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Welcome to Ballotpedia's Transition Tracker
February 9, 2021
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.
- On Monday, the Senate confirmed Denis McDonough for secretary of veterans affairs by a vote of 87-7. McDonough is the second non-veteran to hold this office. The following senators voted against his confirmation: Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
- Two committee hearings are scheduled Tuesday:
- The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is holding a confirmation hearing for Neera Tanden for director of the Office of Management and Budget. This is the first of two confirmation hearings for Tanden. Read below to learn more about Tanden’s confirmation process.
- The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is going to vote on the nomination of Michael Regan for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
News
- Vox reported that the potential choices for commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had been narrowed to Janet Woodcock, the acting FDA commissioner, and Joshua Sharfstein, a former principal deputy commissioner at the FDA.
- The Department of Justice dropped a Trump administration lawsuit challenging California’s net neutrality law. Jessica Rosenworcel, the acting chairwoman of the FCC, said in a statement, “When the FCC, over my objection, rolled back its net neutrality policies, states like California sought to fill the void with their own laws. By taking this step, Washington is listening to the American people, who overwhelmingly support an open internet, and is charting a course to once again make net neutrality the law of the land.”
- The Washington Post reported that Biden was expected to request U.S. attorneys appointed by President Donald Trump (R) and confirmed by the Senate resign with some exceptions. The federal prosecutor investigating Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, would continue to work, for example.
Transition in Context: What makes the confirmation process for the director of the Office of Management and Budget different?
While most nominations are reviewed by a single Senate committee, the process for nominations for the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is different.
Neera Tanden will be the only Cabinet-rank nominee to face two different committees as part of her confirmation process for OMB director. Why? Two Senate committees have joint jurisdiction over this position: the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Senate Budget Committee.
Another unusual part of the confirmation process for Tanden is that she must submit her tax returns, in addition to the other standard financial disclosures.
What We're Reading
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