Tom Perez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tom Perez
Official portrait, 2013
Senior Advisor to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs
In office June 12, 2023 – January 20, 2025
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Julie Rodriguez
Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
In office June 12, 2023 – January 20, 2025
President	Joe Biden
Deputy	Daniel Koh
Preceded by	Julie Rodriguez
Succeeded by	TBD
Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office February 25, 2017 – January 21, 2021
Deputy	Keith Ellison (2017–2018)
Preceded by	Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Succeeded by	Jaime Harrison
26th United States Secretary of Labor
In office July 23, 2013 – January 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	Seth Harris Chris Lu
Preceded by	Hilda Solis
Succeeded by	Alexander Acosta
United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division
In office October 8, 2009 – July 23, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Wan J. Kim
Succeeded by	Jocelyn Samuels (acting)
Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
In office March 15, 2007 – October 7, 2009
Governor	Martin O'Malley
Preceded by	James Fielder
Succeeded by	Alexander Sanchez
Member of the Montgomery County Council from the 5th district
In office December 10, 2002 – December 10, 2006
Preceded by	Donell Peterman
Succeeded by	Valerie Ervin
Personal details
Born	Thomas Edward Perez (1961-10-07) October 7, 1961 (age 63) Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ann Staudenmaier
Children	3
Residences	Takoma Park, Maryland, U.S.
Education	Brown University (AB) Harvard University (JD, MPP)
Signature

Thomas Edward Perez (born October 7, 1961) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as a senior advisor to the president of the United States and the director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs from 2023 to 2025. Before this, Perez was the United States Secretary of Labor (2013–2017). He also chaired the Democratic National Committee (2017–2021). From 2009 to 2013, he was the United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.

Perez was born in Buffalo, New York. He studied at Brown University, Harvard Law School, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Early in his career, he worked as a federal civil rights prosecutor. He also worked for Senator Ted Kennedy and at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

In 2002, Perez was elected to the Montgomery County (Maryland) Council. He served as the council's president from 2005 to 2006. He tried to run for attorney general of Maryland but was not allowed due to a rule about how long he had practiced law in Maryland. In 2007, he was chosen by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley to be the secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

President Barack Obama nominated Perez for federal roles. In 2009, he became Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. In 2013, he was confirmed as the United States Secretary of Labor. After the 2016 elections, Perez ran for and was elected chair of the Democratic National Committee. He did not seek re-election in 2021. In 2022, he ran for governor of Maryland but lost in the primary election. He joined the Biden administration in June 2023.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Edward Perez was born and grew up in Buffalo, New York. His parents, Grace and Dr. Rafael Antonio de Jesús Pérez Lara, came from the Dominican Republic.

His father became a U.S. citizen after joining the U.S. Army after World War II. He worked as a doctor in Atlanta, Georgia, and later in Buffalo.

His mother, Grace, came to the United States in 1930. Her father, Rafael Brache, was the Dominican Republic's Ambassador to the United States. He had disagreements with the government in his home country, so his family had to stay in the U.S.

Perez is the youngest of five children. All his siblings became doctors like their father. His father passed away when Perez was 12 years old. Perez went to Canisius High School, an all-boys school in Buffalo, and graduated in 1979.

He earned his degree in international relations and political science from Brown University in 1983. He paid for college with scholarships, grants, and by working. He worked as a trash collector and in a warehouse.

In 1987, Perez earned two advanced degrees from Harvard University. He received a law degree from Harvard Law School and a public policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Early Career Steps

After finishing his studies at Harvard, Perez worked for a judge in Colorado from 1987 to 1989. This job is called a law clerk.

From 1989 to 1995, he worked as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice. He focused on civil rights cases. He also led a group that worked to protect workers from unfair treatment.

From 1995 to 1998, Perez advised Senator Ted Kennedy on civil rights and legal issues. Later, he directed the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

From 2001 to 2007, Perez was a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law. He also taught part-time at the George Washington University School of Public Health.

Serving Montgomery County

In 2002, Perez ran for the county council in Montgomery County, Maryland. This council helps manage local government for areas like Silver Spring and Takoma Park. He won the election, becoming the first Hispanic council member.

