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Roland Burris likely to be sworn into office tomorrow

January 14, 2009

Senate appointee Roland Burris is likely to be sworn into office tomorrow, his office said, closing a protracted certification process ensnared in the federal corruption probe of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Senate Democrats have reversed course, grudgingly accepting the former Illinois attorney general as the person who will replace the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Senior officials in the Bush administration and members of Obama's staff teamed up at the White House yesterday for a rehearsal of how to handle a hypothetical terrorist attack on an American city. During the drill, they responded to a scenario in which transportation facilities and other targets were hit with improvised explosive devices. The exercise was part of an effort to smooth the transition from the Bush to Obama administrations without jeopardizing the nation's preparedness in case of a terrorist attack, pandemic or natural disaster. The White House said it was a realistic and conceivable scenario, but was not based on any current, credible threat.

The head of an organization focused on reducing tobacco use is Obama's choice as deputy secretary at the Health and Human Services Department. If confirmed, William Corr, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, would serve as deputy secretary under former Sen. Tom Daschle, Obama's choice for HHS secretary. Corr has also worked with Daschle before, serving as his chief counsel and policy director from 1998 to 2000. Before he worked on Capitol Hill, Corr directed four nonprofit health care centers in Tennessee and Kentucky. While working on Obama's transition team, Corr has said he will not offer advice on tobacco issues. One of the issues Congress is expected to tackle this year is whether the Food and Drug Administration should oversee regulation of tobacco products. Corr served as a lobbyist during his stint as executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The group spent $675,000 last year trying to influence policymakers.