WHO WILL KAMALA HARRIS PICK FOR HER CABINET? & ITS IMPACT ON VETS


By bblouin
YOKOSUKA, Japan (Sept. 28, 2022) Vice President Kamala Harris boards the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Howard (DDG 83) during her visit to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY). Questions arise about who will Kamala Harris pick for her cabinet.

The 2024 presidential election is racing to an apex, and the speculation of who will be in Kamala Harris’s cabinet is in full swing. Several groups of voters could swing the election either way and for the Veteran community, who is appointed to the cabinet positions is important for benefits and quality of life. With only a week to go, we’re looking at Kamala Harris’s possible cabinet and its impact on the Veteran community.

Who Will Kamala Harris Pick for Her Cabinet?

Kamala Harris cabinet predictions have a wide field to pick from. This includes a variety of experienced personnel with a range of skills.

Especially because there are many cabinet positions that may have some effect on the lives of Veterans but are a bit less focused than others, we’re looking at the positions affecting the VA, homeland security, and foreign policy.

Kamala Harris's potential cabinet can go a like of different ways and depending on who is in these positions of power, could determine the quality of life among the Veteran community.

Here are some of the top names being floated around if the Harris administration wins the 2024 election:

Tanya Bradsher

As a fellow Veteran with 20 years of service in the Army, Tanya Bradsher is an intriguing choice for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

However, when you consider her experience as a spokesperson on the White House National Security Council and The Pentagon, along with her work getting VA electronic healthcare records revamped, it becomes clear that her experience is more than fitting.

Furthermore, at the risk of burying the lead, Bradsher’s best case might be made for the work she's done to get the PACT Act up and running for the military community.

There has been pushback over allegations that she was part of a system responsible for mishandling healthcare information for Veterans; however, Bradsher insists that guidelines were followed and VA security has improved since the alleged incidents.

Tammy Duckworth

Lt. Col. Tammy Duckworth is a retired Veteran of the Army National Guard and understands the healthcare experience within the VA from personal experience.

Not only did she lose her legs in a helicopter accident when it was shot down over Iraq, but she has also run the VA in Illinois.

With previous experience working for the Obama administration, getting a spot within Kamala Harris’s cabinet for the VA makes sense in more ways than one.

Patrick Murphy

As a politician, Patrick Murphy made an interesting part of history becoming the first Veteran of the Iraq War to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

President Joe Biden considered Murphy for the VA position during his administration and the Vet helped provide more LGBTQ+ Veterans benefits by being part of the movement to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Combined with Murphy’s efforts to help Vets gain employment, it’s clear that if appointed, his military ties and commitment to advancing healthcare benefits have a proven track record.

John Tien

John Tien has plenty of experience that is needed to be our nation’s Secretary of Homeland Security. After all, he held the Deputy Secretary role for around two years.

The Rhodes Scholar is also an Army Veteran and has worked on the National Security Council both under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama’s administrations.

Considering Veteran fraud has been rising since the passing of the PACT Act and there are several threats to the personal information of Vets, having the right person for the job is more important than ever.

Ken Wainstein

While Ken Wainstein isn’t a military Veteran, his extensive law enforcement career and experience in top positions for the FBI, as D.C.’s U.S. Attorney, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Justice Department, he is in a prime position to join Kamala Harris’s cabinet.

Wainstein remains connected to the role of Secretary of Homeland Security with the goals of working towards making state and local law enforcement more effective while also protecting the rights of Americans.

Kristie Canegallo

Canegallo brings plenty of desirable experience as our nation’s current Acting United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, working for multiple Presidents with the National Security Council, and even experience at Google.

She doesn’t have military experience but her knowledge of technology and national security could help Vets keep their personal information safer.

Karen Dunn

You might not find someone with a deeper knowledge of the law and the interworkings of Washington D.C. than Karen Dunn, making her an obvious favorite for the White House Chief of Staff.

Though she is not a Veteran, Dunn has plenty of high profile legal experience, education, and understands how to navigate the political world.

All important skills for the highest-ranking member of Kamala Harris's potential cabinet picks.

Marty Walsh

Although he didn’t serve himself, Walsh has a proven track record of supporting Veterans during his time as the Mayor of Boston, including empowering minorities, housing hundreds of homeless Vets, providing employment and leadership opportunities, and more.

How this translates into a Chief of Staff role should he be appointed is yet to be determined but the respect he has garnered among labor groups indicates that his leadership could be a positive thing for the Veteran community.

Cedric Richmond

While Cedric Richmond doesn’t have military experience, the politician has supported Veterans while in office, including the expansion of women’s healthcare for Vets through the Deborah Sampson Act.

Richmond has experience working with Biden and has a great relationship with our Vice President, making him a lead candidate for Chief of Staff for Kamala Harris’s potential cabinet.

Mark Cuban

While Mark Cuban is not a Veteran, there has been much talk about whether he would be interested in serving in Harris' cabinet. It has been speculated that Cuban could take the position of Securities and Exchange Commission Chair, which he has openly critiqued in the past. Cuban has been a strong advocate for Harris, and has even expressed potential policy ideas for her administration.

Cuban has supported Veterans and military in a number of ways. This includes starting the Fallen Patriot Funs to help families of military personnel killed or injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and starting the Mark Cuban Foundation, which specializes in supporting Veterans and helping military families.

News broke this weekend when Cuban expressed that he doesn't have any interest in transitioning into politics or serving as a cabinet member for any future president.

Kamala Harris Potential Republican Cabinet​ Picks

Deciding who will be in an upcoming administration’s cabinet is nearly impossible, especially when crossing party lines.

These days, political lines in the sand are drawn relatively extremely on both sides and crossing over can take a lot.

Nevertheless, despite Kamala Harris running for the Democratic party, there is speculation that her cabinet will include notable Republicans.

Although not a Republican officially, RFK Jr. has also been linked to looking for a potential cabinet position with Kamala Harris, however, considering after this news made headlines he bashed her, it seems that this is unlikely to develop.

A big part of these efforts come from supporters within the Republican party not fully aligning with some of the more extreme views and actions of Donald Trump and his administration.

For example, many Nikki Haley supporters are finding themselves voting for Harris rather than Trump.

Information like this is fueling potential Republicans to be a part of the Harris administration, with notable help from Liz Cheney, hundreds of previous GOP staffers, and insiders who worked closely with Trump during his previous term.

Who Kamala Harris will pick for her cabinet should she win the presidency continues to be a debate, however, millions continue to watch the impact on the future of our nation’s Veterans regarding nearly every core tenant involving their quality of life.

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