Chavez-DeRemer said in her opening statement that as a congresswoman, she supported the PRO Act but that the bill was “imperfect.”

“If confirmed, my job will be to implement President Trump’s policy division, and my guiding principle will be President Trump’s guiding principle, ensuring a level playing field for businesses, unions and, most importantly, the American worker,” she said. Chavez-DeRemer's support of the pro-union bill, supported by former President Joe Biden, has earned her criticism from some Republicans.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the ranking member of the HELP Committee, used his opening remarks to highlight his views on income and wealth inequality, arguing that a labor secretary should be a "champion of working families."

Sanders listed several of Chavez-DeRemer’s credentials that he approved of, but said she would have to "make a choice."

"Will you be a rubber stamp for the anti-worker agenda of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and other multibillionaires who are blatantly anti-union, they don't make any bones about it, or will you stand with working families all over the country?" he asked.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chairman of the HELP Committee, expressed concern with Chavez-DeRemer's past support for pro-union legislation in Congress.

Cassidy said in his opening statement that he questioned "your past support for the Democrats' cornerstone legislation, the PRO Act. Workers should have the freedom to decide if they wish to join a union or not."

He said the legislation "would eliminate this freedom, allowing workers to be coerced and intimidated into unionization."

The Pro Act aims to strengthen collective bargaining protections and safeguard against unfair labor practices.

Trump took to Truth Social to offer his endorsement of the House budget resolution, which he said "implements my FULL America First Agenda, EVERYTHING, not just parts of it."

"We need both Chambers to pass the House Budget to 'kickstart' the Reconciliation process, and move all of our priorities to the concept of, 'ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL,'" his post continued.

House Republicans advanced a budget plan last week which called for overall cuts of trillions of dollars in taxes and spending. It conflicts with the Senate budget plan, which doesn't address taxes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Russian media today that he would be "happy" to meet with Trump, but said he doesn't know when it would take place, according to the Kremlin's Telegram channel.

Putin said that Russia is ready to resume negotiations on Ukraine. Trump administration officials have begun talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending Russia's war against Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has been alarmed over the Trump administration's direction in the talks, in part because Ukraine was not invited to the discussions in Riyadh.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters put out a statement of support for former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump's nominee for labor secretary, ahead of her Senate confirmation hearing this morning.

The union said in a post on X that it "is proud to strongly support" Chavez-DeRemer's nomination, pointing to her pro-labor record during her time as a House Republican representing a district in Oregon.

"Beginning today with the nomination hearing, the Senate will have an opportunity to put a champion for working people at the head of the Department of Labor," the statement said. "Rep. Chavez-DeRemer should be confirmed swiftly and with strong bipartisan support."

The union has previously announced its support for Chavez-DeRemer's nomination.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove indicated he will personally appear in court today for a hearing on his order to drop federal criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Bove's order to dismiss Adams' prosecution without prejudice prompted more than half a dozen DOJ prosecutors to resign in protest, and the legal saga threw the mayor's office into turmoil after four of his deputies stepped down this week.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said in a statement earlier this week that the resignation of the four deputy mayors "raises serious questions about the long-term future of this Mayoral administration," and referred to her power to remove a mayor, saying that "overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly."

"That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored," Hochul said. The governor added she would be meeting with "key leaders" for a conversation about a "path forward," which took place yesterday.

The Trump administration has ordered a nonprofit that provides legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children to immediately pause the program.

The Acacia Center for Justice said it represents more than 26,000 children but received a stop-work order from the Interior Department.

"This decision flies in the face of ensuring children who have been trafficked or are at risk of trafficking have child-friendly legal representatives protecting their legal rights and interests," Shaina Aber, the center's executive director, said in a news release.

"The administration’s decision to suspend this program undermines due process, disproportionately impacts vulnerable children, and puts children who have already experienced severe trauma at risk for further harm or exploitation," she added. "We stand ready to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to review and rapidly restore these essential services so that Acacia and our partners can continue supporting vulnerable children.”

HHS did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment on the stop-work order.

The Trump administration has promised to prioritize the “worst first” when it comes to arrests and deportations, but the number of detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody without a criminal conviction or pending criminal charges increased by more than 1,800 in the first two weeks of February, representing 41% of the 4,422 total new detainees in that period, according to new data obtained by NBC News.

During federal fiscal year 2024, the Biden administration made 113,431 immigration arrests, and of those, only 28% were of people who had no criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. 

Asked for comment on the data, Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman, said immigrants without criminal records are often “far from innocent” but declined to provide further data.

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