WASHINGTON (AP) — Thomas Perez, President Barack Obama's choice for Labor secretary, has used his perch as the nation's chief civil rights enforcer to crack down on voter suppression, discrimination and police brutality.

Labor advocates and civil rights groups expect him to bring the same aggressive mindset to the Labor Department, raising the agency's profile and playing a more prominent role in the Cabinet than Hilda Solis, who left the post in January.

Obama nominated Perez to head the department on Monday, calling him a "consensus builder" whose "story reminds us of this country's promise."