The Senate approved a resignation allowing retirees General Lloyd Austin
Lloyd AustinThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden takes office, calls for an end to the ‘uncivil war’ Scars from Capitol attack permeate high-security tenure Senate confirms Biden’s chief of intelligence, giving him the first cabinet officer MORE to serve as President Biden’s secretary of defense, removing the last obstacle before the upper house votes on its confirmation.
The Senate’s 69-27 vote to approve the resignation on Thursday afternoon comes just after the House easily approves the resignation in its own 326-78 vote.
It also comes just hours after the Senate Armed Services Committee advanced Austin’s resignation and appointment to the Senate floor.
The Senate is yet to vote on Austin’s actual confirmation, which is scheduled for Friday.
Austin, who retired from military service in 2016, needs a layoff because of a law that requires defense secretaries to be without a uniform for at least seven years.
Some lawmakers on both sides initially expressed concerns about granting a resignation to Austin, especially shortly after James Mattis
James Norman MattisOvernight Defense: Biden opens as 46th president | Norquist Acting as Acting Pentagon Chief | Senate confirms Norquist, Intel administration chief of Biden, Trump administration official, sworn in as acting head of the Pentagon Top Democratic Senate supports Pentagon candidate Biden exemption MORE, old President Trump
Donald TrumpClinton, Bush and Obama reflect on the peaceful transition of power on the day of Biden’s inauguration The Republican brothers in Arizona say he is “at least partially guilty” for the violence on Capitol Hill. Biden reverses Trump freeze at 0.4 billion in funds MOREthe first secretary of defense.
Austin tried to defuse any lingering concerns that lawmakers had about granting the resignation during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, promising in his opening statement to guarantee strong civilian control of the military.
“Let me say in advance that I understand and respect the reservations that some of you have expressed about having another recently retired general at the head of the Department of Defense,” said Austin.
“The security of our democracy requires competent civilian control of our armed forces, the subordination of military power to civilian power,” he added.
Austin received an additional boost on Wednesday after the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the senator. Jack Reed
Jack ReedOvernight Defense: Biden opens as 46th president | Norquist Named Acting Chief of the Pentagon | Senate confirms that Intel’s head of Biden The top Democratic senator supports the resignation of the Pentagon Biden candidate, Austin promises to empower Pentagon civilians MORE (DR.I.), announced his support for Austin, despite saying four years ago that he would not support another recently retired general after Mattis.
“Lloyd AustinCapitol’s Lloyd AustinScars attack permeates high-security tenure Senate confirms Biden’s chief of intelligence, giving him first cabinet officer Night defense: Biden is inaugurated as 46th president | Norquist Acting as Acting Pentagon Chief | Senate confirms Intel chief of Biden MORE he is a decorated leader who has led a distinguished career and is exceptionally qualified, ”said Reed in a statement released on the day of Biden’s inauguration.
“He demonstrated a clear commitment to civilian control of the military,” added Reed. “I will support his historic appointment and I believe he will restore the direction of a Pentagon that was left helpless and adrift for a long time under the previous administration.”
The obstacles to the resignation left Biden without a defense secretary confirmed by the Senate on the first day of his presidency, a break with tradition.
But Democrats sought to move the process as soon as possible after the day of the inauguration, saying that several crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, require Biden to have his team in place.
Democrats also came together around Austin, who would be the first black secretary of defense if confirmed by the Senate, as a historic choice.
Still, some Democrats announced before the vote that they would oppose the resignation out of concern for the military’s principle of civilian control, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth WarrenBudowsky: Democracy won, Trump lost, President Biden took office (Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) AND Tammy Duckworth
Ladda (Tammy) Tammy Duckworth Top Senate Democrat supports Biden exemption from Pentagon candidate to choose Pentagon cruises by confirmation of hearing from Senate Democrats asking Biden to immediately invoke the Defense Production Act (I go.).
All three opposed Mattis’s resignation in 2017, and joined them on Thursday with nine other Democrats who also opposed Mattis’s resignation, as well as a Democrat who supported the resignation of Mattis, the senator. Catherine Cortez Masto
Catherine Marie Cortez MastoWhy are millions still flowing into presidential inauguration? Power transition: Excellence meets infamy Defense overnight: Pelosi confesses to the general about preventing Trump’s nuclear attack | Biden populates his national security team MORE (Nev.). Sen. Jacky Rosen
Jacklyn (Jacky) Sheryl RosenHouse Democrats present bill to invest $ 0 billion in research and education STEM Hillicon Valley: Productivity, fatigue and cybersecurity are top concerns in the midst of the pandemic | Facebook critics launch alternative supervisory board | Google will temporarily block election ads after polls close Legislators introduce legislation to increase cyber security for local governments, small businesses MORE (D-Nev.), Who voted against Mattis as a member of the House in 2017, also voted against Austin’s resignation on Thursday.
But five other Democrats who opposed Mattis’s resignation – Majority whip in the Senate Dick Durbin
Dick DurbinSchumer becomes the new Senate Majority Leader McConnell keeps GOP guessing Trump’s impeachment. Officials preparing for Trump’s second impeachment trial MORE (I go.), Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph LeahyDemocrats swear by three senators to get the majority Pompeo’s flurry of foreign policy initiatives makes it difficult for Biden to start a senior Democrat says Hawley, Cruz should leave the judiciary MORE (Vt.), Chris Murphy
Christopher (Chris) Scott MurphySenate confirms Biden’s chief of intelligence, giving him the first Democratic cabinet official divided on the timing of the impeachment trial Senate Democrats ask Biden to immediately invoke the Defense Production Act MORE (Conn.), Bernie Sander (I-Vt.) Tom Udall
Tom UdallSenate takes the oath of six new lawmakers at the 117th Congress meeting. We can achieve our democratic ideals now by approving the For the People Act. Haaland’s nomination generates enthusiasm in American Native communities MORE (NM) – supported Austin’s resignation.
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant CottonSenate confirms Biden’s chief of intelligence, giving him the first officer of the Night Defense Cabinet: Biden is inaugurated as 46th president | Norquist Acting as Acting Pentagon Chief | Senate confirms that McConnell, Intel’s head of Biden, faces a conservative reaction on Trump’s criticisms MORE (Ark.), Who is seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2024, also announced this week that he would oppose the resignation, saying that he regretted supporting Mattis’s resignation and that “under no foreseeable circumstances can I imagine supporting such a resignation again . “
Cotton joined in opposition to the resignation Thursday by other potential aspirants of GOP 2024, including Sens. Josh Hawley
Joshua (Josh) David HawleySenate confirms Biden’s chief of intelligence, giving him the official inauguration of Biden as the first Cabinet officer, marked by a conflict of hope and fear. The Hill’s Morning Report – President Biden, Vice President Harris start working today MORE (Mo.) and Ben Sasse
Ben SasseBudowsky: Democracy won, Trump lost, President Biden inaugurated Pompeo Labels on China’s treatment of the “genocide” of Uighurs Republican Party Senators struggle to expel Trump from the party MORE (Neb.).
In total, 13 Republicans voted against Austin’s resignation after no Republicans opposed Mattis’s resignation in 2017. Some moderate Republicans, such as Sen. Susans Collins (R-Maine) voted against Austin’s resignation on Thursday.
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