A leading Congressional Republican is asking Education Secretary Arne Duncan for significantly more information about how the department plans to spend $100 billion in new funds from the economic stimulus package and to monitor how the money is used. Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon wrote to Duncan last week to ask how the department will oversee the flow of funds to states and the effectiveness with which states spend the money.
Category: Federal Agency Developments
President Obama Rounds Out Cabinet
Today, President Obama nominated Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS) to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Prior to serving as Governor of Kansas, Sebelius served as the state’s insurance commissioner for eight years. The Sebelius pick has, thus far, drawn bipartisan praise from the Senate. If Sebelius and Commerce Secretary-designate Gary Locke (D-WA) are confirmed, President Obama’s cabinet will be complete.
In addition to the HHS selection, today, the President announced that former Clinton administration official Nancy-Ann DeParle will serve as director of the White House Office of Health Reform, which is a new post created to oversee the anticipated health care reform effort. President Obama’s budget outline included $634 billion over 10 years for an overhaul of the health care system. Leaders in Congress have expressed a belief that hearings will begin by this summer.
President Obama Selects New HRSA Administrator
Mary Wakefield, Director of the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota, has been selected by President Obama to head the Health Resources and Services Administration. HRSA is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. The agency will administer $2.5 billion allocated in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for health care infrastructure and to train health care professionals.
Governor Locke Potential Pick for Commerce
The Pacific Northwest may see one of it’s own join the Obama Administration. The media is reporting this afternoon that former Governor Gary Locke is being vetted for the position of Commerce Secretary. This would be good news for the UW and the region! Stay tuned for more.
Federal Agency Spending Plans on Recovery Act Funding Due Out
Several federal agencies are working quickly to develop spending plans for funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Last week, NIH provided a sketch of its planned use of $10.4 billion in Recovery Act spending (details provided under the Federal Agency Developments link). Additionally, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a reorganization of the Department of Energy that will lead to expedited disbursement of agency funding. The Department of Education and National Science Foundations are expected to release their spending plans in the coming days -possibly this week. The Department of Education has prepared a website with initial information on its portion of Recovery Act funding.