Biden officially taps ex-House Dem campaign chair as OECD ambassador

President Biden officially nominated former House Democratic campaign chief Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), for representative of the United States to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Thursday.

The president officially sent the nomination of Maloney with rank of ambassador to the Senate for confirmation.

The role is the representative on behalf of the U.S. at the Paris-based OECD, which is an intergovernmental organization comprising more than 30 democracies with market-based economies. 

Maloney lost his seat last year when the House flipped to GOP control while he was at the helm of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He made history in Congress as the first openly LGBTQ person elected from New York and, having been elected to House leadership in 2020, the highest-ranking openly LGBTQ person to serve in the House.

If confirmed, he would replace the current ambassador, former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D).

Biden in April announced his intention to nominate Maloney for the role and his intention to nominate Markell to serve as ambassador to Italy, which will also require Senate confirmation.

When Biden announced he would nominate Maloney, he touted that he chaired subcommittees on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, and he served as former President Clinton’s White House staff secretary.