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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline February 05, 2021 | The Indian Eye 35

Court of Appeals is the court of last resort in Washington, DC. dr pritesh gandhi
When he was nominated, Shanker was the Deputy Chief of the
Appellate Section of the Criminal Division at the Justice Depart- Biden names doctor as dhs
ment. He investigated and prosecuted violations of the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act and related offenses. He also oversaw 30 Chief medical Officer
lawyers who handle federal criminal appeals and draft Supreme
Court briefs. Shanker was also an adjunct associate professor at
the Washington College of Law of the American University. ccording to a media re-
Shanker joined the Department of Justice in 2012. Before that, lease, in the role of Chief
he was in private practice with the Washington, DC, offices of May- AMedical Officer of De-
partment of Homeland Secu-
er Brown, LLC and Covington, and Burling, LLP. rity (DHS), Dr Pritesh Gandhi

neera tanden will serve as principal adviser
to the DHS, Assistant Secre-
Confirmation hearing tary for the Countering Weap-
ons of Mass Destruction Office,
for Biden budget pick on and the administrator of Fed-
eral Emergency Management

february 9 Agency.
US President Joe Biden ap-
A Medical Officer (CMO) of the Department of Homeland Security
pointed Indian American physician Dr Pritesh Gandhi as Chief
Senate panel announced
on Tuesday that the con-
(DHS). According to a media release, in the role of CMO, Gandhi
firmation hearing of
Indian American political con- will serve as principal adviser to the DHS, Assistant Secretary for
the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, and the ad-
sultant Neera Tanden would be ministrator of Federal Emergency Management Agency. He will
held on February 9. President lead on issues regarding border health, natural disasters, pandemic
Joe Biden had nominated Tan- response, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.
den as the Director of the Of- Gandhi is a public health trained and board-certified internal
fice of Management and Bud- medicine specialist. Prior to his appointment, Gandhi served as
get (OMB). the Associate Chief Medical Officer and for the Director of Adult
According to various media Medicine at People’s Community Clinic, which is an Austin-based,
reports, Tanden’s nomination safety-net clinic that provides care to over 20,000 Central Texans
hearing by the Senate Home- who are uninsured.
land Security and Governmen- Regina Rogoff, People’s Chief Executive Officer told the Amer-
tal Affairs Committee is likely ican-Statesman, “I’m sad that we’re losing him, but I’m very, very
to be a controversial confirmation battle of the Biden adminis- proud, grateful that he’s going to be serving our country.”
tration. Republican senators allege that before her confirmation, Gandhi also worked as an affiliate faculty member at the Univer-
Tanden deleted over 1,000 tweets, which include criticism against sity of Texas Dell Medical School. He is a Fulbright Scholar and Na-
Republicans. tional Health Service Corps Scholar. He is also an Albert Schweitzer
After Biden announced her nomination, co-chair of the Senate Fellow who focused on nutrition among the working poor in Bos-
India Caucus Senator John Cornyn said: “I think in light of her ton. In 2018, Gandhi was named a Presidential Leadership Scholar.
combative and insulting comments about many members of the
Senate, mainly on our side of the aisle, that it creates certainly a BhaVYa LaL
problematic path to confirmation.”
During the nomination, Biden said Tanden is “a brilliant policy nasa announces name of
mind with critical practical experience across government.” He
added: “She was raised by a single mom on food stamps, an immi- new acting Chief of staff
grant from India who struggled, worked hard, and did everything
she could for her daughter to live out her American dream. And he National Aeronautics
Neera did just that. She understands the struggles that millions of and Space Administra-
Americans are facing.” Ttion (NASA) on Monday
Tanden would become the first woman of color and Indian announced Indian American
American to lead the OMB if she gets confirmed. OMB’s duties Bhavya Lal as the acting Chief
include producing the president’s budget, assisting the President of Staff for the organization. At
of the United States to meet policies, management, and regulatory NASA, Lal will also serve as the
objectives, and meeting the agency’s statutory responsibilities. Senior Advisor for budget and
Currently, Tanden is the Chief Executive of the Center for finance. Lal served as a member
American Progress. Under former President Barack Obama, she of the Biden Presidential Transi-
helped in passing the Affordable Care Act. She is also a long-time tion Agency Review Team and
aide to the former secretary of state and the 2016 Democratic pres- oversaw the organization’s tran-
idential candidate Hillary Clinton. sition under the administration Continued on next page... >>

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