Accessibility links

Confirmation Hearings For Obama Cabinet Picks A week and a half before his Jan. 20, 2009, inauguration, confirmation hearings began for President-elect Barack Obama's Cabinet nominees. His choices for 15 heads of executive departments and four other Cabinet-level officials must get Senate approval before they can take the helm of their respective agency or department.

Special Series

Confirmation Hearings For Obama Cabinet Picks

Subscribe to Politics Newsletter

Sen. Finance Committee Backs Kirk As Trade Rep.

March 10, 2009 • Some key figures in President Obama's administration are still waiting to be confirmed. Ron Kirk, the nominee for U.S. trade representative, could have faced questions about back taxes. But that was barely mentioned Monday night as the former Dallas mayor breezed through a 45 minute confirmation hearing. Senators were more interested in how the Obama administration plans to handle some controversial trade agreements.

Sen. Finance Committee Backs Kirk As Trade Rep.

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/101642029/101642017" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Democrats Push For Vote On Solis As Labor Chief

February 11, 2009 • Democratic Rep. Hilda Solis of California seemed headed for confirmation as labor secretary, but a Senate committee put off a vote when it was revealed that her husband had unresolved tax issues with his business. Republican lawmakers also say they worry about her association with a pro-union organization. Republicans want more information. Democrats say it's time to vote.

Democrats Push For Vote On Solis As Labor Chief

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/100553830/100553812" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Panetta: No Prosecution For CIA Interrogators

February 6, 2009 • President Obama's choice for CIA director makes the clearest statement yet that the Obama administration will not prosecute CIA officers who participated in harsh interrogations that critics say crossed the line into torture. Panetta confirmed the policy in an interview with The Associated Press.

Senate Panel Delays Vote On Labor Nominee

February 5, 2009 • Committee members want more time to review documents after a report that Hilda Solis' husband paid more than $6,000 Wednesday to settle tax liens.

Senate Panel Considers Panetta For CIA

February 5, 2009 • The former White House chief of staff and Democratic congressman told a Senate panel Thursday that he has asked former CIA chiefs, including former President George H.W. Bush, how to make up for his lack of experience in intelligence gathering.

Tax Woes Derail Daschle's Bid For Health Chief

February 3, 2009 • Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has withdrawn as President Obama's choice to serve as secretary of health and human services, saying he didn't want to be a distraction to the new administration. Daschle recently revealed he had paid $140,000 in late taxes and penalties.

Obama 'Performance Czar' Withdraws Bid

February 3, 2009 • Nancy Killefer had failed to pay unemployment taxes on her household help for more than a year and had a lien put on her home, the District of Columbia says.

Democrats Rally To Daschle's Defense

February 3, 2009 • Tom Daschle, nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services, told the Senate Finance Committee on Monday that his delay in paying taxes was inadvertent, unintentional and inexcusable. Democratic members of the committee were quick to defend their former colleague.

Democrats Rally To Daschle's Defense

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/100174156/100174171" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Senate Confirms Holder As Attorney General

February 2, 2009 • President Obama's pick wins the chamber's backing despite concerns over his role in the pardoning of a fugitive felon in the final days of the Clinton administration. Holder is the first African-American attorney general and the only black in Obama's Cabinet.

Daschle, Facing Senate Panel, Apologizes On Taxes

February 2, 2009 • Former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle, the president's pick to head the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, could face questions from senators after disclosures that he only recently paid $140,000 in back taxes and interest.

Senate Confirms Geithner As Treasury Secretary

January 26, 2009 • The 60-34 vote puts Timothy Geithner at the helm of Obama's plan to rescue the economy from the worst financial crisis in three generations. It also dislodges one of Obama's most troubled nominations.

Senate Confirms More Obama Nominees

January 22, 2009 • Senators late Thursday elevated New York City Housing Commissioner Shaun Donovan to the helm of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and agreed to put former Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, a Republican, atop the Transportation Department.

After Taxing Hearing, Panel Likely To OK Geithner

January 22, 2009 • President Obama's pick for Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, began his confirmation hearing with an apology Wednesday. He told members of the Senate Finance Committee the tax questions that delayed his confirmation were the result of his own careless mistakes. But he added the mistakes were unintentional. The panel is expected to vote Thursday on his nomination.

After Taxing Hearing, Panel Likely To OK Geithner

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/99721518/99721530" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Treasury Nominee Geithner Faces Senate Panel

January 21, 2009 • The Senate Finance Committee is expected to hear from Timothy Geithner Wednesday. He's President Obama's choice to be Treasury secretary. Geithner will have to explain how he missed paying $34,000 in payroll taxes when he was working at the International Monetary Fund. David Wessel of The Wall Street Journal talks with Steve Inskeep about what else might come up at the hearing.

Treasury Nominee Geithner Faces Senate Panel

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/99634381/99634348" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Senate Seen Approving Geithner After Tax Apology

January 21, 2009 • The Senate Finance Committee is expected to approve Timothy Geithner to be Treasury secretary after he apologized for failing to pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes. Geithner is considered crucial to the new Obama administration in dealing with the global financial crisis.

NPR's John Ydstie Talks About Geithner's Apology On 'All Things Considered'

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/99625874/99659015" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Senate Confirms 6 For Cabinet, Delays Clinton

January 20, 2009 • The Senate on Tuesday swiftly approved six members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet, but put off for a day the vote on his choice to be secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas says he has concerns about foreign donations to the foundation headed by former President Bill Clinton.

Hearings Continue For Obama's AG Pick

January 16, 2009 • Attorney General-designate Eric Holder says "waterboarding is torture." He spoke about it at his confirmation hearing Thursday. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to hear from other witnesses Friday.

Hearings Continue For Obama's AG Pick

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/99450225/99450208" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Holder Says He'll Jettison Bush-Era Practices

January 15, 2009 • Eric Holder tells the Senate Judiciary Committee that, if confirmed as attorney general, he would work quickly to remake the embattled Justice Department. He also said he would classify waterboarding as torture and stated his objection to rendition.

Geithner's Stumble Points To Tax Complexity

January 15, 2009 • Timothy Geithner, President-elect Barack Obama's choice for Treasury secretary, owed $34,000 in taxes until he recently paid it off. Some say he should have known better — but others say the system, especially for those who are self-employed, is too complicated and needs changes.

Obama's U.N. Pick Pledges To Work For Reform

January 15, 2009 • Susan Rice, Obama's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, got a warm reception from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during her confirmation hearing Thursday. Some committee members were less than warm in their feelings toward the U.N.

Obama's U.N. Pick Pledges To Work For Reform

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/99427003/99426427" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

What's Holding Up Eric Holder?

January 15, 2009 • President-elect Barack Obama picked Eric Holder as the new attorney general. But how is this choice sitting with the Senate? Slate.com's Dahlia Lithwick explores who's opposing Holder's nomination and whether we should expect him to be confirmed.

What's Holding Up Eric Holder?

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/99401740/99401715" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Cabinet Picks Move Closer to Senate Approval

January 15, 2009 • As a Senate panel heard testimony from attorney general designee Eric Holder, several of Barack Obama's other Cabinet picks continued Thursday to work their way toward Senate confirmation.

More from Confirmation Hearings For Obama Cabinet Picks

Browse archive or search npr.org