Labor Secretary Hilda Solis Out!

That was a surprise. The Secretary of Labor is going to need a replacement, the first Latina woman to serve this cabinet is resigning.

Under her leadership, Secretary Hilda Solis managed to pull unemployment from 10.9% to 7.8% as it currently stands. Her leadership lead to President Barack Obama bringing over 5.3 million jobs.

Conservatives were hammering on her over the unemployment numbers because they believe that she fixed the numbers to make the president look good. But so far, more Americans feel comfortable about the economy. Although it's still a long way to go, but the nation can return the right path to pre-recession rates.

Hilda Lucia Solis (/sɵˈliːs/; born October 20, 1957) is the 25th United States Secretary of Labor, serving in the Obama administration. She is a member of the Democratic Party and served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, representing the 31st and 32nd congressional districts of California that include East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.

Solis was raised in La Puente, California, by immigrant parents from Nicaragua and Mexico. She gained degrees from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) and the University of Southern California (USC) and worked for two federal agencies in Washington, D.C. Returning to her native state, she was elected to the Rio Hondo Community College Board of Trustees in 1985, the California State Assembly in 1992, and the California State Senate in 1994. She was the first Hispanic woman to serve in the State Senate, and was reelected there in 1998. Solis sought to pass environmental justice legislation. She was the first female recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2000.

President-elect Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Solis as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. She took office after being confirmed by the United States Senate in February 2009, becoming the first Hispanic woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet.

In a message to colleagues Wednesday, Solis said she made the decision after discussing it with family and close friends.

President Barack Obama address nation about monthly jobs report. Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis are resigning from the Obama Administration. Chief of Staff Jack Lew will replace Geithner if confirmed.

One of the highest-ranking Hispanics in Obama's administration, Solis has won praise from labor unions for aggressive enforcement of wage and hour laws and job safety regulations. But business groups have criticized her as not taking a more cooperative approach.

President Barack Obama calls Solis "a tireless champion for working families."

Separately, the White House says that Attorney General Eric Holder, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki will remain in their posts.

The White House confirmed the development in a statement:

Over her long career in public service - as an advocate for environmental justice in California, state legislator, member of Congress and Secretary of Labor - Hilda Solis has been a tireless champion for working families. Over the last four years, Secretary Solis has been a critical member of my economic team as we have worked to recover from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and strengthen the economy for the middle class. Her efforts have helped train workers for the jobs of the future, protect workers' health and safety and put millions of Americans back to work. I am grateful to Secretary Solis for her steadfast commitment and service not only to the Administration, but on behalf of the American people. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

We here at Journal de la Reyna wish Ms. Solis the very best in her endeavors!