Hilda Solis was the first Hispanic woman to serve in the US Cabinet US labour secretary Hilda Solis has announced her resignation from President Obama's Cabinet, making her the fifth to do so in recent weeks. Her departure has also raised questions about the diversity of the president's team.Following Solis' announcement Obama praised her, calling her a "tireless champion for working families."
"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,"Obama said in a statement.
Solis was the first Hispanic woman to serve in the US Cabinet. The former California congresswoman won praise from labour unions who found themselves embattled in fights over bargaining rights in states
like Wisconsin, Ohio and New Jersey after 2010 state elections - for her advocacy of safety regulations and fair wages for workers.
Reporters pounced on the significance of the announcement, questioning the racial and gender diversity of the US president's closest advisors for his second administration, which begins on January 20.
Of the five Cabinet members who have resigned - Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Labour Hilda Solis, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Lisa Jackson, whose position is considered Cabinet-rank - three were women.
Source: Deutshe Welle