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| Sebelius 'to take US health post' | Sebelius 'to take US health post' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has chosen Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to be his Secretary of Health and Human Services, White House officials say. | US President Barack Obama has chosen Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to be his Secretary of Health and Human Services, White House officials say. |
| Reports said she had accepted and a formal announcement would be on Monday. | Reports said she had accepted and a formal announcement would be on Monday. |
| Ms Sebelius had earlier been tipped for several cabinet posts, but had said she wanted to focus on her work in Kansas. | Ms Sebelius had earlier been tipped for several cabinet posts, but had said she wanted to focus on her work in Kansas. |
| She replaces Mr Obama's first choice as health secretary, former Senator Tom Daschle, who withdrew after questions were asked about his personal taxes. | She replaces Mr Obama's first choice as health secretary, former Senator Tom Daschle, who withdrew after questions were asked about his personal taxes. |
| It emerged in January that Mr Daschle had failed to pay some $130,000 (£90,000) in taxes. | |
| Mr Obama later accepted his nominee's withdrawal "with sadness and regret", acknowledging that he had "made a mistake" in his handling of Mr Daschle's case. | |
| Early Obama backer | |
| Mr Obama has put affordable healthcare at the core of his domestic programme, and Ms Sebelius will focus in her new job on providing coverage for some 46 million uninsured Americans. | |
| Another key priority for Ms Sebelius, aged 60, will be tackling soaring healthcare costs. | |
| Ms Sebelius' appointment as health secretary has to be ratified by Congress. | |
| The Kansas governor was an early supporter of Mr Obama during the marathon presidential election campaign, choosing to endorse him ahead of Hillary Clinton. | |
| Ms Sebelius is currently serving her second term as governor in Kansas, and therefore cannot seek a third term in 2010. | |
| Some Democrats had hoped that she would run for the Senate seat due to be vacated by Republican Sam Brownback next year. | |
| Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932. |