{"id":86358,"date":"2021-01-21T22:24:34","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T22:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smg.go-vip.net\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/21\/congress-oks-waiver-for-biden-defense-secretary-pick-lloyd-austin\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:49:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:49:02","slug":"congress-oks-waiver-for-biden-defense-secretary-pick-lloyd-austin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/01\/21\/congress-oks-waiver-for-biden-defense-secretary-pick-lloyd-austin\/","title":{"rendered":"Congress approves waiver for Biden\u2019s pick for defense secretary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 President Joe Biden<\/a>\u2019s pick to lead the Pentagon took a major step toward confirmation Thursday, after House and Senate lawmakers voted to waive a law blocking the recently retired general from assuming the post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means Lloyd Austin, the former Army four-star general and head of U.S. Central Command, could be confirmed as the military\u2019s new leader and the first Black defense secretary as early as Friday. A Senate confirmation vote was set for 10:30 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The House first voted on a bipartisan basis, 326-78 to waive the seven-year cooling-off period for Austin, who retired in 2016, to serve in the top Pentagon job. The Senate, where the waiver needed 60 votes to pass, approved it soon after with a bipartisan tally of 69-27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congress waived the same law for retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis<\/a> four years ago, and he was confirmed on Inauguration Day. But in recent days, some Democrats and Republicans have opposed granting another waiver so soon, saying it undermines the principle of civilian control of the military<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., voiced similar concerns, he came out forcefully in favor of Austin\u2019s qualifications. On Thursday, he said national security requires Biden to have his defense secretary and the Pentagon to have stability after four years of churn at the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe disruption President Trump brought to the Pentagon cannot be underestimated. They need a fully confirmed secretary of defense, immediately, to begin to thoroughly clean up that mess and get the Pentagon back to being as effective as it needs to be,\u201d Smith said of the Pentagon\u2019s workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a complex threat environment, let\u2019s just say that. We heard, in the committee today, about China and Russia and Iran, the Middle East, North Korea, not to mention the domestic insurrection that we all witnessed here just a couple of weeks ago. There is an urgency to this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t