Senate Panel Approves Obama’s Choice for Interior Dept.

The New York Times: WASHINGTON – President Obama’s nominee to lead the Interior Department, Sally Jewell, cleared her first hurdle on the way to confirmation on Thursday, winning approval of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by a large bipartisan margin.

Only three of the panel’s 22 members – Senators John Barrasso of Wyoming, Mike Lee of Utah and Tim Scott of South Carolina, all Republicans – opposed the nomination. Mr. Barrasso said Ms. Jewell had given incomplete answers to verbal and written questions and was not clearly qualified to head the sprawling Interior Department.

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