President Barack Obama is announcing his picks for three Cabinet-level jobs -- nominees to run the Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency and budget office.
Obama says energy secretary nominee Ernest Moniz is a "brilliant scientist" who knows how the U.S. can produce more energy and grow the economy. Moniz will work with EPA nominee Gina McCarthy, whom Obama calls a "straight-shooter."
The president also lauded Sylvia Mathews Burwell, his nominee for budget chief, as someone who not only knows how "to make the numbers add up" but also understands the need for strengthening the middle class.
Burwell is Washington veteran, having served in several posts during the Clinton administration, including deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. She currently heads the Wal-Mart Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the retail giant, and previously served as president of the Gates Foundation's Global Development Program. (AP)
