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{{Short description|American politician (born 1948)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}

factoids

|birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.|death_date = |death_place = Democratic Party (United States)>DemocraticK. Gary Sebelius|1974}}|children = 2|father = John J. Gilligan|relatives = Keith Sebelius (father-in-law)Trinity Washington University (Bachelor of Arts>BA)University of Kansas (MPA)}}Kathleen Sebelius ({{IPAc-en|s|ᵻ|ˈ|b|iː|l|i|ə|s}}; née Gilligan, born May 15, 1948) is an American politician who served as the 21st United States Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2009 until 2014. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sebelius was instrumental in overseeing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Before becoming secretary, she served as the 44th governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, the second woman to hold that office. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Sebelius was the Democratic respondent to the 2008 State of the Union addressNEWS, Response to the 2008 State of the Union address,weblink CNN, January 29, 2008, May 7, 2010, and is chair-emerita of the Democratic Governors Association (she was its first female chair).WEB,weblink Sebelius Elected Chair of Democratic Governors Association; Kansas Governor Becomes First Woman to Lead DGA – 13 WTHR Indianapolis, Wthr.com, March 5, 2015, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150402111706weblink">weblink April 2, 2015, She is CEO of Sebelius Resources LLC.

Early life and education

Sebelius was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Mary Kathryn (née Dixon) and John J. Gilligan.WEB,weblink Ancestry of Kathleen Sebelius, wargs.com, NEWS,weblink Beacon Journal: Search Results, October 12, 1996, Sebelius was the second oldest of four children in her family. Her family ran funeral homes and her father was a city councilor in Cincinnati. Jack Gilligan ran for Congress near the end of Sebelius's time in high school and served one term in Congress.NEWS,weblink John J. Gilligan, 1970s Governor of Ohio, Dies at 92, The Associated Press, August 27, 2013, The New York Times, December 29, 2019, en-US, 0362-4331, Her father was elected governor of Ohio when Sebelius was 21 years old.WEB,weblink Even with talk of future, Sebelius past echoes in current campaign, Hanna, John, November 3, 2002, NewspaperArchive.com, Hays Daily News, 1, en, December 29, 2019, Sebelius worked in her father's campaign traveling around the state. Her family was Catholic and has Irish ancestry.NEWS,weblink Fresh skirmishes in culture war open new front for Republicans, Marlowe, Lara, February 11, 2012, The Irish Times, December 29, 2019, WEB,weblink Transcript: Kathleen Sebelius, POLITICO, August 26, 2008, She attended the Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati and graduated from Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She later earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas.NEWS,weblink #25 Kathleen Sebelius, 2013, Forbes, December 29, 2019, She moved to Kansas in 1974.

Early career

Sebelius served as executive director and chief lobbyist for the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association from 1977 to 1986.MAGAZINE, Altman, Alex, March 2, 2009, en-US, Time,weblink May 14, 2020, 0040-781X, WEB, The New Team – Politics – The New York Times,weblink www.nytimes.com, May 14, 2020,

Kansas House of Representatives (1987–1995)

Sebelius was first elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1986. She won re-election in 1988, 1990, and 1992. She represented Topeka, Kansas.

Tenure

In the 1988 presidential election, she endorsed Gary Hart.NEWS,weblink Wichita Eagle: Search Results, May 9, 1987, In 1991, she ran to become House Majority Leader but lost to State Representative Tom Sawyer of Wichita.NEWS,weblink Wichita Eagle: Search Results, NEWS,weblink Wichita Eagle: Search Results, July 20, 1991, She is strongly pro-choice.NEWS,weblink Wichita Eagle: Search Results, January 23, 1992,

Committee assignments

• Federal and State Affairs Committee (Chair)WEB,weblink Daily Union – Google News Archive Search, google.com,

Kansas Insurance Commissioner (1995–2003)

In 1994, Sebelius left the state House of Representatives to run for state Insurance Commissioner and stunned political forecasters by winning{{spaced ndash}}the first time a Democrat had won the position in over a century.She refused to take campaign contributions from the insurance industry and blocked the proposed merger of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, the state's largest health insurer, with an Indiana-based company. Sebelius's decision marked the first time the corporation had been rebuffed in its acquisition attempts.PRESS RELEASE, Political Women Go Hunting, October 27, 2004, National Wild Turkey Federation,weblink June 1, 2006, September 8, 2006,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20060908005010weblink">weblink dead, When Sebelius became commissioner in 1995, the Insurance Department had an annual budget of $11.7 million. By 2002, the budget had been cut to $10 million. Among the cuts was spending on contracted services after Sebelius fired two contracted lawyers after an audit discovered they had overbilled the state.WEB,weblink Candidates tout their records on budget cuts, Kessinger, Sarah, September 28, 2002, NewspaperArchive.com, Garden City Telegram, 1–A5, en, December 30, 2019, In 2001 Sebelius was named as one of Governing Magazine{{'}}s Public Officials of the Year while she was serving as Kansas Insurance Commissioner.NEWS, Gurwitt, Rob, Kathleen Sebelius: Believer in Balance, November 2001, Governing Magazine,weblink

