President Obama's pick to lead the 2010 census has pledged to lawmakers that he will maintain his independence at the helm of the decennial count.
Robert Groves, who this week submitted written answers to a questionnaire prepared by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, wrote that he would "actively resist any attempt at interference" by outsiders. Groves said he would resign if he encounters overwhelming political pressure that would compromise the process.
Republicans are wary (subscription) that census officials might attempt to use statistical sampling to correct for an undercount of minorities, an adjustment that would result in a boost in funding and congressional representation for Democratic areas.
Groves, whose confirmation hearing is set for Tuesday, reiterated the statement of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke that there are "no plans" to use sampling to adjust census data. "On matters of the scientific bases and statistical properties of the census ... the White House can have no role," Groves added.
The newly appointed federal chief technology officer has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, but Aneesh Chopra plans to issue recommendations on an open government directive by May 21, a White House official said.
The administration, via a blog and possibly through other new media conduits, plans to invite the public to comment on the memo as early as next week.
A presidential memo issued on Jan. 21, the day after Barack Obama's inauguration, set a deadline of May 21 for suggestions from the CTO on how to create a more transparent, collaborative and participatory government. The Obama administration then plans to issue a directive to all agencies based on the recommendations, according to the memo.
Chopra will honor the president's request with some form of a proposal, but it will not be the final product many open government activists were expecting, said the White House official, who asked not to be identified because the person is not authorized to talk publicly about the issue.
One hang-up has been Chopra's murky official status. On April 18 he was named an assistant to President Obama and appointed associate director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and his Senate confirmation is still pending. The administration also has yet to seek public comment on the memo, an omission that some transparency advocates argue weakens the open government initiative.
"People are going to be pretty upset if it's coming out in dribs and drabs, understanding that they're understaffed, but that's also an indication of the commitment of the White House," said Patrice McDermott, director of Openthegovernment.org, a coalition of journalists, advocacy groups and unions focused on strengthening public trust in government.
The White House has not announced a deadline for the directive.
One of the first things Margaret (Peggy) Hamburg says she will do if confirmed as FDA commissioner is review the agency's recent work on the H1N1 flu situation, according to testimony she is delivering today at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
FDA has worked throughout the crisis to begin developing a vaccine for the virus and accelerate approval of diagnostic tests to detect H1N1. Hamburg led development of a flu pandemic preparedness plan when she served as the assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at HHS during the Clinton administration. Now vice president for biological programs at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, Hamburg said she plans to determine whether FDA could be doing more.
Her next priorities, Hamburg planned to tell senators, will be to improve food safety, increase monitoring of medical products, foster innovation and boost FDA's credibility to eliminate the perception that it is too close to industries it regulates.
"As FDA commissioner I would strive to lead an agency that appropriately balances innovation with regulation," Hamburg pledges in her prepared testimony.
Continue reading FDA Nominee Promises Review Of Flu Response.
President Obama's trade team is coming into focus with the Senate's confirmation Wednesday of Demetrios Marantis as deputy U.S. Trade Representative. Marantis was Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus' top trade staffer.
Obama also said Wednesday he will work to open foreign markets to U.S. products and make it easier for other countries to sell their goods here, and that he is "developing a plan of action for pending trade agreements" with Panama, Colombia and South Korea.
Obama discussed the benefits of global trade in his proclamation that the third week of May will be World Trade Week, a tradition dating back to the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt. Positive words might be expected in such a proclamation, but Obama himself up until this point had largely delegated the subject to Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
Kirk has said the administration would like to move "relatively quickly" on the Panama pact, which has angered some labor unions and critics on Capitol Hill. The Colombia and South Korea deals are still seen as longer-term projects with no timeline for action.
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., will keep a hold on President Obama's pick to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency until he receives a satisfactory answer on updating flood maps in his state, his office said Tuesday.
Vitter is seeking a resolution to an issue that has prevented Louisiana parishes ravished by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 from rebuilding. He met Monday with W. Craig Fugate, who has been nominated to head FEMA, but did not get enough information to lift his hold.
According to Vitter's office, local rebuilding efforts have been stalled because FEMA is relying on outdated maps. Vitter has been waiting for more than two months for FEMA to explain its plan for updating the maps.
Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu also has concerns, but said she has been assured the problem is being resolved. "While I share Sen. Vitter's concerns, it is counterproductive to hold this exceptionally qualified and experienced nominee to head FEMA, particularly when hurricane season starts next month," she said in a statement.
The Senate Thursday overwhelmingly confirmed Tom Strickland's nomination as assistant Interior secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, but Republican holds might delay the appointment of two of his fellow deputies at the department.
The Senate, 89-2, approved Strickland, who will continue to be Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's chief of staff. He is only the second of President Obama's nominees for Interior to be confirmed.
Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, Thursday announced he will try to hold up the nomination of Hilary Tompkins to be solicitor at Interior because he wants Salazar to clarify the administration's position on an agreement reached in 2003 between Utah and Interior, where the department agreed to stop designating land as wilderness study areas. Tompkins as solicitor would have to defend that agreement, which resulted from a lawsuit Utah filed against the federal government in 1996.
"I need to better understand the legal opinions and director of who will be the department's chief legal officer, and the answers provided just don't cut it," Bennett said. He sent a letter to Salazar Thursday seeking clarification.
Bennett also has a hold on David Hayes to be Interior deputy secretary because he wants more answers regarding why the administration canceled oil and gas leases in Utah.
President Obama's pick to head the EPA's air pollution division is being blocked from confirmation by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., over concerns about the agency's plans for regulating carbon dioxide.
Barrasso's office confirmed Wednesday that he has placed a hold on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to become director of the EPA Office of Air and Radiation.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved McCarthy's nomination last week by voice vote, with only Barrasso opposed.
McCarthy is the head of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.
Kathleen Sebelius became the final member of President Obama's Cabinet to win Senate confirmation Tuesday, as the chamber voted 65-31 to approve her appointment as HHS secretary. Under an agreement with Republicans, the confirmation required 60 votes to be approved.
Sebelius, 60, immediately announced her resignation as Kansas governor, allowing Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson, a former state Republican chairman turned Democrat, to ascend to the state's top elected office.
President Obama administered the oath of office to Sebelius just after 8 p.m. Obama tapped Sebelius for the HHS post in early March, after his first choice, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., withdrew from consideration following revelations he owed about $140,000 in back taxes and interest.
Sebelius also faced tax questions, but survived after paying about $8,000 in back taxes and interest because of what she called unintentional errors. Sebelius still faced opposition from Republicans, though, including senators concerned about her lack of experience in health care policy and for support she received from a Kansas physician who provides abortions.
By CONGRESSDAILY STAFF
Say this about Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.: On just about any issue, you know exactly where he stands. On the nomination of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to head HHS, Coburn is not just voting "no" but saying that confirming her will help destroy the country. Because of her support for abortion rights, Coburn said, her ascension to the job will put the United States "on our way to oblivion as a nation."
Other Republicans, including Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, said they would vote against confirmation because of her backing of government-backed health care. Bennett said his opposition wasn't partisan but was based on his view that nationalized health care "doesn't work." The vote is expected late this afternoon or early this evening. Even Coburn acknowledged that Sebelius is likely to be confirmed.
By CONGRESSDAILY STAFF
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved nominees Monday to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office at the Homeland Security Department.
W. Craig Fugate, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, was approved as FEMA administrator, and John Morton, a longtime Justice Department official, was approved to be assistant secretary of ICE.
Both nominations were approved by unanimous voice votes and should be on the Senate floor soon.
