After her confirmation hearing was delayed the longest of any Cabinet nominee, Alexis Herman is likely to be confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of Labor and would become the only African-American woman member of Clinton's new cabinet. Women's groups and African-American groups campaigned hard for her nomination and confirmation.

Over 15 women's groups and African-American groups, including Feminist Majority, National Council of Negro Women, National Political Congress of Black Women, Black Leadership Forum, American Association of University Women, National Organization for Women, National Women's Political Caucus, and Wider Opportunities for Women, urged that a hearing date be set so Herman could publicly answer questions about her qualifications and White House fundraising involvement. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun, the only African-American woman in the Senate, also spoke in support of Herman.

Herman would join seven other women (out of 26 total Cabinet-level positions) in Clinton's Cabinet: Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State; Janet Reno, Attorney General; Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services; Carol Browner, Director of the EPA; Janet Yellen, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; Charlene Barshefsky, U.S. Trade Representative; and Aida Alvarez, Administrator of the Small Business Administration and a Hispanic woman. This is the most women who have ever served in Cabinet-level positions. In addition, there are three African-American men and two Hispanic men serving in Cabinet-level positions.

Herman's confirmation hearing had been delayed by the Senate because some Senators questioned her involvement with President Clinton's fundraising efforts. Herman most recently served as Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison.

"Alexis Herman has spent her lifetime fighting to open the doors of opportunity for women and people of color," said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority. "She has had a lifetime of preparation for the position of Secretary of Labor."

Soon after graduating from college, Herman founded a program to train African-American men and women for employment, and expanded the program to 10 cities. At twenty-nine years old, Herman was the youngest person ever to be Director of the Department of Labor Women's Bureau from 1977-1981. She subsequently formed her own consulting business to advise businesses and local governments on hiring and training minorities.