Perez served on the council from 2002 to 2006. He worked on committees for health, human services, and transportation. He was also the council president from 2004 to 2005.

He helped create a law to stop unfair lending practices. This law allowed the county to investigate lenders who took advantage of people. It also helped victims get more support.

Perez also worked to stop the sale of a non-profit health insurance company called CareFirst. He believed the sale would not be good for people in Maryland. His efforts helped stop the merger from happening.

In 2004, Perez supported a plan to help county employees get cheaper prescription drugs. The plan aimed to import medicines from Canada. However, the federal government did not approve this plan.

Maryland Attorney General Campaign

In 2006, the long-serving attorney general of Maryland announced he would retire. Tom Perez decided to run for the position. He had support from labor groups.

However, a question came up about whether Perez could run. Maryland's law required candidates for attorney general to have at least 10 years of experience practicing law in Maryland. Perez had only joined the Maryland State Bar Association in 2001.

A lawsuit was filed to challenge his eligibility. Even though a lower court first said he could run, Maryland's highest court later ruled that Perez did not meet the 10-year requirement. Because of this, Perez could not run for attorney general. He then supported Martin O'Malley for governor.

Maryland Secretary of Labor

In January 2007, newly elected Governor Martin O'Malley chose Perez to lead the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

Perez's official portrait as Maryland's Secretary of DLLR

In this role, Perez worked to stop companies from cheating workers. He put in place rules to prevent companies from wrongly calling employees "independent contractors." This helped ensure workers received proper pay and benefits.

Perez also helped pass a "living wage" law in Maryland in 2007. This law made sure that workers earned enough to live on. He also worked to make sure out-of-state companies followed the same rules.

He advised Governor O'Malley on how to solve the shortage of nurses in Maryland. Perez helped create a plan to allow immigrants with nursing skills from other countries to become registered nurses in Maryland.

Perez also helped oversee changes to Maryland's adult education programs. These programs moved from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor. The goal was to save money and create a better workforce system.

He also supported legalizing slot machines in Maryland. This was part of a plan to raise money for the state budget. Voters approved the plan in 2008.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights

Perez's official Justice Department portrait

On March 31, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Perez to lead the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on October 6, 2009.

Perez worked to enforce the Americans With Disabilities Act. He focused on stopping unfair treatment against people with HIV/AIDS. He said it was important to end discrimination based on old fears.

He also oversaw the enforcement of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This law helps fight crimes motivated by hate. Perez also supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which aims to protect LGBT individuals from workplace discrimination.

Protecting Students from Discrimination

In 2009, Perez's division took action against a New York school. A student was being harassed for how he dressed and expressed himself. The school agreed to train staff and review its policies to prevent such harassment. This was an important step in applying civil rights laws to gender identity.

His division also reached an agreement with a school district in Minnesota. Students had said the district created a hostile environment for LGBT students. The agreement helped the district improve its policies and training to protect all students.

Perez's division also investigated a juvenile facility in Mississippi. They found that African-American and disabled students were being unfairly treated. Students were being jailed for minor school rule violations. Perez said this was a "school-to-prison pipeline" that ignored children's rights.

Investigating Police Practices

Perez giving a speech in Washington, D.C., on July 26, 2012

After the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida in 2012, Perez led an investigation into how the police handled the case. The Justice Department looked into whether the shooting was a hate crime.

Perez also led an investigation into the Seattle Police Department. This came after a Native American man was shot by police. The investigation found that the police used too much force and had issues with biased policing. A plan was put in place to improve police training and reduce the use of force.

Maricopa County, Arizona Investigation

In 2008, Perez's division began investigating the Sheriff's Office in Maricopa County, Arizona. There were claims that the office was treating people unfairly.

The investigation found that the Sheriff's Office was biased against Latino people. Latino drivers were stopped more often without good reason. The report also said that the sheriff used racial descriptions to justify immigration raids.

In 2012, Perez's division sued Maricopa County and the sheriff. Perez said the lawsuit was about a sheriff who ignored the Constitution and fair police practices.

