President Biden nominates Wooster Alumna for assistant secretary of Congressional and Legislative Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs

President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Patricia Ross ’06, who completed her degree in political science at The College of Wooster, for assistant secretary of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Ross is a senior policy advisor in the Office of the Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), where she has served since 2011. As senior policy advisor, Ross has supported and helped coordinate multiple bipartisan traveling Congressional delegations, including the 75th anniversary of the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy and Battle of the Bulge, as well as staffed multiple State of the Union addresses, Inaugurations, and Joint Addresses to Congress by heads of state. A native of Ohio, Ross is the daughter, granddaughter and niece of Veterans.
“President Biden has chosen an expert of domestic policymaking in appointing Patricia Ross to this critical position,” said Pelosi in a statement issued after the announcement. “Patti has been a critical asset to the Speaker’s Office and the Democratic Caucus for a decade. Her leadership will be important to the Veterans Affairs Department—and the millions of veterans, families and caregivers who rely on it—in her new position.
The statement from the Speaker’s Office noted that Ross’ experiences in domestic policy have earned respect and confidence from both sides of the legislative aisle in the areas of veteran affairs as well as education and agriculture. Her experience acting as a resource and a conduit between lawmakers and the veteran community was also valued. Throughout her career, Ross has led a broad domestic policy portfolio in both the Speaker’s Leadership and Congressional Offices, covering veterans’ affairs and military families, agriculture and nutrition, education and labor. She has spearheaded major bipartisan agreements in these arenas, including the COVID-19 response, CHOICE Act, MISSION Act, Forever GI Bill, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, Deborah Sampson Act, Every Student Succeeds Act, 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, and ending the Widows and Kiddie Tax.
Ross has served The College of Wooster as the secretary for her class, a member of the W Association, and an alumni admissions representative. She currently lives in Washington, D.C. with her partner, also a Veteran, and two dogs.

Posted in News on April 8, 2021.