Kids Expressed Their Gender Identity In School. According to KGW8, "In March, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed House Resolution 5 — what they're calling the ‘Parents Bill of Rights.’ It would codify into federal education law requirements that districts let parents know that they have the right to inspect school curriculum, budgets, and school library books. It also requires that schools let parents know if a child has changed their gender markers, pronouns or name at school, and whether a child is changing which restroom or locker room they're using. The bill was co-sponsored by Republican freshman Congresswoman Lori Chavez-Deremer, who represents Oregon's 5th District." [KGW8, 5/5/23]
- The Bill Would Require Schools To Notify Parents If Their Child Used A Different Name Or Pronoun During School. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Schools also would have to notify parents if their child uses a different name or pronoun at school.” [Congressional Quarterly, 3/24/23]
- House Democrats Argued The Bill Could Affect LGBTQ+ Students By Requiring Schools To Report Transgender Students Who May Have Not Come Out To Their Families. According to Congressional Quarterly, “House Democrats said the bill could harm LGBTQ youth by requiring schools to report transgender students who may not be ready to disclose their gender identity to their families.” [Congressional Quarterly, 3/24/23]
- Democrats Dubbed The Bill As The “Politics Over Parents Act” And Argued Parents Already Have The Rights That The Bill Supposedly Grants To Parents. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Democrats dismissed the proposal as a gimmick and dubbed it the ‘Politics Over Parents Act.’ They say parents already have many of the rights stipulated by the bill.” [Congressional Quarterly, 3/24/23]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Voted For A Bill That Would Prevent VA Medical Centers From Performing Gender-Affirming Care And Displaying LGBTQ+ Pride Flags
July 2023: Chavez-DeRemer Voted For A Bill That Would Prevent VA Medical Centers From Performing Gender-Affirming Care. In July 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Chavez-DeRemer voted for the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024, which would “also prohibit the use of the bill's funds to provide abortions, to implement a September 2022 VA rule that allows abortion counseling and establishes exceptions for the prohibition on abortions in the medical benefits package for veterans and civilian beneficiaries, to provide surgical procedures or hormone therapies for gender-affirming care, and to fly or display a flag over a VA facility or national cemetery that is not the U.S. flag, military-related or another government jurisdiction” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 219 to 211, thus the bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 380, 7/27/23; Congressional Quarterly, 7/27/23; Congressional Actions, H.R. 4366]
- The Bill Would Prevent VA Medical Centers From Providing Gender-Affirming Care. According to The Hill, “But the administration did not hold back its criticism of policies in the bill it said would prevent VA medical centers from being able to perform abortions or ‘provide hormone therapies for the purpose of gender-affirming care.’” [The Hill, 7/27/23]
- The Bill Would Prevent The VA From Displaying LGBTQ+ Pride Flags. According to The Hill, “Other measures the White House criticized include sections Democrats say would prevent the VA from displaying LGBTQ pride flags and language that would limit administration efforts to advance equity and diversity.” [The Hill, 7/27/23]
¶ Chavez-DeRemer Voted For A Bill That Would Ban Transgender Women From Participating In Women’s Sports
April 2023: Chavez-DeRemer Supported A Bill That Would Ban Transgender Girls From Participating In Girls’ Sports. According to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, “In a letter to the college leaders on Wednesday, they pointed to her support for House Resolution 734, the ‘Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,’ which passed the Republican-led House and would ban transgender girls from participating in girls’ school sports.” [Oregon Capital Chronicle, 5/8/23; House Vote 192, 4/20/23]
- The Bill Would Modify Title IX, Which Bars Discrimination On The Basis Of Sex In Federally-Funded Educational Institutions, By Preventing Anyone Who Was Born Male At Birth From Participating In Women’s Or Girls’ Sports. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The measure would amend Title IX, a federal law barring discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded educational institutions. The changes would prevent anyone whose biological sex at birth was male from participating in high school and college sports programs for women or girls.” [Congressional Quarterly, 4/20/23]
¶ Chavez-deremer’s congressional website has no mention of lgbtq+ issues
Chavez-DeRemer’s Current House Website Did Not Include A Page Or Section For LGTBQ+ Issues. According to Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s official U.S. House website,
[Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Official U.S. House Website, Viewed 6/5/24]
¶ The Only Pro-LGBTQ+ Legislation Chavez-DeRemer Seemed To Be Involved With Was A Bill To Reverse Dishonorable Discharges In The Military Following The Repeal Of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Which Democrats Already Had A Bill For That She Could Have Signed Onto
A Search Of LGBTQ On Chavez-DeRemer’s Congressional Website, Shows One Result Of A Press Release Regarding A Bill She Introduced About Reversing Dishonorable Discharges Following The Repeal Of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” According to Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s official U.S. House website,
[Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Official U.S. House Website, Viewed 6/5/24]
- Chavez-DeRemer’s Legislation To Reverse Dishonorable Discharges Following The Repeal Of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Was In Competition With A Bill Democrats Had Been Advocating For On The Same Issue For More Than A Decade. According to the Washington Blade, “Gay U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), who chairs the Congressional Equality Caucus, has long worked to address the challenges faced by veterans who are in this position with his Restore Honor to Service Members Act, which he first introduced in 2013 and re-introduced several times over the years, most recently in 2023. […] Last week, however, another bill targeting the same issue, the Recover Pride in Service Act, was announced by Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.) in conjunction with Log Cabin Republicans, the conservative LGBT group. […] ‘If Republicans truly cared about helping veterans discharged under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ they would have signed on to the Restore Honor to Service Members Act, which has been around for a decade and has support among the broader LGBTQI+ community,’ Pocan told the Blade in a statement.” [Washington Blade, 2/28/24]
- Log Cabin Republicans Senior Advisor Alex Walton Seemed To Suggest House Republicans Did Not Want To Sign On To The Long-Time Democratic Bill Because There Were Too Many Democrats Compared To Republicans Who Sought To Co-Sponsor It. "Log Cabin Republicans Senior Advisor Alex Walton told the Blade by phone last week that ‘discussions about the Restore Honor to Service Members Act all happened close to eight to nine months ago before we kind of shifted focus when we realized that they weren’t going to cooperate and work with us.’ Walton said that while there was significant interest in joining Pocan’s bill among House Republicans, ‘they were only going to do it assuming that Democrats were going to match the number of Republicans that co-sponsored the legislation, so you didn’t have 150 Democrats and, you know, 12 Republicans.’ A source familiar with the discussions said Pocan was never asked to limit the number of Democratic cosponsors. Additionally, Walton said, the House Republicans ‘also wanted a Republican lead,’ but Pocan ‘was unwilling to let that happen.’" [Washington Blade, 2/28/24]
¶ since entering congress, chavez-deremer had not co-sponsored the equality act to protect lgbtq+ people from discrimination
118th Congress: Chavez-DeRemer Had Not Co-Sponsored The Equality Act. According to Congress.gov, Chavez-DeRemer was not a co-sponsor of the Equality Act, "This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity with respect to businesses, employment, housing, federally funded programs, and other settings. Specifically, the bill expands Title II and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit public accommodations and federally funded programs, respectively, from discriminating based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It also includes stores, transit services, recreational facilities, and establishments that provide health care, accounting, or legal services as public accommodations under Title II. The bill also expands Title IV (desegregation of public schools) and Title VII (employment discrimination) to specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity. (The Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII's prohibition of employment discrimination based on sex also prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.) The bill similarly expands the Fair Housing Act (discrimination in public and private housing) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. It also prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by creditors and with respect to jury selection. The bill defines sex for purposes of the aforementioned provisions to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics." [H.R. 15, Introduced 6/21/23]
- Human Rights Campaign Said The Equality Act Would Provide “Consistent And Explicit Anti-Discrimination Protections For LGBTQ+ People Across Key Areas Of Life.” "The Equality Act would provide consistent and explicit anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service." [Human Rights Campaign, Viewed 6/7/24]