US Majority of U.S. Senate approves Biden nominee Austin to lead Pentagon
Overnight Defense: Pentagon watchdog to probe extremism in US military | FBI chief warns of 'online chatter' ahead of inauguration | House conservative bloc opposes Austin waiver
Happy Thursday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I'm Ellen Mitchell, and here's your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.THE TOPLINE: The Pentagon's internal watchdog announced Thursday that it will investigate whether the Department of Defense (DOD) has adequate procedures in place to prevent white supremacists and other extremists from joining and remaining in the military.
Happy Thursday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I'm Ellen Mitchell, and here's your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.THE TOPLINE: The Pentagon's internal watchdog announced Thursday that it will investigate whether the Department of Defense (DOD) has adequate procedures in place to prevent white supremacists and other extremists from joining and remaining in the military. FILE PHOTO: President-elect Joe Biden ' s nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin answers questions during his confirmation Sixty votes were needed for passage. Since the House had just approved the waiver, Austin could be confirmed as the first Black U . S . Secretary of
Lloyd Austin to serve as Defense secretary, bringing President Biden ' s nominee to lead the © Greg Nash House approves waiver for Biden ' s Pentagon nominee . The House on Thursday approved The Senate Armed Services Committee approved both Austin ' s nomination and the waiver earlier
By Patricia Zengerle
© Reuters/POOL FILE PHOTO: General Austin confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense in Washington WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed President Joe Biden's nominee, retired Army General Lloyd Austin, to serve as Secretary of Defense - the first Black American in the role.
The vote was an overwhelming 90-2 in the 100-member chamber, far more than the simple majority needed.
Lawmakers from both parties said they were pleased that Austin would be installed to lead the Pentagon just two days after Biden was sworn in as president on Wednesday.
Senator Jack Reed, the incoming Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, noted the wide range of challenges facing the country - including the coronavirus pandemic and competition with China and Russia.
How to watch Biden's Cabinet confirmation hearings Tuesday
Five of President-elect Joe Biden's national security Cabinet nominees will face Senate panels on Tuesday in the first step of the confirmation process. © AFP & Getty Images Left to right: Janet Yellen, Alejandro Mayorkas, Avril Haines, Lloyd Austin, and Antony Blinken The day before Biden takes office, his nominees for secretary of state, secretary of the treasury, director of national intelligence, defense secretary and secretary of Homeland Security will appear before Senate committees to be considered for their respective roles. The Senate will hold a confirmation vote on Friday for President Joe Biden ' s defense secretary pick retired Gen. President Joe Biden ' s nominee for Secretary of Defense, retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee at the U . S
The Senate approved the first of Biden ’ s nominees , Avril Earlier: Haines Wins Senate Confirmation as U . S . Intelligence Chief. Congress approved a waiver for Jim But on Wednesday he said he would do so because Austin “is the right person to lead the Pentagon through a unique, complex, and
"General Austin is an exceptionally qualified leader with a long and distinguished career in the U.S. military," Reed said before the vote.
"We're in the most threatened time that we're in," said Senator James Inhofe, the outgoing Republican chairman of the armed services panel, as he also urged support for the nominee.
Members of Congress on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a waiver that allowed Austin to lead the Pentagon even though he had not cleared the required seven-year waiting period since leaving the uniformed services - a law intended to enforce civilian control of the armed forces.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
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President Joe Biden has signed over 30 executive orders ranging from reversing Trump-era policy to adjusting the nation’s response to the pandemic.The orders ranged in topic from dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to beginning the process for what he hopes will be immigration reform. Many take direct aim at the decisions of former President Donald Trump.
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