Washminster

Washminster
Washminster

Wednesday 21 January 2009

And now the work starts...

The inauguration celebrations have been completed and the work of the new administration begins in earnest. This blog's primary focus is on the work of legislatures - so will be following closely relations between the Executive branch and Congress.

Within a few hours of President Obama taking office six of his Cabinet nominees and the Budget Director were confirmed by the Senate [Steven Chu (Energy); Arne Duncan (Education); Janet Napolitano (Homeland Security); Ken Salazar (Interior); Eric Shinseki (Veterans Affairs) Tom Vilsack (Agriculture); and Peter Orszag (OMB Director)]. A Roll Call vote in the Senate on Hillary Clinton (State) is due at 16.30 EST (21.30 UK), while committees have yet to vote onEric Holder (Attorney General), expected today - and on Timothy Geithner (Treasury).

The White House Legislative Affairs Office is key to the relationship between the President and Congress. It headed by the Director of Legislative Affairs - Phil Schiliro. Lisa Konwinski is the Deputy Director for Legislative Affairs. Other members of the 14 person team are
Dan Turton - Deputy Director for the House of Representatives
Shawn Maher - Deputy Director for the Senate
Jay Heimbach - Senate
Christopher Kang - Senate
Sean Kennedy - Senate
Jim Oleske - Senate
Louisa Terrell - Senate
Jim Papa - House
Alejandro Perez - House
Jonathan Samuels - House
Shelly O'Neill Stoneman - House
Denise Wilson - House