President-elect Joe Biden announced today that his administration will be nominating Denis McDonough as Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), as well as naming a few others to key cabinet positions.
“This dedicated and distinguished group of public servants will bring the highest level of experience, compassion, and integrity to bear, solving problems and expanding possibilities for the American people in the face of steep challenges,” Biden said in a press release. “The roles they will take on are where the rubber meets the road — where competent and crisis-tested governance can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, enhancing the dignity, equity, security, and prosperity of the day-to-day lives of Americans.”
During the Barack Obama administration, McDonough served as White House Chief of Staff, Deputy National Security Advisor, and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council. Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, VA has been working diligently to continue delivering healthcare services to veterans by successfully transitioning to a remote work environment. McDonough will also need to oversee the $10 billion Electronic Health Record Modernization program at VA, which will roll out over the next eight years.
Among others being nominated to the cabinet in the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris cabinet include: Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Katherine Tai as U.S. Trade Representative, and Susan Rice as Director of the Domestic Policy Council.
