Sylvia Mathews Burwell was confirmed by the Senate as secretary of Health and Human Services Thursday. She is shown testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington in May.
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Hinton native Sylvia Mathews Burwell was confirmed by the U.S. Senate Thursday as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
She replaces Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who resigned from the post after an onslaught of opposition to the Affordable Care Act and a disastrous roll-out of the website developed so Americans could sign up for health insurance.
Burwell has currently been working as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Burwell’s mother, Cleo Mathews, said her daughter had a “regular childhood” in Hinton, with no indication she had ambitions for a high-profile Washington career.
Mathews said she and her husband watched the confirmation vote on C-SPAN.
“I loved it when they said she was from West Virginia,” Mathews said. “We’re very proud and very pleased.”
The confirmation vote was an overwhelming 78-17, showing bipartisan support for Burwell, when others waiting for confirmation endure long waits and long-winded debates.
A quick and favorable confirmation was no surprise to Mathews family friend Rachel Tompkins…