Governor of Kansas (2003–2009)

2002 election

In the general election, Sebelius's platform included promises to protect school budgets from budget cuts, not to raise taxes, and to review the entire state message. Throughout the campaign. Sebelius raised $4 million for the campaign, a Kansas state fundraising record. Sebelius defeated Republican Kansas State Treasurer Tim Shallenburger 53%–45%.NEWS, State Races: Kansas,weblink CNN, May 7, 2010, Sebelius's election made her and her father the first father/daughter governor duo in the United States.WEB,weblink Meet Kathleen, dead,weblink September 27, 2006, June 1, 2016,

First term

Throughout her first term, Sebelius built upon her popularity and in January 2006 was tied for 20th most popular governor in the country.SurveyUSA (2006). Governor Approval Ratings 01/06 Sort by State. Retrieved April 25, 2006.During the 2004 election, CNN speculated Sebelius could be a potential running mate for John Kerry.CNN (2004). John Kerry campaign: Democratic candidates for vice president. Retrieved April 25, 2006. See also CNN (2004). Who Will John Kerry Pick as His Running Mate?. Retrieved April 25, 2006.In November 2005, Time named Sebelius as one of the five best governors in America, praising her for eliminating a $1.1 billion debt she inherited, ferreting out waste in state government, and strongly supporting public education{{spaced ndash}}all without raising taxes, although she proposed raising sales, property, and income taxes.WEB,weblink State of the State Union Address, January 13, 2004, June 1, 2016, {{dead link|date=June 2016 |bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The article also praised her bipartisan approach to governing, a useful trait in a state where Republicans have usually controlled the Legislature.Time (2006). weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20060627122810weblink">America's 5 Best Governors: Kathleen Sebelius|Kansas. Retrieved April 25, 2006.In February 2006, the White House Project named Sebelius one of its "8 in '08", a group of eight female politicians who could possibly run and be elected president in 2008.The White House Project (2006). WEB,weblink The White House Project, February 9, 2016, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120128091936weblink">weblink January 28, 2012, Retrieved March 19, 2008. She was also cited by The New York Times to be among the women most likely to become the first female President of the United States.NEWS, Kate, Zernike, She Just Might Be President Someday,weblink The New York Times, May 18, 2008, In October 2006, the Cato Institute gave Sebelius the grade of "D" on their biennial fiscal policy report card, which measures the fiscal performance of U.S. governors based on spending and taxes. Her grade was influenced by the combination of proposed tax increases and expanded spending growth beyond population plus inflation.WEB,weblink Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2006, Cato Institute, 23,

2006 re-election

File:FEMA - 31226 - Governor Sebelius meets with FEMA Regional Admin. Hainje.jpg|thumb|Sebelius meets with FEMA workers in Kansas.]]On May 26, 2006, Sebelius formally announced her candidacy for re-election. Four days later, Mark Parkinson, former chair of the Kansas Republican Party, switched his party affiliation to Democrat; the following day Sebelius announced that Parkinson would be her running mate for lieutenant governor. Parkinson had previously served in the state House during 1991 and 1992 and the Senate from 1993 to 1997. Parkinson was viewed as a pro-business moderate who strongly supported public education. This was somewhat reminiscent of the fact that John Moore had also been a Republican, before switching just days before joining Sebelius as her running mate.NEWS, David, Twitty, Kan. gov. selects running mate for race, May 31, 2006, Associated Press,weblink Seattle Post-Intelligencer, {{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}She was challenged by Republican Kansas State Senator Jim Barnett. A September 1 Rasmussen poll showed Sebelius with an 11% lead over Barnett.WEB,weblink Kansas Governor: Sebelius Lead Narrows, December 1, 2008, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081201130618weblink">weblink December 1, 2008, . Rasmussen Reports. September 1, 2006 Other polls gave Sebelius as much as a 20% lead. {{As of|2004}}, 50% of Kansas voters were registered Republicans, compared to 27% as registered Democrats.Election 2004. Cnn.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2012. Sebelius nevertheless won re-election, defeating Barnett 57%–41%. Because of Kansas's term limits law, her second term as Governor was her last.

