Leadership

The Presidential Rank Awards honor the most exemplary members of the Senior Executive Service and senior career employees.

Miguel Cardona, 45, a former public school teacher who went on to become Connecticut’s education chief, was approved on a 64-33 vote.

The vote was 64-35, with all Democrats and 14 Republicans, including GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, voting yes.

Vice Adm. Nancy Norton took DISA from facing elimination to a critical agency in the response to COVID-19. Now she’s retiring.

Kiran Ahuja previously served in the Office of Personnel Management and Department of Justice and led an Obama White House initiative to improve federal engagement with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

McDonough, a former White House Chief of Staff, is only the second non-veteran ever to be confirmed to lead the department.

Mayorkas was confirmed by a 56-43 vote, the narrowest margin yet for a Biden Cabinet nominee.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered hundreds of Pentagon advisory board members to resign this month as part of a broad review of the panels, essentially purging several dozen last-minute appointments under the Trump administration.

Buttigieg, a 39-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Biden’s one-time rival during the Democratic presidential primaries, was approved on a 86-13 vote.

For now, the lumbering government is seeing change at light speed.