JAKARTA - The House of Representatives and the United States Senate (US) approved the appointment of Lloyd J. Austin III, Minister of Defense, in the cabinet of the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris government.
This was confirmed after Austin received majority support in the Congressional Session which took place Thursday, January 21 local time. Austin got 326 votes to 78 in the vote in the US House of Representatives.
While in the US Senate vote, he got 69 to 27 votes. With more than 60 votes in favor, Austin is set to be sworn in as Secretary of Defense on Friday January 22.
The appointment of Lloyd J. Austin III was previously feared to be hampered, because he had not met the minimum requirement for seven years to retire from military service. Austin is known to retire as an Army General in 2016.
However, things became easier to realize after the Democratic Party controlled the US Congress, both the DPR and the Senate. Democrats are known to do everything possible to endorse Joe Biden's preferred national security team as quickly as possible.
Previously, the US Congress had only approved the option of "relief" twice for retirees who will become Secretary of Defense. Finally, this 'waiver' went to retired General Marini Jim Mattis, Donald Trump's first Secretary of Defense.
"Our country faces a myriad of national security challenges, and President Biden deserves the cabinet he has elected, as his administration seeks to overcome these challenges," said House Armed Forces Speaker Adam Smith in a statement.
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