Senate Committee Approves Miguel Cardona’s Nomination to Be the Next Education Secretary With 17-5 Vote

Miguel Cardona cleared a pivotal step toward becoming the next education secretary Thursday as the Senate’s education committee voted 17-5 to approve his nomination.

He is expected to receive a final Senate confirmation vote soon.

“Cardona has the background, qualification and temperament to serve as secretary of education,” said Sen. Richard Burr, the committee’s ranking Republican, in approving the nomination. “He’s stressed the need for students to be back in school, and that’s now, finally, a bipartisan mission.”

Committee Chairwoman Sen. Patty Murray cited Cardona’s “clear qualifications” in advancing the nominee.

Vowing to “forge opportunity” out of the tragedy of the pandemic, Cardona faced mostly friendly questioning at last week’s confirmation hearing. (Read Linda Jacobson’s full recap of the hearing, which touched on issues of testing, reopening schools and transgender student rights). Click below to watch the full hearing:

See our rolling coverage of Cardona’s nomination and his previous work in Connecticut:

• December: Biden to tap Miguel Cardona as education secretary — a ‘big picture thinker’ popular with teachers who will lead 2021 push to reopen classrooms (Read the full report)
• A Rapid Ascent: For the second time In less than two years, Cardona is set to prove himself on a much larger stage. Is he ready for the ‘political headwinds’ he’d face as education secretary? (Read the full article)
• School Integration: Cardona’s role in Connecticut’s complex school desegregation efforts becomes focus: Will he give integration a national platform? (Read the full article)
• Higher Education: How Cardona could reverse college enrollment plunge for low-income kids — and help end the school culture wars (Read the full analysis)
• Student Voice: Dear Dr. Cardona — Student leaders demand a voice in Biden administration’s education policies as pandemic creates unprecedented disruptions (Read the full report)

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