George W. Bush nominates EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt as health secretary
{{date|December 13, 2004}}

Washington, DC - US President [[w:George W. Bush|George W. Bush]] has chosen former [[w:Utah|Utah]] governor [[w:Mike Leavitt|Mike Leavitt]] to succeed the outgoing [[w:United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|Secretary of Health and Human Services]] [[w:Tommy Thompson|Tommy Thompson]]. Leavitt, 53, who took over the [[w:Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] last year, will succeed Tommy Thompson if the [[w:United States Senate|Senate]] confirms him. He would oversee implementation of new prescription drug benefits for people on [[w:Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] and Bush's plans to allow religious groups to apply for federal funds to provide treatments for addiction.

Leavitt joined Bush's [[w:United States Cabinet|cabinet]] in [[w:2003|2003]], and has been called a 'fine executive' by the President.  The move comes as the Bush administration is trying to find someone to fill the post of [[w:Secretary of Homeland Security|Secretary of Homeland Security]], after nominee [[w:Bernard Kerik|Bernard Kerik]] withdrew concerning immigration issues with a former nanny. 

The department oversees Medicare and [[w:Medicaid|Medicaid]] for senior citizens, the safety of drugs and the nation's food supply through the [[w:Food and Drug Administration|Food and Drug Administration]] and it administers the [[w:National Institutes of Health|National Institutes of Health]] and the [[w:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]].

Thompson is the ninth cabinet member to leave after Bush's re-election, and his departure was not seen as a shock by many [[w:Washington, DC|Washington]] insiders. Those nine departures mark the largest second-term Cabinet overhaul in more than 30 years. Presidents [[w:Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] and [[w:Bill Clinton|Clinton]] each had seven Cabinet changes for their second terms. The last to have nine was [[w:Richard Nixon|Richard Nixon]] in 1972. The Senate must confirm all of the nominees. Confirmation hearings have been scheduled for [[w:Margaret Spellings|Margaret Spellings]], nominated for education secretary, on January 6, and [[w:Condoleezza Rice|Condoleezza Rice]], nominated for secretary of state, on January 18-19.

== References ==
* {{source|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/12/13/bush.cabinet/|title=Bush nominates Leavitt for health secretary|author=|pub=Cnn.com|date=December 13, 2004}}
* {{source|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-12-13-leavitt-hhs_x.htm|title=Bush taps EPA chief as health secretary|author=Judy Keen and Traci Watson|pub=usatoday.com|date=December 14, 2004}}
* {{source|url=http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBNPHWNP2E.html|title=Bush Taps EPA Chief For Health Secretary|author=Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Elizabeth Shogren|pub=The Tampa Tribune|date=December 14, 2004|brokenURL=true}}

{{archive}}
[[Category:December 14, 2004]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Published]]
[[Category:George W. Bush]]
[[Category:Food and Drug Administration]]
[[Category:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]]
[[Category:National Institutes of Health]]
[[Category:Environmental Protection Agency]]
[[Category:Mike Leavitt]]
Washington, DC - US President George W. Bush has chosen former Utah governor Mike Leavitt to succeed the outgoing Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson. Leavitt, 53, who took over the Environmental Protection Agency last year, will succeed Tommy Thompson if the Senate confirms him. He would oversee implementation of new prescription drug benefits for people on Medicare and Bush's plans to allow religious groups to apply for federal funds to provide treatments for addiction.

Leavitt joined Bush's cabinet in 2003, and has been called a 'fine executive' by the President.  The move comes as the Bush administration is trying to find someone to fill the post of Secretary of Homeland Security, after nominee Bernard Kerik withdrew concerning immigration issues with a former nanny. 

The department oversees Medicare and Medicaid for senior citizens, the safety of drugs and the nation's food supply through the Food and Drug Administration and it administers the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thompson is the ninth cabinet member to leave after Bush's re-election, and his departure was not seen as a shock by many Washington insiders. Those nine departures mark the largest second-term Cabinet overhaul in more than 30 years. Presidents Reagan and Clinton each had seven Cabinet changes for their second terms. The last to have nine was Richard Nixon in 1972. The Senate must confirm all of the nominees. Confirmation hearings have been scheduled for Margaret Spellings, nominated for education secretary, on January 6, and Condoleezza Rice, nominated for secretary of state, on January 18-19.
December 14, 2004 Politics and conflicts United States North America Published George W. Bush Food and Drug Administration Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institutes of Health Environmental Protection Agency Mike Leavitt