January 19, 2021 9:48 PM | With information from dpa
15 minutes. United States President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Dr Rachel Levine as deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, who would be the first openly transgender person to hold a position at this federal level if supported. of the Senate.
Biden announced the proposal on Tuesday from the Pennsylvania health secretary and one of the state’s pandemic management officials. According to the president-elect, Levine has reached these positions by demonstrating extensive experience and being an effective public servant.
“Dr Rachel Levine will bring the strong leadership and experience we need to overcome this pandemicRegardless of zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or disability, ”Biden said of the doctor. He also described her as a “highly qualified” person to help the administration.
For her part, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris highlighted Levine’s “marked” profile as a public servant with “knowledge and experience.” According to him, it “will help contain the pandemic and protect and improve the health and well-being of Americans.”
Appearances of candidates
This Tuesday begins the appearances in the Senate of the United States of those chosen by Biden for his cabinet, including candidates for the Treasury, Defense and State departments.
Janet Yellen, former president of the Federal Reserve, will be among the first to appear and will do so before the Senate finance committee, which will decide to confirm her as head of the Treasury.
Likewise, Antony Blinken, the one chosen by Biden to head the State Department, will appear before the Committee on International Relations; while Lloyd Austin, candidate for head of the Department of Defense, will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
In fact, Austin will need a permit to hold the post since he left his military job in 2016. By law, in these cases, you must have left the post seven years previously.
On the other hand, the intelligence committee will welcome the appearance of Avril Haines, proposed by Biden as director of national intelligence. Alejandro Mayorkas will also face the problems of the National Security Commission since he is a candidate for the homonymous department.
The committees will conduct interviews with candidates for Biden’s cabinet, but the entire Senate will vote on whether or not to confirm their support.
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