U.S. Congress approved the waiver needed for Lloyd Austin to serve as President Joe Biden’s defense secretary, a key step toward making the retired Army general the first Black leader of the Pentagon.
The House of Representatives voted 326-78 on Thursday to pass the waiver exempting Austin, who left the military in 2016, from a law that bars officers from the Defense Department’s top civilian post for seven years after retiring. The Senate swiftly followed with a vote of 69-27.
The Senate has yet to act on confirming Austin’s nomination, although Chuck Schumer, majority leader, said a vote would occur on Friday morning. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved Austin’s confirmation earlier Thursday.