President Trump has nominated Daniel Aronowitz to lead the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). Aronowitz is currently the president of ENCORE Fiduciary, an underwriter of insurance designed to protect employee benefits plans and trustees from fiduciary liability.

If confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Labor in charge of EBSA, Aronowitz would take the lead on EBSA’s actions regarding the fiduciary rule, the rules regulating multiple and pooled employer health plans, and other regulations important to insurance and financial advisors. He would report to DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, but also likely would work closely with Deputy DOL Secretary Keith Sonderling, assuming (as is likely) Sonderling is also confirmed.

Prospects: Aronowitz has not yet been scheduled for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, but early indications suggest that he will win first committee and then full Senate approval, possibly on party-line votes. Aronowitz will be important in the DOL decision to appeal or retreat from the courts’ overturning of the fiduciary rule.

NAIFA Staff Contacts: Jayne Fitzgerald – Director – Government Relations, at jfitzgerald@naifa.org; or Mike Hedge – Senior Director – Government Relations, at mhedge@naifa.org