Mar 18, 2009 4:13 pm US/Pacific
Congresswoman Tauscher Accepts State Dept. Post
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Ellen Tauscher delivers a speech during the opening session of the Bucharest conference in Bucharest on April 1, 2008.
Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images
Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, accepted an offer from the Obama administration to serve in a key post at the U.S. State Department.
Accepting the position of Undersecretary of Arms Control and International Security means Tauscher will vacate her seat as the representative of California's 10th Congressional District.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Tauscher said the decision was not an easy one.
"For the past 13 years, I have had the honor and privilege of serving you in Congress," Tauscher said. "Representing California's 10th Congressional District has always been and remains - especially in these trying times - my first priority."
"Last week, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton asked me to serve as Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security," she continued.
"While her offer is both generous and flattering, I did not take the decision lightly," she said. "I accepted it after much soul-searching and long discussions with my family and friends."
If confirmed, Tauscher will act as a senior adviser to the president and secretary of state on arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament.
Tauscher noted that the confirmation process is "fraught with uncertainty and can take weeks, if not months."
"My staff and I will continue to work on the issues and challenges facing the 10th District and our nation, including growing the economy, making health care more affordable, developing a green energy policy, repairing our infrastructure, easing congestion and improving the quality of life for families with the same level of energy and commitment as when I was first elected in 1996," Tauscher said.
Tauscher's district includes parts of Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda and Sacramento counties.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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