Second term

{{see also|Kansas state budget (2008–2009)}}In February 2008, during Sebelius's second term in office, there was a report in the Wichita Eagle that the State of Kansas was suspending tax refunds and that, because of a lack of tax revenue, might not be able to meet payroll for state employees.NEWS, Hanna, John, Kan. suspends income tax refunds, may miss payroll, Wichita Eagle, February 16, 2009,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090217221536weblink">weblink February 17, 2009, NEWS, Smith, Ben, Gibbs on Sebelius, Politico.com, February 16, 2009,weblink Sebelius called for issuing certificates of indebtedness, moving funds from various state agency accounts into the general fund to alleviate the crisis. However, Republican leaders in the legislature did not agree with her certificate of indebtedness plan, saying the state would be unable to repay the certificates unless Sebelius issued allotments or signed a budget rescission bill that had been passed by the legislature but had not yet been delivered to her desk. The standoff ended when the budget arrived, and Sebelius agreed to sign it, although she line-item vetoed several cuts she felt were too large. The rescission bill reduced the budget by about $300 million. $7 million of the cuts came in the form of reduced educational funding.NEWS, Kristen, Waggener,weblink USD 416 faces state cuts of $33 per student, Louisburg Herald, February 25, 2009, File:Kathleen Sebelius 2008 DNC (2809671990) (cropped1).jpg|thumb|right|Sebelius speaks during the second day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, ColoradoColoradoAfter Barack Obama's clinching of the Democratic nomination for President in June 2008, speculation that Sebelius would be a contender for the vice presidential slot on the Democratic ticket continued.NEWS, Zerger Nathan, Jesse, Will Kansas Governor Be Dems VP Candidate in 2008?, April 24, 2006, BeyondChron,weblink The Washington Post listed her as the top prospect for the 2008 nomination.Cillizza, Chris and Shailagh Murray."So, Candidates, Who's It Going to Be?", Washington Post, May 11, 2008. James Carville and Bob Novak also mentioned Sebelius's name,"Political Ticker" {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119223927weblink |date=November 19, 2009 }}, CNN, May 13, 2008.A Vice President For Abortion. Rasmussenreports.com (May 26, 2008). Retrieved on February 11, 2012. and Wesley Clark, also considered a potential running mate, publicly endorsed Sebelius, referring to her as "the next vice-president of the United States".Sebelius Obama's VP? – Political Machine. News.aol.com (June 3, 2008). Retrieved on February 11, 2012. Speculation that the vice presidential nomination lay in her future was heightened by the fact that she was chosen by the Democratic Party's congressional leaders to give their party's official response to Republican president George W. Bush's 2008 State of the Union Address.Carpenter, Tim."Sebelius to give response to State of the Union, Governor represents Democratic Party in opposition speech" {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041400weblink |date=March 4, 2016 }}, Topeka Capital-Journal, January 16, 2008. The next day, she endorsed Obama's campaign, one week before the Kansas caucus on Super Tuesday.NEWS, Associated Press, Kansas Gov. Sebelius Endorses Obama, Governor Represents GOP-Friendly State Where Candidate Has Family Ties,weblink CBS News, January 29, 2008, May 14, 2008, Obama won the caucus easily, with 74% support.weblink{{dead link|date=March 2015}}Speculation on her vice presidential selection intensified when a report from political ad agency insider, Tribble Ad Agency, reported on its website that the Obama Campaign owned the domain name "ObamaSebelius.com" through the GoDaddy.com registration service."Barack Obama chooses Kathleen Sebelius for Vice President" {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211122610weblink |date=February 11, 2009 }}, Tribble Ad Agency, August 18, 2008. However, just after midnight on August 23, it was reported by the Associated Press that Obama ultimately selected Joe Biden, the senior senator from Delaware, as his running mate.NEWS,weblink Obama introduces Biden as running mate, CNN, August 23, 2008, Sebelius is a former chair of the Democratic Governors Association.Kan. governor draws national attention, by John Hanna, Associated Press. Retrieved January 28, 2007 She was the first female chair of the association (elected as such in 2006).

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2009–2014)

File:Kathleen Sebelius Secretary of Health and Human Services nomination.jpg|thumb|Sebelius accepting her nomination by President Barack ObamaBarack Obama

