Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, who some folks thought was a potential pick for Secretary of Education, has been tapped for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Tom Daschle, the former Senate Majority Leader, was originally picked for the job, but he had to withdraw because of tax concerns.
If confirmed, Sebelius will oversee the Head Start program, which President Barack Obama just slated for a boost in his fiscal year 2010 budget outline. There will also be mandatory money in the new budget for home visits by nurses, which Sebelius may have jurisdiction over.
As governor, Sebelius served as chair of the Education Commission of the States. And in 2006, she championed a record budget increase for schools in the Sunflower State, in part to comply with a school finance lawsuit.