NOW Urges Nomination of Sen. Debbie Stabenow as Secretary of Health and Human Services

February 3, 2009

With the withdrawal of Sen. Tom Daschle from consideration, the National Organization for Women urges President Barack Obama to nominate another strong and consistent advocate for universal health care to the position of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has long focused on health care as a priority, and with her background as a social worker she is well positioned to take the helm of this agency that is so critical to women and families.

Sen. Stabenow's first bill in the Senate was the Medical Equity and Drug Savings Act to lower prescription drug prices by encouraging competition, and she has been a stalwart champion of full health coverage. The National Association for Home Care named her a Home Health Hero, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare bestowed on Stabenow their highest award.

With the nomination of Sen. Judd Gregg, the fourteen filled cabinet departments will be headed by eleven men and three women. Adding a highly-qualified woman, such as Sen. Stabenow, would increase the representation of half the population at the cabinet table, while adding health care and human needs expertise to HHS.

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906

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