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President Obama nominates three new cabinet members President Obama nominates three new cabinet members
(8 days later)
President Barack Obama announced three cabinet-level nominations Monday and called on the Senate to "act quickly" to confirm them.President Barack Obama announced three cabinet-level nominations Monday and called on the Senate to "act quickly" to confirm them.
At least one of the nominees, Gina McCarthy, the president's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, could face a tough road to confirmation. McCarthy would be charged with enforcing regulations on factory emissions, a role that could put her at odds with free-market Republicans and Democrats from coal states.At least one of the nominees, Gina McCarthy, the president's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, could face a tough road to confirmation. McCarthy would be charged with enforcing regulations on factory emissions, a role that could put her at odds with free-market Republicans and Democrats from coal states.
The president said McCarthy, the current head of the EPA's air division, had won respect among industry members as well as her peers in government.The president said McCarthy, the current head of the EPA's air division, had won respect among industry members as well as her peers in government.
"She's earned a reputation as a straight-shooter. She welcomes differing points of view," Obama said in a White House ceremony. "And I'm confident she's going to do an outstanding job leading the EPA"."She's earned a reputation as a straight-shooter. She welcomes differing points of view," Obama said in a White House ceremony. "And I'm confident she's going to do an outstanding job leading the EPA".
Obama also named Ernest Moniz, a nuclear physicist at MIT, to head the Department of Energy; and Sylvia Mathews Burwell, director of the Walmart Foundation, as director of the Office of Management and Budget. Moniz was under-secretary of education under President Bill Clinton. Mathews was deputy OMB director under Clinton, when she "presided over three budget surpluses in a row", Obama said.Obama also named Ernest Moniz, a nuclear physicist at MIT, to head the Department of Energy; and Sylvia Mathews Burwell, director of the Walmart Foundation, as director of the Office of Management and Budget. Moniz was under-secretary of education under President Bill Clinton. Mathews was deputy OMB director under Clinton, when she "presided over three budget surpluses in a row", Obama said.
The president framed the nominations as an attempt to deliver on his promise to enact tougher regulations to protect the environment. "These are some of my top priorities," Obama said.The president framed the nominations as an attempt to deliver on his promise to enact tougher regulations to protect the environment. "These are some of my top priorities," Obama said.
While Republicans have not explicitly opposed McCarthy's nomination, senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, told Politico that McCarthy's EPA office had been slow to grant Shell, the oil company, offshore drilling permits.While Republicans have not explicitly opposed McCarthy's nomination, senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, told Politico that McCarthy's EPA office had been slow to grant Shell, the oil company, offshore drilling permits.
"She has been very much an EPA bureaucrat and that's made it difficult on some of the issues we work on," Murkowski said."She has been very much an EPA bureaucrat and that's made it difficult on some of the issues we work on," Murkowski said.
Obama gave a brief pep talk ahead of the looming budget battle (the deadline for Congress to pass a new budget is 27 March). The country will feel growing economic pain from the $85bn in automatic budget cuts that were triggered Friday by sequestration, the president said. He called on the legislature to do better in the next round.Obama gave a brief pep talk ahead of the looming budget battle (the deadline for Congress to pass a new budget is 27 March). The country will feel growing economic pain from the $85bn in automatic budget cuts that were triggered Friday by sequestration, the president said. He called on the legislature to do better in the next round.
"Eventually a lot of people are going to feel some pain," Obama said. "That's why we've got to keep on working to reduce our deficit in a balanced way. I'm confident that we will get there if people of goodwill come together.""Eventually a lot of people are going to feel some pain," Obama said. "That's why we've got to keep on working to reduce our deficit in a balanced way. I'm confident that we will get there if people of goodwill come together."
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