Obama Makes Key Health, Energy Cabinet Appointments

Dec. 12, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama recently selected former Sen. Tom Daschle to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and Nobel Prize winner Dr. Steven Chu as energy secretary.

Obama officially nominated Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services on Dec. 11. Daschle will be tasked with implementing Obama’s vision for health care at the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as leading health care reform.

"The time has come – this year, in this new Administration – to modernize our health care system for the twenty-first century; to reduce costs for families and businesses; and to finally provide affordable, accessible health care for every American,” Obama said. “Tom Daschle is one of America's foremost health care experts. He knows how to reach across the aisle and bridge partisan divides and he has the trust of folks from every angle of this issue.”

Chu Named Energy Chief

Chu won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997 and currently is the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. According to the laboratory, Chu was an “early advocate for finding scientific solutions to climate change.”

"I know Dr. Steven Chu and have had the chance to work with and observe him in his role as head of the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory,” said Spencer Abraham, former U.S. Energy Secretary from 2001-2005. “He is an outstanding leader and scientist and therefore an excellent nominee who deserves broad support from the Senate during his upcoming confirmation.”

The New York Times reports that Obama will name Carol M. Browner as the White House coordinator of energy and climate policy. Browner was the EPA administrator under the Clinton administration. Obama also is expected to name Lisa P. Jackson as the head of EPA.

According to media reports, Chu and the environmental team will formally be nominated the week of Dec. 15.

About the Author

Laura Walter

Laura Walter was formerly senior editor of EHS Today. She is a subject matter expert in EHS compliance and government issues and has covered a variety of topics relating to occupational safety and health. Her writing has earned awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), the Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) and APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. Her debut novel, Body of Stars (Dutton) was published in 2021.

Sponsored Recommendations

April 25, 2025
Environmental audits should be a core part of your EHS program regardless of whether you choose to pursue ISO 14001 certification.
April 25, 2025
Streamline EHS inspections. Conduct, track, and manage inspections effortlessly with customizable checklists, real-time reporting, and actionable insights.
April 25, 2025
A winning business case is based on the ROI of the project. The essential first step is determining your EHS costs today.
April 25, 2025
The use of QR codes can greatly simplify observation, near miss, and incident reporting and improve the quantity and quality of data. The more safety information that is collected...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!