Name: Sens. Hirono, Duckworth drop threat to block Biden nominees after White House agrees to appoint AAPI liaison
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Sens. Hirono, Duckworth drop threat to block Biden nominees after White House agrees to appoint AAPI liaison

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AdvertisementBy New York Daily NewsMar 24, 2021 at 4:29 pmTwo Democratic senators who threatened to block President Biden’s cabinet nominees over lack of Asian representation backed off their ultimatum after the White House agreed to appoint a senior liaison to address the lack of diversity.Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote on Twitter late Tuesday that she would continue voting to confirm Biden’s “historic and highly-qualified nominees” after having a private conversation with the president.Advertisement“I welcome the appointment of a senior level White House liaison to the AAPI community to further strengthen our voice. I had a productive conversation with the White House today to make clear my perspective about the importance of diversity in the President’s cabinet,” wrote Hirono, who was born in Japan.I welcome the appointment of a senior level White House liaison to the AAPI community to further strengthen our voice.I had a productive conversation with the White House today to make clear my perspective about the importance of diversity in the President’s cabinet. — Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono)Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) issued a similar statement through her spokesman late Tuesday.Advertisement“Senator Duckworth appreciates the Biden Administration’s assurances that it will do much more to elevate AAPI voices and perspectives at the highest levels of government,” said her communications director, Ben Garmisa.The Illinois senator, who is of Thai descent, that she would vote no to any nondiverse judicial or administrative picks until the White House addresses the fact that there’s not a single Asian-American in the president’s 15-member executive agency cabinet.Hirono quickly followed suit and said she would join Duckworth in voting against any “nondiversity” Biden picks.The short-lived boycott threatened to cause major problems for the Biden administration. The Senate is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, and two Democratic defections could’ve allowed GOP members to block Biden nominees.White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced the new AAPI liaison later Tuesday in response to Hirono and Duckworth.“The President has made it clear that his administration will reflect the diversity of the country,” Psaki said.Biden’s cabinet includes the first African-American defense secretary, the first Native American interior secretary, the first openly gay transportation secretary and the first Hispanic homeland security secretary.Vice President Kamala Harris is the first woman of South Asian descent in her position — a fact Duckworth said the White House had brought up to her when she inquired about a lack of Asian American representation.Advertisement“To be told that ‘You have Kamala Harris, we are proud of her, you don’t need anybody else’ is insulting,” she said. “That’s not something you would say to the Black Caucus: That you have Kamala, we’re not going to be put any African-Americans in the Cabinet, why would you say that to AAPIs?” Advertisement

AdvertisementBy New York Daily NewsMar 24, 2021 at 4:29 pmTwo Democratic senators who threatened to block President Biden’s cabinet nominees over lack of Asian representation backed off their ultimatum after the White House agreed to appoint a senior liaison to address the lack of diversity.Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote on Twitter late Tuesday that she would continue voting to confirm Biden’s “historic and highly-qualified nominees” after having a private conversation with the president.Advertisement“I welcome the appointment of a senior level White House liaison to the AAPI community...

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Sens. Hirono, Duckworth drop threat to block Biden nominees after White House agrees to appoint AAPI liaison

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