Senate Confirms Sen. John Kerry As Secretary Of State

“The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to confirm Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) as Secretary of State, filling a crucial national security spot in President Obama’s second-term Cabinet,” the Los Angeles Times reports (Richter/Memoli, 1/29). “The Senate voted 94-3 to confirm Mr. Kerry as Hillary Clinton’s successor,” the Wall Street Journal writes, noting, “Three Republicans — Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, from Texas, and Sen. Jim Inhofe, from Oklahoma — voted against him” (Hughes/Solomon, 1/29).

“Obama said in a written statement Tuesday evening that Kerry’s distinguished career, from his decorated service in Vietnam through his decades in the Senate championing U.S. global leadership, has prepared him to guide U.S. diplomacy,” according to Roll Call. Hillary Clinton, “whose last day on the job is this Friday, will deliver her final address as secretary to the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday,” the news service notes (Anderson, 1/29). “Democratic Senator Richard Durbin paid tribute to Clinton’s accomplishments Tuesday, saying she helped strengthen U.S. security and improved the lives of women and children around the world,” VOA News reports (Bowman, 1/29).

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