Nomination

Sebelius was an early supporter of Barack Obama's presidential campaign, endorsing him in January 2008.NEWS,weblink Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas Governor, Seen as Top Choice in Health and Human Services Post, Baker, Peter, February 18, 2009, The New York Times, December 31, 2019, Pear, Robert, en-US, 0362-4331, After he was elected the President of the United States, Sebelius' early support for Obama and her ability to govern as a Democrat in a heavily Republican state made Sebelius look like a likely nominee for Obama's Cabinet.NEWS,weblink Sebelius Cabinet chances abound, November 21, 2008, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 9, 2008, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110606114225weblink">weblink June 6, 2011, Sebelius asked to be removed from consideration on December 6, 2008.Carpenter, Tim "Governor takes herself out of contention for cabinet post" {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805231355weblink|date=August 5, 2011}}, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 7, 2008 Following Bill Richardson's withdrawal as Obama's nomination for Secretary of Commerce, there was media speculation that Sebelius would be chosen as the new nominee.NEWS,weblink Richardson Pick Proves Hitch For Obama: Kathleen Sebelius On Short List To Replace N.M. Gov. For Commerce Post, January 5, 2008, CBS News, NEWS,weblink Obama transition hits bump as Richardson withdraws, Charles, Deborah, January 5, 2009, Reuters, International Herald Tribune, NEWS,weblink Barack Obama Should Replace Bill Richardson in Cabinet With Kathleen Sebelius, Erbe, Bonnie, January 5, 2009, U.S. News & World Report, NEWS,weblink With Richardson out, could Washington tempt Sebelius again?, Kraske, Steve, January 5, 2009, Kansas City Star, Through a spokesperson, Sebelius reiterated her earlier statement that she would not consider accepting a nomination to the Cabinet position.NEWS,weblink Sebelius not interested in commerce secretary, January 5, 2009, Kansas City Star, On February 28, 2009, it was reported that Sebelius had accepted Obama's nomination for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services. On March 2, 2009, Obama officially announced Governor Sebelius as his nominee.Obama Taps Kansas Gov. Sebelius as Health Secretary {{web archive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504084603weblink|date=May 4, 2009}}. Foxnews.com (April 7, 2010). Retrieved on February 11, 2012. At Obama's announcement, Sebelius was accompanied by two Kansas Republicans, former U.S. Senators Bob Dole and Pat Roberts.Sebelius was Obama's second choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Obama's first pick, former Senator Tom Daschle, withdrew from consideration on February 3 after it was revealed he had over $140,000 in tax errors.NEWS,weblink FACTBOX: President Obama's cabinet nominee problems, March 2, 2009, Reuters, December 30, 2019, en, In a March 2009 letter to the Senate Finance Committee, Sebelius admitted to "unintentional errors" in tax returns and paid nearly $8,000 in back taxes to rectify the errors.NEWS, O'Callaghan, John, Health nominee Sebelius reveals tax errors, Reuters, March 31, 2009,weblink April 1, 2009, NEWS, Rubenstein, Sarah, Sebelius Runs Into Tax Problems, But Daschle's Were Bigger.,weblink April 1, 2009, Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2009, WEB,weblink Sebelius paid over $7,000 in back taxes, Brown, Carrie Budoff, March 31, 2009, Politico, en, December 30, 2019, A letter to Sebelius from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and ranking member Chuck Grassley acknowledged their review of Sebelius found no other items needing to be addressed and Baucus, a Democrat, publicly expressed his continued support for Sebelius' nomination.File:Kathleen Sebelius in HHS meeting 4-28-09.jpg|left|thumb|Sebelius at an HHS meeting in April 2009]]Anti-abortion activists and senators were the primary opponents of Sebelius's nomination.NEWS,weblink Abortion, not resume, could dominate Sebelius confirmation - CNN.com, March 2, 2009, CNN, May 7, 2010, In answer to questions from the Senate Finance Committee during her April 2009 confirmation hearing, Sebelius stated she received $12,450 between 1994 and 2001 from physician George Tiller, one of only three late term abortion providers nationwide, who was later assassinated. The Associated Press, however, reported that from 2000 to 2002 Tiller gave at least $23,000 more to a political action committee Sebelius established to raise money for Democrats while she was serving as state insurance commissioner.WEB, Sebelius lowballed donations from abortion doc,weblink April 14, 2009, NBC News, April 14, 2009, The Senate Finance Committee approved Sebelius' nomination with a vote of 15 to 8.WEB,weblink Sebelius wins panel approval as health secretary, The Associated Press, April 21, 2009, msnbc.com, en, December 30, 2019, The full United States Senate voted to confirm Sebelius by a vote of 65 to 31.WEB,weblink U.S. Senate: Roll Call Vote, January 27, 2015, senate.gov, She was sworn in on April 28, 2009,WEB,weblink Kathleen Sebelius Confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100530133811weblink">weblink May 30, 2010, May 30, 2010, amidst an outbreak of swine flu in the United States.NEWS,weblink Senate Confirms Sebelius as Health Secretary, Pear, Robert, April 28, 2009, The New York Times, December 30, 2019, en-US, 0362-4331, Lieutenant Governor Parkinson was sworn in as Governor of Kansas and served the remainder of Sebelius's term.NEWS, Goldstein, David, Klepper, David, Sebelius sworn in to Cabinet, Parkinson becomes Kansas governor, The Kansas City Star, April 28, 2009,weblink April 29, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090430183737weblink">weblink April 30, 2009, Sebelius approved as HHS secretary. Cbsnews.com (April 29, 2009). Retrieved on February 11, 2012.NEWS,weblink CBS News, Health Secretary Sebelius Confirmed By Senate, Brian, Montopoli, April 28, 2009, As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sebelius led an agency with 6,500 employees and a $700 billion annual budget.

