On Thursday, President-elect Joe Biden announced his appointment of Barack Obama‘s former national security adviser Susan Rice to serve as the head of the White House Domestic Policy Council.
Rice has been a contender in multiple roles of Biden’s administration – she was considered for Vice President as well as for secretary of state (which eventuallywent to Antony Blinken).
Although the position is one of lesser importance than Vice President and secretary of state, Biden wanted to find a significant role for Rice. Many Democrats were concerned that Rice would not have been able to be confirmed by a GOP Senate, due to her contentious history with Republicans.
Rice has had a long career of experience with crisis management as well as on foreign policy and national security issues. The combination of these skills give Rice the right tools, according to Biden, to assist him in implementing his administration’s ambitious domestic policy agenda.
Biden also announced his nominations of Marcia Fudge to head of Department of Housing and Urban Development, Tom Vilsack as Agriculture Secretary, Katherine Tai as U.S. trade representative and Denis McDonough as secretary of Veterans Affairs.
“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,” Biden said of his appointments.
