Obama Taps Green Jobs Champion Hilda Solis as Labor Secretary

Names Two Strong Climate Scientists to other Posts

President-elect Barack Obama has tapped green jobs and immigrant rights champion Representative Hilda Solis (D-CA) to head his Labor Department, according to the Associated Press.

Representative Solis was the key sponsor of the Green Jobs Act of 2007 and has been a vocal champion in the House of Representatives for investments in a new, clean energy economy that can spark new innovation and offer pathways out of poverty for millions of Americans.

Upon passage of the Green Jobs Act, Representative Solis, who represents heavily Hispanic portions of eastern Los Angeles County and east L.A highlighted the "opportunity to advance not only the energy security of our nation, but also the economic security of our families. Through targeted job training efforts," she said, "we can support both our nation’s innovation and technological leadership and lift people out of poverty.”

As AP reports, the Democratic congresswoman was just elected to her fifth term . She is the daughter of Mexican and Nicaraguan immigrants and has been the only member of Congress of Central American descent.

[Update: 1:29 PM, PST]: Two other nominations were made public today, both scientists with strong records as climate change advocates.

Dr. Stephen Holdren, a professor at Harvard University and the President and Director of Woods Hole Research Center, a major center of climate science, will head the White House Office of Science Technology and Policy.

Dr. Jane Lubchenco, a prominent environmental scientist and marine ecologist at Oregon State University has been selected to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Dr. Lubchenco has studied the effects of climate change on marine species and co-chaired Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski's Advisory Group on Global Warming which recommended actions the state could take to cut global warming pollution.

Official announcements of the appointments are expected from the Obama transition team in the next few days.