Tom Daschle, the former South Dakota senator who was tapped by Barack Obama to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services, withdrew his name from consideration today. The decision stunned the Washington political scene, even though Daschle’s nomination had been questioned for days over the fact that he had not paid $128,000 in back taxes. Last week, Tim Geithner had squeezed through Senate confirmation for the post of Treasury secretary, despite having also failed to pay back taxes on the order of $30,000.
Daschle’s withdrawal leaves the main position overseeing America’s health system unclear. Researchers have been waiting for other key appointments that come under the umbrella of health and human services, including head of the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. Now, with Daschle’s withdrawal, the question is whether those jobs will be filled shortly. The White House has hinted recently that the FDA job, at least, may be named in the coming days.
Obama did fill one last Cabinet slot today, nominating Judd Gregg, a Republican senator from New Hampshire, as Commerce secretary. Obama’s first nominee, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, withdrew last month pending a grand jury iinvestigation into his political dealings in New Mexico. If confirmed Gregg, a fiscal conservative, will be in charge of the odd and sprawling bureaucracy that is the Commerce department. It is meant to promote economic growth — something America surely needs at this point — but also contains elements such as the patent and trademark office. Most significantly for science, it contains the multibillion-dollar National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the country’s weather satellites, fisheries, and pretty much all things civilian that are related to the ocean.
On that, at least, Judd should have lots of scientific advice: Nominee Jane Lubchenco, a marine biologist at Oregon State University, is awaiting her confirmation hearing to head NOAA. There’s no public word on her tax situation — which can only be a good sign, at least so far.