Tauscher sails through confirmation hearing
By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 at 8:49 am in Congress, Congressional District 10, national security.
Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo
Flanked by close friend and ally Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, received nothing but bipartisan praise and encouragement at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this morning.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AUDIO FILE OF THE 90-MINUTE HEARING.
Tauscher has been nominated for a State Department job as Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security. The full Senate confirmation vote has not been scheduled but it is generally expected to occur before Congress leaves for summer break.
House Majority Leader and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, spoke on Tauscher’s behalf and in the audience was her fiance, father and numerous friends.
Committee Chairman and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., touted Tauscher’s extensive experience as a member of the House Armed Services Committee and cited what he called his tremendous personal and professional respect for the California congresswoman’s expertise.
But the most significant sign of bipartisan support came from Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a lawmaker who passionately promotes U.S. policies that help reduce worldwide threats from weapons of mass destruction.
Tauscher’s new job entails work on the next generation nuclear arms treaty with Russia, the development of a worldwide treaty on the containment of fissile nuclear materials, protection of sensitive technology, and nuclear nonproliferation policies particularly as they pertain to North Korea and Iran.
While few things in politics are done until they are done, Tauscher’s confirmation appears highly likely given the tone and tenor of this morning’s 90-minute hearing.
Once Tauscher is confirmed and she resigns her position in the 10th Congressional District, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will call for a special election to select her replacement.
CLICK HERE TO READ TAUSCHER’S WRITTEN COMMENTS THIS MORNING.
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June 9th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
One small step for a woman, one giant leap for mankind!
June 9th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
The only enemies ET made in the House were among members of her own party.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:41 am
[...] race ought to be getting off the ground in earnest soon, as Tauscher’s confirmation hearing went off without a hitch last week and the vote on her appointment to a high-ranking State Department should be soon to [...]
June 17th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
[...] race ought to be getting off the ground in earnest soon, as Tauscher’s confirmation hearing went off without a hitch last week and the vote on her appointment to a high-ranking State Department should be soon to [...]