Obama administration s game of musical chairs continues

### June 5, 2014

By Phil Heidenreich

Sylvia Mathews Burwell

Washington, D.C.: The Obama administration's game of musical chairs continued today, as former director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, Sylvia Mathews Burwell was confirmed to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She'll succeed Kathleen Sebelius following Sebelius' resignation in April after the troubled Healthcare.gov website rollout.[1] Current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan was nominated to succeed Mathews Burwell to lead the OMB and now awaits his confirmation vote. Finally, President Obama also nominated current San Antonio, Texas Mayor Julián Castro to take Donovan's place as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.[2]

These changes are all happening around last Friday's resignations of Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.[3] While there has not been a nomination to succeed Shinseki yet, Obama appointed former Principle Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest to succeed Carney.[4]

## See also

* Sylvia Mathews Burwell

* Currently in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
* Formerly in U.S. Office of Management and Budget

* Kathleen Sebelius

* Formerly in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

* Shaun Donovan

* Currently in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
* Nominated to U.S. Office of Management and Budget

* Julián Castro

* Currently the Mayor of San Antonio, Texas
* Nominated to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

* Jay Carney

* Former White House Press Secretary

* Josh Earnest

* Current White House Press Secretary

* Eric Shinseki

* Formerly in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

## Footnotes

1. ↑ The Washington Post, "Senate confirms Burwell as new secretary of HHS," June 5, 2014
2. ↑ Politico, "Barack Obama to nominate Julián Castro to HUD, Donovan to OMB," May 22, 2014
3. ↑ CNN, "Shinseki resigns, but will that improve things at VA hospitals?" May 31, 2014
4. ↑ Politico, "Jay Carney resigns, deputy Josh Earnest named replacement," May 30, 2014