A Republican for Commerce

President Obama nominated New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg for Commerce secretary.

A Republican for Commerce
President Obama nominated New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg for Commerce secretary. He would be the third Republican in Obama’s Cabinet, after Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Gregg, who once proposed eliminating the Commerce Department, only agreed to the appointment when he was assured his replacement would be a Republican.

Reforming the FDA
The Obama administration promised to overhaul Food and Drug Administration regulations, following charges that the company at the center of a massive food recall knowingly shipped salmonella-tainted peanut butter. The FDA last week ordered a recall of products made by Peanut Corp. of America, but current regulations required the agency to first seek the company’s approval before the recall could proceed. Obama said he favored a “stricter regulatory structure.”