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Welcome to Ballotpedia's Weekly Transition Tracker
March 19, 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.
- The Senate confirmed Rep. Debra Haaland (D-N.M.) for secretary of the interior on Monday by a vote of 51-40, making her the first Native American Cabinet secretary in U.S. history. Four Republicans supported Haaland’s confirmation: Susan Collins (Maine), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Dan Sullivan (Alaska). Nine senators—six Republicans and three Democrats—did not vote. A special election will be held to fill the vacancy in the New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District created by her departure.
- The Senate confirmed Isabel Guzman for administrator of the Small Business Administration by a vote of 81-17 on Tuesday. Guzman previously worked as the director of the Office of the Small Business Advocate of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development in California.
- The Senate confirmed Katherine Tai as U.S. trade representative on Wednesday by a vote of 98-0. Two senators—a Democrat and an independent—did not vote. Tai is the only Biden Cabinet nominee to receive no opposition to her nomination with all 50 Republicans voting to confirm.
- The Senate confirmed Xavier Becerra as secretary of health and human services on Thursday by a vote of 50-49. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) was the only Republican to support his confirmation. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) did not vote. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will name Becerra’s replacement for California attorney general.
Executive Actions
- Biden issued a proclamation on Thursday ordering flags be flown at half-staff to honor the victims of the March 16, 2021, Atlanta shooting.
Other News
- Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traveled to Japan on Monday for the first in-person, overseas diplomatic meeting of the Biden administration.
- Biden selected economist Gene Sperling as the point person for his administration’s coronavirus relief plan. This position does not require Senate confirmation. Sperling, who served in the Clinton and Obama administrations, will be responsible for implementing the stimulus package in the American Rescue Plan Act.
- Thirteen Democratic senators, led by Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio), called on Biden to temporarily suspend waivers of the Buy American program to prevent foreign companies from bidding on government contracts funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
- Bloomberg reported that Biden was planning a federal tax increase for earners making more than $400,000 a year. The taxes would pay, in part, for his economic and infrastructure plans.
- In an interview on Tuesday, Biden said he supported reinstating the talking filibuster in the U.S. Senate. This change would require senators to hold the Senate floor by speaking to block movement on a bill.
- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report on Tuesday finding that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely directed efforts to interfere in the U.S. presidential election to benefit President Donald Trump’s (R) presidential campaign.
- Biden will hold his first news conference on March 25, roughly two months after he took office. According to Politico, recent presidents have participated in a news conference within their first month in office.
- Vice President Kamala Harris (D) addressed the United Nations in a speech on Tuesday about women’s rights and violence against women during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Texas, Montana, and 19 other states filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for revoking the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. States not directly affected by the proposed path for the pipeline said its rejection would “also have a ripple effect that adversely impacts the economy and environment in non-pipeline states.”
- The Washington Post reported that Rahul Gupta, the chief health and medical officer at the March of Dimes, was in consideration to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
- A group of 20 senators—10 Democrats and 10 Republicans—met on Wednesday to discuss a bipartisan agenda. Breaking the filibuster in the Senate would require support from 10 Republicans.
- The Biden administration announced it would spend $10 billion to implement COVID-19 screening programs in schools. For more information about the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.
- NBC News reported that the Biden administration is considering a six-month extension to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan beyond May 1—the withdrawal deadline previously agreed to by the Trump administration and the Taliban.
- Biden said he will nominate former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) to serve as administrator of NASA. Nelson is one of the few civilians to travel to space, participating in a mission on board the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986.
Transition in Context: What is the USPS Board of Governors?
Biden sent nominations to the U.S. Senate for three candidates to be governors of the United States Postal Service on Monday:
- Anton Hajjar
- Amber McReynolds
- Ronald Stroman
The Board of Governors—which consists of nine governors appointed by the president, the postmaster general, and the deputy postmaster general—was established in 1970 by the Postal Reorganization Act.
The nine governors select the postmaster general, who serves an indefinite term at their pleasure. The board is also responsible for directing expenditures, establishing compensation, and setting policies on postal issues.
Louis DeJoy is the current postmaster general. The deputy postmaster general office is vacant. There are two Democratic governors, four Republican governors, and three vacant seats.
Transition in Context: Help is Here Tour
Biden and other administration officials traveled across the country to promote the coronavirus economic recovery package. In 2019, the Trump administration similarly held a week of events to promote the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, beginning with Trump speaking in Minnesota.
Here is the schedule this week for Biden’s Help is Here Tour:
- March 15: First Lady Jill Biden was in Burlington, New Jersey. Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff were in Las Vegas.
- March 16: Biden was in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Harris and Emhoff visited Denver.
- March 17: Emhoff was in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- March 19: Biden and Harris will be in Atlanta.
Transition in Context
The following chart compares the pace of Senate confirmations for the main Cabinet members—the 15 agency heads in the presidential line of succession—following the inaugurations of Presidents Barack Obama (D), Donald Trump (R), and Joe Biden (D). It does not include Cabinet-rank officials that vary by administration.
Eight weeks after their respective inaugurations, all three presidents had 13 of these secretaries confirmed. One of these Obama Cabinet members—Secretary of Defense Robert Gates—was held over from the Bush administration.
Transition in Context: In Their Words…
Here’s what Democratic and Republican leaders, advisers, and stakeholders have said about a comprehensive immigration bill, including a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.
- “These parents bring their children, their hopes and dreams and aspirations for a better future for their children. That courage, that determination, those aspirations are American traits, and they all make America more American with all of that. Indeed, they are true and legitimate heirs, these Dreamers are, of our Founders.” – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
- “God, no. I’m not in support of legalizing one person until you’re in control of the border.” – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
- “Trump really set the stage and said, ‘Immigration is going to be an issue for the future of the Republican Party. And we're against it.’” – Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)
- “The concern is, as soon as you bring something up to even start discussing it, you’re going to get a surge. So if you’re not ready to really do it, you shouldn’t play with that. I don’t hear us ready to do it.” – Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.)
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