WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) released the following statement regarding President Obama’s nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. Burwell currently serves as the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for which she was confirmed by the Senate 96-0 last year.

“President Obama made an excellent and smart choice by nominating Sylvia – a woman with a proven track record in agency management and who has recently enjoyed bipartisan support in the Senate – to succeed Sebelius as the new HHS Secretary. I’ve watched Sylvia for many years lead organizations from the Walmart Foundation to the Gates Foundation to OMB, and I think she is a great pick to continue the hard work of making sure the ACA serves all Americans. I hope the Senate will confirm Sylvia quickly so we can continue working to make health care more accessible and affordable for all in Connecticut and across the country.”