Voice of America
25 Feb 2021, 15:05 GMT+10
U.S. Senate committees will hear testimony Thursday from three more of President Joe Biden's nominees, including his picks to be the country's trade representative, its top public health official and the assistant secretary of health.
Katherine Tai, nominee for U.S. trade representative, is set to tell the Finance Committee that she would prioritize rebuilding international alliances and re-engaging with international institutions to address common challenges such as climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic effects.
In her written testimony released ahead of the hearing, Tai says she would focus on enforcing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, saying the deal reached during former President Donald Trump's administration marked "an important step in reforming our approach to trade."
Tai, who for several years was the head of China enforcement at the trade representative's office, also highlights a need to keep China accountable.
"I know firsthand how critically important it is that we have a strategic and coherent plan for holding China accountable to its promises and effectively competing with its model of state-directed economics,'' Tai said.
In the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, lawmakers will hear testimony from Dr. Vivek Murthy, Biden's nominee for surgeon general who is seeking to return to the post he held during former President Barack Obama's administration.
In his written statement, obtained by ABC News, Murthy says his top priority will be ending the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 505,000 people in the United States.
"I have seen first-hand the importance of providing clear, science-based guidance to Americans on how to protect themselves and others," Murthy said.
The same committee will consider the nomination of Dr. Rachel Levine to serve as assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Levine formerly served as health secretary in the state of Pennsylvania, where she was one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions in the United States.
She would be the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.
The full Senate will also meet Thursday to vote on the nomination of former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to serve as energy secretary.
The Senate Energy Committee gave its approval to Granholm in a 13-4 vote earlier this month.
Get a daily dose of Detroit Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Detroit Star.
More InformationFRANKFURT, Germany: Germany has become the latest country to challenge Chinese AI firm DeepSeek over its data practices, as pressure...
TORONTO, Canada: Harvard University and the University of Toronto have created a backup plan to ensure Harvard graduate students continue...
JERUSALEM, Israel: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel's success in the war with Iran could open the door to...
NEW DELHI, India: India has decided not to allow a United Nations (UN) investigator to join the investigation into the recent Air India...
BONN, Germany: Despite widespread belt-tightening across the United Nations, nearly 200 countries agreed this week to increase the...
MEXICO CITY, Mexico: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said this week that her government is investigating possible environmental...
MADISON, Wisconsin: Tens of millions of residents across the Midwest and East Coast faced dangerously high temperatures over the weekend...
Detroit,[US], June 29 (ANI): Three birdies on the back nine helped Akshay Bhatia make the cut on the line at the Rocket Classic on...
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a historic peace agreement in Washington on Friday to end years of armed...
The European Commission president has been under scrutiny over a multi-billion-dollar Covid-19 vaccine deal A group of lawmakers...
The European Commission president has been under scrutiny over a multi-billion-dollar Covid-19 vaccine deal A group of lawmakers...
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT),...