Sen. John McCain said Thursday he will block Army Gen. Martin Dempsey's nomination for a second term as Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman due to his dissatisfaction with the officer's responses to questions about potential use of U.S. military power in Syria.
McCain, R-Ariz., pressed Dempsey during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee to provide his opinion on which approach in Syria carries greater risk for U.S. national security interests: continued limited action on the part of Washington, or more significant steps such as establishment of a no-fly zone and arming rebel forces with weapons to stem the advance of President Bashar Assad's forces.
Dempsey said he has provided President Obama with options for the use of military force, but he declined to detail those choices. "It would be inappropriate for me to try to influence the decision with me rendering an opinion in public about what kind of force we should use," Dempsey said.
During a testy exchange with McCain, Dempsey said he would "let this committee know what my recommendations are at the appropriate time."
Dempsey's response, McCain said, contradicted his commitment to provide the committee with his personal views. McCain said he planned to put a hold on the nomination, essentially blocking any further action until he gets an adequate response from Dempsey. "I want to see him answer the question," McCain said. "Hello!"
labor: Perez confirmed, vows to enforce laws
Thomas Perez won Senate confirmation to lead the Labor Department, where he has pledged to enforce laws on overtime pay and help the administration raise the federal minimum wage.
The Senate voted 54-46 Thursday, putting him on track to be sworn in as the nation's top labor-law enforcer this week. Perez will play a prominent role in pushing President Obama's agenda on issues including rewriting immigration law and raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour from $7.25. Perez, 51, was Maryland's labor secretary from 2007 to 2009. His work as head of the Justice Department's civil rights division sparked a backlash from Republicans over the nomination. The Senate's labor and health committee approved his nomination on a party-line vote in April. The child of Dominican immigrants, he will be the only Hispanic in Obama's second-term cabinet so far.
epa: mccarthy wins backing from senate
Gina McCarthy Thursday won Senate confirmation to head the Environmental Protection Agency and carry out President Obama's agenda to adopt measures aimed at reducing air pollution and fighting climate change. McCarthy, the agency's assistant administrator, directed EPA rule-making in Obama's first term, forcing coal-fired power plants to curb mercury emissions, imposing new standards on boilers in hospitals and paper mills and setting limits on pollution from cement plants. McCarthy, 59, is a 25-year veteran of state and local government in New England, where she worked for Republicans, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. She was confirmed 59-40.
