April 10, 2014.

Kathleen Sebelius to Resign Health Post

What seemed like a long time passed. The pain in Winston’s belly had revived. His mind sagged round and round on the same trick, like a ball falling again and again into the same series of slots. He had only six thoughts. The pain in his belly; a piece of bread; the blood and the screaming; O’Brien; Julia; the razor blade. There was another spasm in his entrails, the heavy boots were approaching. As the door opened, the wave of air that it created brought in a powerful smell of cold sweat. Parsons walked into the cell. He was wearing khaki shorts and a sports-shirt.

WASHINGTON----Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who presided over the government's troubled rollout of the 2010 health-care law, will step down from her post, her spokeswoman confirmed on Thursday, capping a rocky five years in the Obama cabinet.


This time Winston was startled into self-forgetfulness.

President Barack Obama was expected to announce on Friday that Ms. Sebelius, 65 years old, will be succeeded by Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, according to a White House official.

"YOU here!" he said.

"As she closes this chapter, Secretary Sebelius is extremely thankful to President Obama and very proud of the historic accomplishments of this administration," said Dori Salcido, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, in a prepared statement.