Affordable Care Act

File:Kathleen Sebelius (2).jpg|thumb|Sebelius and Todd ParkTodd ParkSebelius is a staunch advocate for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. In response to glitches and failures during the launch of the ACA website, HealthCare.gov, she said in October 2013, "You deserve better. I apologize. I'm accountable to you for fixing these problems and I'm committed to earning your confidence back by fixing the site."WEB,weblink Sebelius: 'Hold me accountable', POLITICO, October 30, 2013, Republicans called for her resignation in response to the website problems. Fifty-five members of the House of Representatives called for her resignation, while U.S. Senators Ted Cruz, Lamar Alexander and Pat Roberts all called for her resignation.NEWS, Camia, Catalina, October 29, 2013, Sen. Alexander calls on Sebelius to resign,weblinkweblink" title="archive.today/20131031165656weblink">weblink dead, October 31, 2013, USA Today, October 31, 2013, As the top official overseeing the implementation of the troubled healthcare.gov website testified before a House committee, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., on Tuesday called for Sebelius to step down., NEWS, October 24, 2013, Sebelius says she doesn't 'work for' those calling for her resignation,weblink FOXNews.com, October 31, 2013, In response to the calls to resign, Sebelius said: "The majority of people calling for me to resign I would say are people who I don't work for, and who do not want this program to work in the first place."In 2009, 2010, and 2011, Forbes named Sebelius the 57th, 23rd, and 13th most powerful woman in the world, respectively.NEWS,weblink The 100 Most Powerful Women of 2009, Forbes.com, August 19, 2009, NEWS,weblink The 100 Most Powerful Women of 2010, Forbes.com, NEWS,weblink The 100 Most Powerful Women of 2011, Forbes.com,

Hatch Act concern

On September 13, 2012, the Office of Special Counsel charged Sebelius with violating the Hatch Act by making a political remark during an official government event. Sebelius's office reclassified the event from official to political and reimbursed the government's expenses.WEB,weblink Special counsel cites Sebelius for Hatch Act violation, cnn.com,

Resignation

On April 11, 2014, Sebelius announced her resignation from her position as Secretary of Health and Human Services. That same day, President Obama nominated Sylvia Mathews Burwell as Sebelius' successor.NEWS, Eilperin/Goldstein, Juliet/Amy, Kathleen Sebelius steps down as HHS secretary; OMB director will take her place,weblink Washington Post, May 17, 2014, WEB,weblink HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to resign | The Rundown | PBS NewsHour, February 20, 2013, Pbs.org, June 30, 2014, Burwell was sworn in on June 9, 2014.WEB,weblink Sylvia Mathews Burwell, hhs.gov, January 20, 2015, bot: unknown,weblink January 20, 2017, December 29, 2019,

