President Biden moved on a broad front Thursday to put his stamp on national policy, unveiling a number of new measures and pledging to confront the nation s public health crisis with COVID-19. White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss Biden s response to the pandemic, confirmation hearings and former President Trump s impeachment trial.
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Judy Woodruff:
President Biden is moving on a broad front tonight to put his stamp on national policy, leading the list, the war on COVID-19.
Our White House correspondent, Yamiche Alcindor, begins our coverage.
Justice John Roberts:
Yamiche Alcindor:
A new president and a new packed agenda. Today, on his first full day in office, President Biden was eager to hit the ground running.
Senate Confirms Austin, Making Him First Black Secretary of Defense Bloomberg 1/22/2021 Roxana Tiron and Daniel Flatley
(Bloomberg) The Senate confirmed retired Army General Lloyd Austin as defense secretary on Friday, making him the first Black leader of the U.S. military and the second member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet to win approval.
The 93-2 vote came the day after both the House and Senate waived a law barring service members from leading the Pentagon within seven years of retiring. Austin, who rose through the ranks to command U.S. forces in the Middle East, retired in 2016.
“Mr. Austin will be the first African-American to ever helm the Defense Department in its history, a powerful symbol of the diversity and history of America’s armed forces,” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. “Mr. Austin has a storied career in the Army, but those days are behind him. As secretary of defense he promised to empower and lift up
The United States Senate has confirmed President Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of defence, retired Army General Lloyd Austin, making him the first African American to hold the top Pentagon position.
Austin gained broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike in the Senate, winning confirmation by a 93-2 vote.
“General Austin is an exceptionally qualified leader with a long and distinguished career in the United States military,” said Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee.
Austin will take charge of the US Department of Defense “at a time when US strategic priorities have shifted to focus increasingly on near-peer competition with China and Russia”, Reed said.
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The United States Senate has confirmed President Joe Biden’s nominee retired Army General Lloyd Austin for secretary of defence, making him the first African American to hold the top Pentagon position.
Austin gained broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike in the Senate, winning confirmation by a 93-2 vote.
“General Austin is an exceptionally qualified leader with a long and distinguished career in the United States military, said Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee.
”Austin will take charge of the US Department of Defense at a time when US strategic priorities have shifted to focus increasingly on near-peer competition with China and Russia, Reed said.