The Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee advanced the nominations of Miguel Cardona and Marty Walsh to full Senate votes. 
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[Transition Tracker Daily by Ballotpedia]
 

 

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** WELCOME TO BALLOTPEDIA'S TRANSITION TRACKER
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** FEBRUARY 12, 2021
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President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House staff and appointees to top government positions.

In 2020, there were 1,472 government positions subject to presidential appointment: 1,118 positions required Senate confirmation and 354 did not. The new administration is also responsible for filling thousands of other positions across the federal government, including in operations and policy. Every weekday, Ballotpedia is tracking potential Cabinet nominees, appointments, and news related to the Biden administration.
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** SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER
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[link removed] out this info I found from Ballotpedia&body=[link removed]

 

 

 

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* No committee hearings ([link removed]) are scheduled Friday.

* The Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee advanced ([link removed]) the nominations of Miguel Cardona ([link removed]) for secretary of education and Marty Walsh ([link removed]) for secretary of labor to full Senate votes. 

* The committee advanced ([link removed]) Cardona's nomination 17-5. The senators who voted against advancing the nomination were Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala).
* The committee advanced Walsh's nomination 18-4. Braun, Paul, Scott, and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) voted against advancing the nomination.

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** NEWS
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* Biden rescinded former President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border. In a letter ([link removed]) to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announcing his proclamation, Biden wrote, "I have also announced that it shall be the policy of my Administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall, and that I am directing a careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to that end."

* The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a memorandum ([link removed]) kicking off implementation of Biden's Jan. 20 executive order ([link removed]) directing agency heads to review policies in order to bar discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. HUD said it "interprets the Fair Housing Act to bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and direct[s] HUD offices and recipients of HUD funds to enforce the Act accordingly."

* The Biden administration announced ([link removed]) it would begin ([link removed]) allowing an estimated 25,000 people seeking asylum at the Mexican border into the U.S. while they await immigration court hearings. The process is set to begin Feb. 19 with around 300 people per day. 

* _The Wall Street Journal _reported ([link removed]) that Biden will begin the process of revoking permissions for states to implement work requirements for Medicaid on Friday.

* _Axios _reported ([link removed]) that Biden is considering two Republicans for ambassadorships: Former Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Cindy McCain, widow of former Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

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** TRANSITION IN CONTEXT: IN THEIR WORDS…
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Here’s what leaders, advisers, and stakeholders said about Neera Tanden, Biden's nominee for director of the Office of Management and Budget, during and after her hearings before the Senate Budget Committee and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Tanden is president and CEO of the Center for American Progress (CAP).

* "Before I vote on your nomination, it is important for me and members of this committee to know that those donations that you have secured at CAP will not influence your decision making at the OMB." — Sen. Bernie Sanders ([link removed]) (I-Vt.)

* "I’ve known her for a while, very nice person, but [she's] not the unity pick I was looking for. … In a time of unity, we’re picking somebody who throws sharp elbows, and there’s going to be consequences for that." — Sen. Lindsey Graham ([link removed]) (R-S.C.)

* "[T]he President wouldn’t nominate anyone he wasn’t confident could get confirmed and didn’t deserve the consideration and confirmation … of Senate Democrats and Republicans." — White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki ([link removed])

Tanden responded to questions and criticisms about CAP donations and her past tweets with the following:

* Tanden said ([link removed]) CAP donations would have "zero impact" on her decision-making and that "it will be my role to ensure that I am only serving the interests of the American people." 

* She said ([link removed]) of her past tweets, "Social media does lead to too many personal comments, and my approach [at OMB] would be radically different." She also said ([link removed]) , "I deeply regret and apologize for my language."

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** WHAT WE’RE READING
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* FiveThirtyEight: Why Revoking Trump’s Executive Orders Isn’t Enough To Undo Their Effects ([link removed])
* Politico: ‘It would be very difficult’: Dems prepare for heartburn over Biden immigration plan ([link removed])
* CNN: How Joe Biden's Cabinet picks are making history ([link removed])

 
 

 
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