Biden's domestic Cabinet picks pledge to use federal powers to aid those struggling during Covid pandemic

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden introduced several of his nominees to lead domestic policy agencies on Friday, emphasizing how members of his Cabinet would harness the powers of the federal government to help Americans in need.

Accompanied by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at the event in a Wilmington, Delaware hotel, Biden began with brief remarks about the coronavirus pandemic before presenting his nominee to lead the Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.

He also introduced his nominee for secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio; his nominee for secretary of Veterans‘ Affairs, Denis McDonough; and for U.S. trade representative, Katherine Tai.

Biden also announced that Susan Rice, a former national security adviser to President Barack Obama, had agreed to serve as the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, a powerful West Wing position which will give Rice broad sway over a range of issues.

Taken together, Biden said, his nominees „bring deep experience and bold new thinking“ to federal agencies and the White House. „Above all, they know how government should and can work for all Americans.“

Biden emphasized how each member of his Cabinet would help Americans facing multiple overlapping crises: The coronavirus pandemic, a deep recession, and a looming surge in evictions and food insecurity.

Fudge, for instance, will use „every lever at her disposal to help the millions of Americans facing eviction — trying to pay their mortgage and find their way through this crisis,“ said Biden.