Biden’s Government Still Half Empty – NRK Urix – Foreign News & Documentaries

The speed of dating is the slowest in modern times, according to the AP news agency.

Of the 23 government nominations Biden has submitted to the Senate, only 12 are approving, or about half.

Among the 15 key candidates for federal leadership and other government offices, 10 are passing it. According to the Office for President Change, the four previous presidents had 84 percent of their candidates nominated at the same time.

Budget on hold

On Tuesday, the uncertainty increased again when the candidate to rent the budget office at the White House, Neera Tanden, resigned. It affects Biden’s budget planning and work on the big crisis package that Biden expects to be adopted in March.

The tooth was removed after receiving criticism from senators from both parties. The reason is that she has expressed controversial views on Twitter, something that has fallen several heavily to the chest.

According to the Biden folks, Tanden has other duties in his administration.

No political control

Appointment delays mean that several ministries are without political leadership. This is happening at the same time that ministries are implementing comprehensive crisis solutions for the corona pandemic.

Former Health Minister Donna Shalala told the AP that there are several important decisions that have not been made in anticipation of a clear political signal.

– It’s very unfortunate. Especially in the middle of a major health crisis. It’s wrong that this is happening, he says.

Shalala says the ministry’s employees are trained, but they need political leadership.

– Everything is delayed

Shalala was Minister of Health during Bill Clinton’s presidency in the 1990s. It was approved by the Senate two days after Clinton’s inauguration.

– So, I could immediately join in and dive into a long list of decisions and political options that await me, he says.

– When the lease is missing, important decisions are postponed and everything is delayed, he says.

Xavier Becerra, who is Biden’s candidate for the post of Minister of Health, will go to the Senate Health Committee for a vote on Wednesday.

He is expected to pass without a fight. Becerra comes from work as a state attorney in California.

He will be responsible for the supervision of hospitals and nursing homes and will guide policy vis-à-vis private health organizations. In addition, you will be responsible for the prices of medicines, telemedicine and child welfare services, and urgent questions need clarification.

– Employees become more conservative

Matt Stier, who runs a nonprofit following the change of president, the Partnership for Public Service, says that when leadership is lacking, ministry employees become more cautious and conservative.

– When the top figure is missing, it’s hard to tackle the really big issues and make big changes. Uncertainty about what is desired leads to natural restraint, he says.

– Blocked by Trump

The slowness of the appointments is partly due to the fact that Donald Trump opposed what is our usual practice, that is, that the detailed process in the Senate began after the November elections.

Trump refused to accept the election results and refused to allow his people to cooperate with Biden’s transition team.

Democrats didn’t gain control of the Senate until after the Jan. 5 by-elections, when Democrats took both Georgia Senate seats. After that, it was almost a month before Democrats and Republicans agreed on how issues should be handled in committees.

The Supreme Court further delayed

Democrats also admit that the second Supreme Court trial against Trump contributed to further delays as senators were tied up in the room.

But the main responsibility places Biden’s transition team with Trump.

The delay is rooted in the previous administration’s opposition to the will of the American people, says Andrew Bates, spokesman for the transition team.

Batast says that candidates who have strong cross-party support and who are key figures in the fight against the corona pandemic, and who are needed to get the country’s economy back on track, are completely unnecessarily prevented from taking office. work by individuals in the Senate.

– There must be an end to that, he says.

But Bates is relieved that the approval process in recent weeks has been mostly streamlined.

Important items are missing

The Biden administration has prioritized appointments related to national security, finance and public health.

A new national security chief is in place in Alejandro Mayorkas, as are Chancellor Tony Blinken, Avril Haines at the Department of Homeland Security, and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin and Finance Minister Janet Yellen.

The last appointment came on Tuesday with Miguel Cardona as the new Education Minister.

At present, the United States lacks a Minister of Justice.

Nor is there anyone who manages the Ministry of Housing and Urbanism, or the small business office. These ministries are important in relation to the gigantic $ 1.9 trillion crisis package that Biden plans to overcome in the coming weeks.

The delays in minister appointments are spreading down the system of secretaries and state advisers who will govern key areas of Biden’s politics.

This applies, for example, to how health insurance policies should cover crown-related injuries. Today there are intermediaries in these positions and many are not sure.

Can still beat Trump

No time has been set for a new state budget. Typically, new presidents send their main budget lines to Congress before the end of February.

Therefore, Joe Biden is “behind” when it comes to spending money and the associated political signals. But he can still do it with Trump, who doesn’t present his budget until mid-March.

Meanwhile, Biden has chosen to make the big moves through presidential orders that have given a clear signal of where he wants to go.

In addition, he has appointed more than 1,100 political advisers in various ministries. These people help explain what politics should look like, even without top managers being appointed. These are positions that can be filled without Biden having to go down the Senate path.

On his first day as president, Joe Biden ended the workday by allowing hundreds of advisers to take the oath at a Digital Zoom meeting through a series of giant screens in the White House.