Gov. Gregoire�s statement on appointment of Kathleen Sebelius as HHS Secretary

For Immediate Release: March 2, 2009

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today released the following statement on Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius� expected nomination as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

�President Obama�s expected nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to be the country�s next HHS secretary is great news. As a governor, former insurance commissioner and a leader in the National Governors� Association, Kathleen has intimate knowledge of state-federal programs that support health care and the most vulnerable among us. She will be a tremendous leader of the federal agency that oversees such vitally important programs as Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Head Start, child support, senior programs, and energy assistance to name a few.

�In serving together as governors, Kathleen and I have become very close friends. While I will miss her as a gubernatorial colleague, on a personal note, I am thrilled for her and her family. Knowing that President Obama has made national health reform a priority, the United States will be well served by Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of HHS.