Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, tapped for Department of Health and Human Services Secretary by President Obama last month, told Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Tuesday that her accountant found $7,000 in errors in her past three tax returns, which she has now paid.
Sebelius, awaiting a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday. called the errors "minor" and "unintentional."
Baucus issued an immediate statement supporting Sebelius.
"Congress is going to need a strong partner at the Department of Health and Human Services to achieve comprehensive health reform this year, and we have that partner in Gov. Sebelius," he said. "There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Gov. Sebelius has the political experience, determination and bipartisan work ethic to get the job done with Congress this year. She’s the right person for the job and I look forward to hearing from her at the Finance Committee’s hearing on Thursday."
Obama's first pick for HHS secretary, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) stepped aside on Feb. 3 due to tax indiscretions.
The delay in appointing an HHS secretary has been a disappointment to key Congressional healthcare proponents and the White House, all ready to move forward with a bipartisan overhaul of the healthcare system.
Supporters of the Sebelius nomination say she has potential as a bipartisan mediator. A Democrat governor serving her second term (she was elected in 2003) in a red state, she has proven she can work with Republicans. An early supporter of Obama, she served as the Kansas state insurance commissioner for eight years, where she gained a reputation as being a patient advocate.
In 2005, Time magazine named her one of the nation’s top five governors.
Some Kansas Republicans do not support Sebelius, saying she "failed to provide any meaningful healthcare reform in Kansas, and instead increased the role of government in providing health insurance."
"It’s not reform, and is a frightening indication of what is to come," said Executive Director Christian Morgan in the Kansas Trunkline, the official blog of the Kansas Publican party.
Sebelius also faces stiff opposition from pro-life groups on the abortion issue.