Sebelius is sworn in as flu crisis hits

WASHINGTON — Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius won Senate confirmation Tuesday as the nation's health and human services secretary, thrusting her into the middle of a public health emergency with the swine flu sickening dozens of Americans.

The 65-31 confirmation vote came after Democrats urged quick action so that Sebelius could get to work leading the federal response to the flu outbreak.

"We find ourselves in the midst of a global crisis," said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn. "What we've been missing in all of this is the head of the Health and Human Services Department."

Sixty votes in the 100-seat Senate were necessary for approval. Immediately after the vote, Sebelius resigned as governor in Kansas and headed to Washington to be sworn in. She drove directly from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to the White House, where she took her oath in the Oval Office.

"We wanted to swear her in right away, because we've got a significant public-health challenge that requires her immediate attention," Obama said, standing beside the last Cabinet official to win Senate approval.

"We needs all hands on deck," he said. "I expect her to hit the ground running,"

Sebelius immediately went to the White House's Situation Room for a briefing with Obama's homeland security adviser, John Brennan, and other officials dealing with the first domestic test of the administration, which turns 100 days old on Wednesday.

Both Sens. Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, opposed Sebelius, in large part because of her ties with Dr. George Tiller, who performed late-term "partial birth" abortions.

Hatch had also opposed her in committee, largely because Sebelius failed to disclose to it some large donations that Tiller and his clinic made to a political-action committee that Sebelius had formed.

Hatch had said that "life is sacred" and that one of his proudest accomplishments in the Senate was helping to pass "legislation to ban partial-birth abortion." He added, "My strong beliefs in the sanctity of life make it impossible for me to support Governor Sebelius' nomination

Bennett, R-Utah, told the Senate that he "reluctantly" opposed Sebelius because of her ties to Tiller and also because of her support for a government-run public health-care system and for failing to pay some back taxes.

"She might be well qualified for some other position," Bennett said. "She carries a little bit too much baggage for this particular assignment."

Sebelius will replace former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt as the Health and Human Services secretary.

Contributing: Deseret News