US President-elect George W. Bush, following his pledge to create a diverse government, rounded out his Cabinet today, bringing in a Democratic Japanese-American, a Hispanic woman and an Arab-American.
As his energy secretary, Mr Bush nominated outgoing Republican Sen. Spencer Abraham, 48, who was the only Arab-American in the Senate until he was defeated in November after a single six-year term.
The Republican Bush, who had promised a bipartisan approach, named outgoing President Clinton's commerce secretary, former Democratic congressman Norman Mineta, as his transportation secretary.
Bush nominated Linda Chavez, 53, a conservative immigration specialist who served with the Civil Rights Commission in the administration of President Ronald Reagan, as his labor secretary.
Mr Abraham would preside over a department being asked by Bush to increase production of domestic energy, including finding more sources of oil and gas, and tighten security at nuclear weapons laboratories.
"We understand our national security depends on our energy security," Mr Bush said as he announced the nominations, which brought the number of named cabinet posts to 15. All have to be confirmed by the Senate.
Mr Abraham, who described himself as "the grandson of poor Lebanese immigrants," noted that his department faced serious and immediate issues.
He said they ranged from "the adequacy of supply to affordability to the development of new technologies to the issues of security at our facilities and more."
Mr Mineta, 69, had been held in an internment camp as a child during World War Two. He represented the Silicon Valley area surrounding San Jose, California for 21 years until stepping down to become a lobbyist in 1995.
A transportation specialist, he became an expert in airline safety. He chaired the National Civil Aviation Review Commission that warned in December 1997 of rapidly approaching gridlock in the nation's crowded skies.
Ms Chavez, an outspoken opponent of "affirmative action" policies to give minorities preferential treatment, has been Mr Bush's immigration adviser during his presidential campaign.
"I hope to seek out new opportunities to increase the skills and productivity of all Americans," she said, noting that she had been the daughter of a poor house painter who had been unable to complete his school education.
Mineta said he was honored to serve under Bush, although he insisted he remained a committed Democrat.
"The challenge before all of us, as Americans, regardless of party affiliation, is to find those areas where can build bipartisan consensus on the policies and the programs that are needed to move this nation forward," he said.
Reuters