Political positions

Abortion

Sebelius is "staunchly pro-choice".Carney, Timothy (April 10, 2011) Democrats will yield on everything but abortion {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411085343weblink|date=April 11, 2011}}, Washington Examiner Her office stated that abortions declined 8.5% during her tenure as governor.NEWS, Chris, Cillizza, Chris Cillizza, Novak Takes A Swipe At Possible Obama VP Pick,weblink Washington Post, June 5, 2008, June 10, 2008, According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment statistics, the number of induced abortions in Kansas declined by 1,568, or 12.6%, from 2001 to 2007, the year of the most recently available statistics.NEWS, Abortions in Kansas: Preliminary Reports,weblink Office of Health Assessment, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, June 10, 2008, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080513193300weblink">weblink May 13, 2008, Her administration attributes the decline to health care reforms that Sebelius initiated, including "adoption incentives, extended health services for pregnant women..., sex education and ... a variety of support services for families".NEWS, Nicole, Corcoran, Veto Message for House Substitute for Senate Bill 389,weblink Office of the Governor, State of Kansas, April 21, 2008, June 10, 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080517014430weblink">weblink May 17, 2008, dead, Nationally, the number of abortions declined approximately 7.6% from 2000 to 2005, the year of the most recently available and reliable U.S. statistics.NEWS, U.S. Abortion Rate Continues Long-Term Decline, Falling to Lowest Level Since 1974; More Effort Still Needed to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy,weblink Rebecca, Wind, Guttmacher Institute Media Center, Guttmacher Institute, January 17, 2008, June 10, 2008, Sebelius has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, which has raised funds on her behalf.NEWS, Robert, Novak, Robert Novak, A Vice President for Abortion,weblink Chicago Sun-Times, Sun-Times News Group, May 26, 2008, May 26, 2008, In 2003, 2005, 2006, and again in 2008, Sebelius vetoed legislation that would have limited abortions in Kansas.On April 21, 2008, Sebelius vetoed House Substitute for Senate Bill 389, titled the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act by its sponsors. Proponents of the bill argued the legislation would strengthen late-term abortion laws and prevent so-called "coerced abortions", particularly with respect to minors. The Kansas City Star reported that HS SB 389 would have required the State of Kansas to collect patient diagnostic information providing detailed medical justification for late-term abortions, and would have also permitted litigants to sue abortion providers if they thought that a relative of theirs was planning a late-term abortion in violation of Kansas law.NEWS, Jim, Sullinger, Kansas Senate fails to override veto of abortion law,weblink The Kansas City Star, May 30, 2008, June 11, 2008, {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Sebelius objected to the constitutionality, efficacy and morality of the proposed legislation. She wrote, "The United States Supreme Court decisions make clear that any law regulating abortion must contain exceptions for pregnancies which endanger the woman's life or health. However, SB 389 allows a variety of individuals to seek a court order preventing a woman from obtaining an abortion, even where it may be necessary to save her life. I am concerned that the bill is unconstitutional or even worse, endangers the lives of women." In addition, she expressed concern that the bill would "likely encourage extensive litigation" and that it "unnecessarily jeopardizes the privacy of Kansas women's confidential medical records".Sebelius is a member of the Catholic Church; however, in early March 2009, then-Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, prefect for the Apostolic Signatura, the Holy See's highest court, declared that Sebelius should not approach the altar for Communion in the United States, saying that, "after pastoral admonition, she obstinately persists in serious sin".NEWS, Julia, Duin, Sebelius in trouble with Catholic Church,weblink The Washington Times, March 24, 2009, September 9, 2009, Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Fred Naumann also asked that Sebelius no longer receive Holy Communion because of her position on abortion. Naumann criticized Sebelius for vetoing HS SB 389.NEWS, Dennis, Sadowski, Archbishop Naumann: Kansas governor should stop receiving Communion,weblinkweblink dead, May 13, 2008, Catholic News Service, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, May 12, 2008, June 11, 2008, [Naumann] said many Kansans "find it more than an embarrassment" that the state had become "infamous for being the late-term abortion center for the Midwest"., The action received mixed reviews in the Catholic press.NEWS, Rigid bishops one-up the popes,weblink National Catholic Reporter, May 30, 2008, June 11, 2008, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120128081050weblink">weblink January 28, 2012, NEWS, Patrick, Whelon, Conservatives gear up again to use Communion as a political weapon, no matter the cost to American Catholicism,weblink Catholic Democrats, May 14, 2008, June 11, 2008, NEWS, Archbishop asks Kansas governor to refrain from Communion for abortion support, awaits response,weblink Catholic News Agency, May 12, 2008, March 1, 2009, Anti-abortion activists criticized Sebelius's HHS nomination because she had received donations to her campaign from George Tiller, the medical director of an abortion clinic in Wichita.Dave HellingWEB,weblink Buzz over possible Cabinet post for Sebelius has ignited a firestorm around her, March 3, 2009, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090224202013weblink">weblink February 24, 2009, WEB,weblink Bill O'Reilly called George Tiller, Not long after Sebelius was sworn in as HHS Secretary, on May 31, 2009, Tiller was assassinated by Scott Roeder.WEB,weblink Abortion Doctor Gunned Down at Kansas Church, Suspect in Custody, Fox News, November 1, 2013,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20131111061007weblink">weblink November 11, 2013, dead,

Morning-after pill

Despite her pro-choice view, in December 2011, Sebelius overruled the FDA's recommendation on making the "morning-after pill" (Plan B One-Step) available over the counter for females under the age of 17.Plan to Widen Availability of Morning-After Pill Is Rejected By Gardiner Harris, New York Times, December 7, 2011 President Obama said that the decision was Sebelius's, not his.Obama defends Plan B decision 'as father of two daughters' By David Jackson, USA Today December 8, 2011Judge Edward R. Korman of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York struck down this restriction, calling it "frivolous" and "silly", and alleging that pure politics — not scientific evidence — was behind efforts by Sebelius to block easier distribution to young girls. The Obama administration, in response, lowered the age limit from 17 to 15 but decided to appeal this ruling to maintain the loosened restrictions, in a move that was widely criticized by advocates of reproductive rights.NEWS, Shear, Michael D., U.S. to Defend Age Limits on Morning-After Pill Sales,weblink May 11, 2013, The New York Times, May 1, 2013,

Capital punishment

Sebelius is an opponent of capital punishment.NEWS,weblink Kathleen Sebelius Biography, July 14, 2008, The New York Times, Kevin, Sack, During her first term, the Kansas capital punishment laws were declared unconstitutional by the Kansas Supreme Court. However, on appeal by Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, the ruling was again overturned and the current law reinstated by the United States Supreme Court.

