U.S. Senate Easily Confirms Carter as Defense Secretary

摘要

The Senate voted overwhelmingly Feb. 12 to confirm Ashton Carter as the next U.S. secretary of defense. Only five Republican senators voted against Carter's confirmation. Carter, the Pentagon's former No. 2, was nominated by President Barack Obama in December to replace Chuck Hagel, who will continue to lead the Defense Department until Carter is sworn in.The Senate Armed Services Committee held just one hearing on Carter's nomination. The daylong affair was relatively tension free, and largely devoid of military space-related questions. However, Carter addressed 17 space-related questions from the committee in writing ahead of the Feb. 4 hearing.