“President Obama’s decision to name Jenny R. Yang the new chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will help ensure that this critically important agency remains strong and vigilant in rooting out employment discrimination of all kinds. Yang is a wise, strong choice for this essential position; her track record of promoting fairness and equal opportunity in our workplaces is unsurpassed. As chair of the EEOC, Yang will have the chance to build on both the Commission’s powerful record, and her own proud history of protecting the rights of women and all workers.

In both the private and public sectors, Yang has fought successfully for workers’ civil rights. Prior to joining the EEOC, she worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, enforcing federal laws that prohibit discrimination in employment by state and local government employers with great success. She also represented plaintiffs in complex civil rights cases when she worked in the private sector.

Another barrier will be broken as Yang becomes the first Asian-American Chair of the EEOC — an agency Americans rely on to level the playing field and promote fairness in our workplaces. President Obama has made a terrific choice. This appointment will be good for the nation.”