Drug importation

As governor of Kansas, Sebelius adopted a state drug importation program in 2004 to help her constituents afford prescription medication.NEWS,weblink Full text of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' news release, August 21, 2013, cjonline.com,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140607200336weblink">weblink June 7, 2014, dead, The program, called I-saveRx, connected individuals with and helped them buy medication from licensed pharmacies in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The program later went on to include Australia and New Zealand.NEWS,weblink Australia and New Zealand Added to I-SaveRx Suppliers, August 21, 2013, ihealthbeat.org, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20151019040745weblink">weblink October 19, 2015, Due to federal laws prohibiting personal drug importation under most circumstances, the FDA intercepted some prescription orders en route to Americans who participated in I-SaveRx; while in most cases prescription imports for personal use are not seized.

Education

File:On Thursday, February 17, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius visited the Judy Hoyer Early Learning Center at Cool Springs Elementary School in Adelphi, Maryland (4).jpg|thumb|Sebelius at Cool Springs Elementary School in Adelphi, MarylandAdelphi, MarylandEarly in the term, Sebelius made education funding her top priority. Education funding reached a breaking point in the summer of 2005 when the Kansas Supreme Court ordered the Legislature to increase K–12 funding.Passions cool as session looms – Few legislators say they'd defy court Kansas City Star June 20, 2005, retrieved June 5, 2008 Sebelius offered one education funding plan early in her first term, which consisted of property, sales, and income tax increases, resulting in 2006 in the largest K–12 education funding increase in the history of the state. The three-year plan aimed to increase education funding by nearly $1 billion over three years, but did not give a funding source for the second and third years.

Environment

Sebelius chaired the Governors' Ethanol Coalition. In 2006, she requested that $200 million be allotted from the U.S. government to support the Department of Energy Biomass and Biorefinery Systems Research and Development Program.WEB,weblink Testimony of Kathleen Sebelius before the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee in Support of FY'07 Department of Energy Funding for Biofuels, July 6, 2007, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070706192733weblink">weblink July 6, 2007, . March 28, 2006 She pushed for more widespread recycling efforts across the state.NEWS, State Agency 'Green Teams' Focus on Recycling and Waste Reduction, March 4, 2008, WIBW-TV,weblink In addition, she vetoed bills authorizing the construction of coal-fired power plants on three separate occasionsNEWS, Sebelius vetoes coal plant bill, May 16, 2008, Kansas City Star,weblink saying in March 2008, "We know that greenhouse gases contribute to climate change. As an agricultural state, Kansas is particularly vulnerable. Therefore, reducing pollutants benefits our state not only in the short term — but also for generations of Kansans to come."Kansas Governor Rejects Two Coal-Fired Power Plants. Ens-newswire.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2012. On June 2, 2008, Sebelius spoke at the American Wind Energy Association Conference, calling for greater federal support for wind energy and other renewable energy resources.LJWorld.com / Sebelius calls on feds to step up development of wind energy. .ljworld.com (June 2, 2008). Retrieved on February 11, 2012.

Firearms

File:Health Care Fraud Press Conference.jpg|thumb|Sebelius and Eric HolderEric HolderSebelius has said she supports Kansans' right to own firearms, but does not believe a broad concealed carry law would make them safer: "I don't believe allowing people to carry concealed handguns into sporting events, shopping malls, grocery stores, or the workplace would be good public policy. And to me the likelihood of exposing children to loaded handguns in their parents' purses, pockets and automobiles is simply unacceptable."NEWS, Sebelius vetoes concealed carry bill, April 16, 2004, Associated Press,weblink Sebelius vetoed, like her Republican predecessor Bill Graves, a concealed-carry law that would have allowed citizens to carry concealed weapons after obtaining a state permit and passing an FBI background check.USA Today (2005). Kansas governor vetoes concealed weapons bill. Retrieved June 14, 2007. The veto left Kansas, at the time, as one of four states without any form of a conceal-carry law.On March 21, 2006, she vetoed Senate Bill 418, a similar concealed-carry bill. On March 25, her veto was overturned after the Kansas House of Representatives voted 91–33 to override it. This followed the Kansas Senate's 30-10 override vote, which occurred the day after her veto.WEB,weblink Kansas Concealed Weapon, April 25, 2006, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20060602222150weblink">weblink June 2, 2006, Retrieved June 2, 2006.On April 21, 2008, Sebelius signed Senate Bill 46 into law, which repealed a 1933 state law prohibiting civilian ownership of machine guns and other firearms restricted by the National Firearms Act of 1934, specifically permitting ownership by civilians successfully meeting the requirements of the NFA. The law was passed in part to address legal issues that could have prevented dealers from delivering firearms to law enforcement agencies in Kansas. The law took effect on July 1, 2008.NEWS, Sebelius signs machine gun bill, April 22, 2008, Associated Press,weblink Lawrence Journal-World, NEWS, Sebelius signs machine gun bill, April 22, 2008, Associated Press,weblink {{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

