WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Barack Obama announced Thursday he is nominating Dr. John B. King, Jr. to officially take over as Secretary of Education.
King has served as Acting Secretary of Education since former Education Secretary Arne Duncan stepped down at the end of last year.
Obama reportedly intended to keep King as acting secretary for the remainder of his term but decided to officially nominate the former teacher and principal after receiving assurances lawmakers will give his nomination speedy consideration.
In a statement from the White House, Obama said there is nobody better than King to lead ongoing efforts to work toward preschool for all, prepare kids so that they are ready for college and career, and make college more affordable.
'I look forward to the Senate working in a bipartisan way to confirm John quickly and continuing their work with him to tackle the vital challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,' Obama said.
King has served as Acting Secretary of Education since January and also serves as the Education Department's Principal Senior Advisor.
When he joined the Education Department in 2015, King oversaw all preschool-through-12th-grade education policies, programs and strategic initiatives, as well as department operations.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said he was glad Obama chose to officially nominate King as Education Secretary and promised a prompt and fair hearing on the nomination.
'For proper accountability, especially as we work with the administration on implementing the new law governing elementary and secondary education, it is important to have in charge of the department a member of the president's cabinet confirmed by the United States Senate,' Alexander said.
Alexander has previously said King's nomination is likely to receive Republican support in the Senate, barring some scandal or ethical lapse discovered during the confirmation process.
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