Hirono congratulates senior advisor to Biden: 'Looking forward to working with her in this new role'

Government
Joebiden1600
President Joe Biden | Facebook

Neera Tanden, whose nomination for President Joe Biden's Cabinet was rebuffed by the Senate, has been named as a senior advisor to the president, a White House official told CNN.

Tanden succeeds service administrator Matt Cutts, and her new role does not require Senate confirmation. 

"Congratulations to Neera Tanden! Well deserved. Looking forward to working with her in this new role," U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote in a May 14 Facebook post.


Neera Tanden | Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons

Tanden, a longtime health policy expert, worked for former President Barack Obama's administration while the Affordable Care Act was being designed and implemented. As part of her new appointment, she will begin planning for changes that could result from the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Republicans' ongoing legal efforts to end the Affordable Care Act.

Tanden will also launch a review of the U.S. Digital Service in charge of solving federal government information technology and online security issues, including recruitment of technologists for tours much like that of the Peace Corps, CNN Business reported. 

Tanden was initially nominated to be director of the Office of Management and Budget before U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) joined with Republicans in blocking her confirmation, citing past critical social media posts about her political adversaries. Since the November presidential election, she has taken down nearly 1,000 of her Twitter posts, CNN said.