Republican leaders in the US Senate brokered a deal to fast-track the confirmation of the government's chief labor official before members of the chamber departed for recess on Oct. 1. The Senate subsequently confirmed Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor in a 47-41 vote that split strictly along party lines.

Sonderling, who had previously served as the acting secretary, now holds the permanent cabinet position. The expedited timeline allowed the Senate to resolve the nomination and leave town immediately following the final vote.