Voting Rights and Laws

Perez and the Civil Rights Division worked to challenge certain voter ID laws. They believed these laws might make it harder for minority voters to cast their ballots.

Perez successfully blocked a law in South Carolina. He argued that it would unfairly affect minority voters who did not have specific photo IDs. He also challenged a similar law in Texas. He pointed out that many Hispanic voters in Texas did not have the required ID.

Secretary of Labor

Nomination and Confirmation

President Barack Obama and Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez during Perez's nomination for Secretary of Labor

On March 18, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Perez to be the Secretary of Labor. This role leads the U.S. Department of Labor.

Some senators questioned Perez's past actions, including a case involving a whistleblower. However, he received support from labor groups and civil rights organizations.

Thomas Perez at his Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Labor

His confirmation vote was delayed several times. Finally, on July 18, 2013, the Senate voted to confirm Perez as Secretary of Labor. This was a close vote, mostly along party lines.

Key Actions as Secretary

Perez worked to put in place the Fiduciary Rule. This rule requires financial advisors to act in the best interest of their clients when giving retirement advice. It stops them from earning commissions that could create a conflict of interest.

Perez with José Tomás Pérez, Dominican Republic Ambassador to the United States

In May 2016, Perez helped resolve a strike between Verizon and its union workers. The agreement was reached at the Department of Labor headquarters.

Secretary Perez also issued the Home Care Rule. This rule made sure that home care workers for the elderly or people with disabilities received minimum wage and overtime pay.

He often made "house calls" to visit workplaces and listen to workers' experiences. The Department of Labor also launched a website to help veterans find jobs.

Perez also tried to double the maximum salary for workers to be eligible for overtime pay. However, a judge blocked this rule from taking effect.

During the 2016 presidential election, Perez was considered as a possible running mate for Hillary Clinton. He later campaigned for the Clinton-Kaine ticket.

Chair of the Democratic National Committee

Perez announced he would run for Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on December 15, 2016. The DNC is the main organization for the Democratic Party.

He promised not to take money from federal lobbyists or foreign groups. His candidacy was supported by former Vice President Joe Biden.

On February 25, 2017, Perez was elected DNC chair. He won after a close race against Keith Ellison. Perez was the first Latino DNC chair. After winning, he made Ellison the deputy chair. Perez is also the first Dominican-American to lead the DNC. He traveled with Senator Bernie Sanders on a "Unity Tour" to promote the DNC.

Perez decided not to run for re-election as DNC Chair in 2021. Jaime Harrison was chosen to succeed him.

2022 Maryland Governor Campaign

Perez campaigning in November 2021

On June 23, 2021, Perez announced he would run for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Maryland in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election. His running mate was Shannon Sneed. If he had won, he would have been Maryland's first Latino governor.

Many labor groups supported Perez's campaign early on. He also received endorsements from members of Congress, including Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

On July 19, 2022, Perez lost the primary election. He placed second behind Wes Moore, who later won the general election.

Biden White House Role

On June 12, 2023, President Biden appointed Perez to be a senior advisor to the president. He also became the director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. In this role, he helps connect the White House with state and local governments. Perez spoke at White House press conferences after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Maryland in March 2024.

Personal Life

Perez lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife, Ann Marie Staudenmaier. She is a lawyer who helps people experiencing homelessness. They have three children.

Perez is Catholic. He remembers his parents telling him, "In order to get to heaven, you have to have letters of reference from poor people."

Images for kids

• 

  Official portrait, 2013

• 

  Tom Perez's signature

• 

  Perez's official portrait as Maryland's Secretary of DLLR

• 

  Perez's official Justice Department portrait

• 

  Perez giving a speech in Washington, D.C., on July 26, 2012

• 

  President Barack Obama and Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez during Perez's nomination for Secretary of Labor

• 

  Thomas Perez at his Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Labor

• 

  Perez with José Tomás Pérez, Dominican Republic Ambassador to the United States

• 

  Perez campaigning in November 2021

Honorary Degrees

In 2014, Tom Perez received special honorary degrees. These included a Doctorate of Laws from Brown University and Drexel University School of Law. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Oberlin College.

See also

In Spanish: Tom Pérez para niños