Miguel Cardona was confirmed Monday as the next U.S. secretary of education on a 64 to 33 Senate vote.

President Joe Biden s nomination of Cardona, who most recently served as Connecticuts commissioner of education, was seen as a popular choice that appealed to both teachers unions and education reform circles.

Cardona, 45, will take the helm of the department at a fraught time for the nations students due to the coronavirus pandemic . From kindergarten through the 12th grade, millions have been learning partially or entirely online for nearly a year. Cardona has emphasized his dedication to getting students back to in-person classrooms.

We have examples throughout our country of schools that are able to reopen safely and do so while following mitigation strategies for COVID-19, Cardona said at his confirmation hearing in February.

On the higher education front, Cardona will also be charged with navigating the department as political leaders debate if and to what extent student loans should be forgiven. Biden issued an executive order extending a pause on federal student loan payments through the end of this September.