WH says dropping out was Daschle's call
February 3rd, 2009 | Agencies Congress HHS | Posted by Rebecca Neal
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tom Daschle made the decision on his own to drop out of consideration for Health and Human Services secretary.
There was no signal to Daschle from the White House,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs added that Daschle also withdrew his name as leader of the new White House health care policy office.
Daschle’s decision caused waves on the Hill, where Daschle, the former Senate majority leader, remains in high regard. The Senate Finance Committee votes on the confirmation of the HHS secretary, but the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing in January because of the committee’s interests in HHS.
The hearing was nothing short of a lovefest, where senators lauded their former leader and called him “brilliant” and “the best man for the job.”
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., spoke of the need for the new HHS secretary to inspire and bring new leadership to the civil service.
Looks like they’ll be waiting a little longer for that.
Tags: Congress, HHS, Tom Daschle
Obama names HHS deputy secretary
January 13th, 2009 | Agencies HHS Transition | Posted by Rebecca Neal
President-elect Barack Obama today named William Corr as the nominee for deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Corr, currently the executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, served as chief of staff to former Secretary Donna Shalala during her tenure at HHS. He also served as the deputy assistant secretary for health and counselor to the secretary.
He also has a solid working relationship with HHS Secretary-designate Tom Daschle, having served as chief counsel and policy director for former Senate Minority Leader Daschle for two years.
In a statement, Obama praised Corr’s experience and said he can help bring about meaningful health reforms.
“Reforming our health care system will be a top priority of my administration and key to putting our economy back on track. Bill Corr has the depth of experience and commitment to this issue necessary to take on this challenge.”
Tags: Barack Obama, HHS, Tom Daschle
Daschle kicks off confirmation hearings
January 8th, 2009 | Agencies Congress HHS Transition | Posted by Rebecca Neal
Former Sen. Tom Daschle’s appearance before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today marked the first confirmation hearing for the slate of Senate confirmable nominees named by President-elect Barack Obama over the past two months.
During the hearing, which marked Chairman Edward Kennedy’s return to Capitol Hill after treatment for a brain tumor, Daschle repeatedly emphasized his commitment to improving efficiency and innovating America’s health care system. Senators also challenged him to improve civil servants’ morale within HHS and to make the department more effective and accountable.
Daschle spoke of the health crisis facing Native Americans, citing that more than 40 percent of South Dakota’s Pine Ridge reservation’s residents age 40 and older have diabetes and the life expectancy is 47 years old. He pledged to focus efforts to improve the quality of care the Indian Health Service provides.
“I will also make sure the health disparities affecting all other minority and underserved populations are acknowledged and addressed,†he said.
Tags: Congress, HHS, Tom Daschle, Transition