Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families, today issued the following statement on President-Elect Obama’s announcement of the nomination of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.  Daschle will also serve as Director of a new White House Office on Health Care Reform and Jeanne Lambrew will serve as its Deputy Director:

“Reforming the American health care system is going to be an immense undertaking, but I can think of no better leader to take on this responsibility than my friend Tom Daschle. Tom is a dedicated public servant with a strong passion for health care reform.  He has the knowledge, temperament, and expertise necessary to make true reform a reality.  Few know Congress better than Tom, and he is admired by members on both sides of the aisle.  I have no doubt his skills, combined with the vast knowledge and experience that Jeanne Lambrew brings with her, will serve the American people well.  I look forward to working with them, my colleagues in Congress, and President-Elect Obama to achieve comprehensive health care reform.”   

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