Senate Confirms Lew As Treasury Secretary

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER

WASHINGTON (AP) ⿿ The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Jacob Lew to be Treasury secretary, affirming President Barack Obama's choice of a budget expert at a time when Congress and the White House are at odds over sharp government spending cuts.

The vote was 71 to 26 to support the nomination. A total of 25 Republicans and independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont voted against Lew's confirmation.

Lew, 57, had most recently served as Obama's chief of staff. He succeeds Timothy Geithner, who completed a tumultuous four-year term in which he helped lead the administration's response to the financial crisis and recession.

Lew is scheduled to be sworn in on Thursday. He will take over just one day before automatic spending cuts are set to take effect. He's likely to take part in any negotiations to reverse the cuts, and also in key budget talks next month to continue funding the government.

Lew began his government service in the 1980s as an aide to House Speaker Tip O'Neill. He brings nearly three decades of government service to the job, including two stints as White House budget director.

"Mr. Lew is well-qualified to be the nation's next Treasury secretary," said Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus of Montana. "He has demonstrated time and again that he has the knowledge and expertise" to deal with the country's budget problems.

But Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, who opposed the nomination, said Lew as budget director was the architect of the Obama's administration's failed efforts to get soaring deficits under control.

In a statement issued after the vote, Obama said, "At this critical time for our economy and our country, there is no one more qualified for this position than Jack. ... His reputation as a master of fiscal issues who can work with leaders on both sides of the aisle has already helped him succeed in some of the toughest jobs in Washington."

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