Subject: Another Snag Trips Up Herman's Nomination

The White House says it hopes to work out Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott's latest concerns involving the confirmation of Alexis Herman as Labor secretary.

Press Secretary Mike McCurry tells CNN that the White House believes it can satisfy Lott's concerns, allowing a final vote on Herman's nomination.

Lott today threatened to hold up Herman's confirmation, saying he first wanted the White House to clarify the administration's position on the Davis-Bacon law, which requires federal contracts go only to those companies that pay the "prevailing wage" in their region.

Labor unions strongly support Davis-Bacon; conservative Republicans strongly oppose it.

White House officials say Lott was apparently angered by Vice President Al Gore's latest comments on the subject at a conference in Detroit. Last February, at the AFL-CIO convention in California, Gore strongly endorsed Davis-Bacon.

Another White House official, Joe Lockhart, tells CNN that Herman's confirmation process has already continued for months, she has answered all the questions put to her, and the Senate should vote on her nomination.