Miss Zomboko
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- May 18, 2014
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WASHINGTON – The Senate on Friday confirmed Lloyd Austin as the nation's first Black defense secretary, the second nominee of President Joe Biden to be confirmed by the chamber.
Austin is a retired four-star Army general who will be the first Black secretary of defense. He was the first Black general to command an Army division in combat and also the first to oversee an entire theater of operations as the commanding general of U.S. forces in Iraq.
Austin's confirmation process wasn't without bumps. Controversy flared over a law barring recently retired military officers from serving as the defense secretary, but top Democrats lined up behind Austin's nomination, citing the need for Biden to have his national security team in place after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The law requires that troops be retired for seven years before taking the post.
The House passed a waiver from the law for Austin on Thursday afternoon, and the Senate followed suit shortly after.
Some lawmakers had expressed concern about granting another waiver for Austin after they had done so for Trump’s first defense secretary Jim Mattis, but they ultimately supported Austin.
Austin is a retired four-star Army general who will be the first Black secretary of defense. He was the first Black general to command an Army division in combat and also the first to oversee an entire theater of operations as the commanding general of U.S. forces in Iraq.
Austin's confirmation process wasn't without bumps. Controversy flared over a law barring recently retired military officers from serving as the defense secretary, but top Democrats lined up behind Austin's nomination, citing the need for Biden to have his national security team in place after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The law requires that troops be retired for seven years before taking the post.
The House passed a waiver from the law for Austin on Thursday afternoon, and the Senate followed suit shortly after.
Some lawmakers had expressed concern about granting another waiver for Austin after they had done so for Trump’s first defense secretary Jim Mattis, but they ultimately supported Austin.