LGBT issues

Sebelius did not support an April 2005 amendment to the Kansas Constitution that made same-sex marriage in the state unconstitutional. Sebelius said she supported the existing state law outlawing same-sex marriage, viewing it as sufficient,NEWS,weblink Sebelius on gay marriage, Boston Globe, April 6, 2008, June 5, 2005, John, Hanna, and therefore opposed the constitutional amendment. The amendment passed with 70% voter approval.

Subsequent career

After leaving the Obama cabinet, Sebelius founded and became CEO of Sebelius Resources LLC, which provides strategic advice to private companies, non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, and financial investors.Sebelius serves as a member of the boards of directors of companies including Dermira Inc., Grand Rounds, Inc., Exact Sciences, and Humacyte Inc., and of the Estee Lauder Foundation and the Kaiser Family Foundation. In 1978, she was elected to the Common Cause National Governing Board. She serves on advisory boards for the Dole Institute of Politics and Solera Health. Sebelius is a senior advisor to Out Leadership and the Aspen Institute, where she co-chairs the Aspen Health Strategy Group. Sebelius is a frequent keynote speaker for national and international organizations.WEB,weblink Bio, Sebelius Resources LLC, May 23, 2018,

Personal life

She married K. Gary Sebelius,WEB,weblink Magistrate Judge K. Gary Sebelius, May 2, 2008, U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, U.S. Government, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080401091715weblink">weblink April 1, 2008, the son of former Republican Congressman Keith Sebelius. The wedding was held in the Ohio Governor's Mansion in 1974. They have two sons: Ned (b. 1982) and John (b. 1985).Kathleen Sebelius. Notable Names Database Her husband served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas for 16 years until his retirement in 2019.WEB,weblink Judge Angel D. Mitchell Selected as United States Magistrate Judge in Topeka, Kansas, Michael J. Malone Douglas County Law Library, March 20, 2019, en-US, December 30, 2019, December 31, 2019,weblink dead, Her family has a vacation home built by her grandfather located in Leland, Michigan.WEB,weblink Leland offers Sebelius respite from D.C., Vanhulle, Lindsay, August 15, 2009, Traverse City Record-Eagle, en, December 31, 2019, An avid fan of jazz music, Sebelius annually attended the Jazz Fest in New Orleans for thirty years.Keith Spera. "Cabinet nominee Kathleen Sebelius grooved at Jazz Fest on Sunday (Just don't tell anyone her confirmation hearing is today.)"{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} in Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 2009 April 28, Saint Tammany Edition, pp. A1, A7."An Obamacare Architect Speaks Out" Slate's The Gist, February 7, 2017. She also runs in her spare time.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin|title=Kansas gubernatorial election 2002}}{{Election box candidate with party linkparty =Democratic Party (US)|candidate =Kathleen Sebelius|votes =435,462|percentage=52.9|change =}}{{Election box candidate with party linkparty =Republican Party (US)|candidate =Tim Shallenburger|votes =371,325|percentage=45.3|change =}}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin|title=Kansas gubernatorial election 2006}}{{Election box candidate with party linkparty =Democratic Party (US)|candidate =Kathleen Sebelius (incumbent)|votes =480,532|percentage=57.8|change =+4.9}}{{Election box candidate with party linkparty =Republican Party (US)Jim Barnett (Kansas politician)>Jim Barnett|votes =336,583|percentage=40.5|change =}}{{Election box end}}

See also

• List of female United States Cabinet members
• List of female governors in the United States

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100530133811weblink">Biography at the United States Department of Health and Human Services
• Biography at Sebelius Resources LLC

Articles

• "Sebelius: A Political Legacy", April 28, 2009, Topeka Capital-Journal
• Trinity Washington University (2006). weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080511192556weblink">Profile: Kathleen Sebelius '70. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
• {{C-SPAN}}
• Publications concerning Kansas Governor Sebelius's administration available via the KGI Online Library

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