U.S. Senate Confirms McCarthy as EPA Administrator
The 59-40 vote confirmed her as the newest chief of the powerful agency.
After confirming a new secretary of Labor, Thomas Perez, by a narrower vote, the U.S. Senate on July 18 voted 59-40 to confirm another delayed nominee, Gina McCarthy, as the Environmental Protection Agency administrator.
Her nomination was held up until an agreement was reached this week to avoid the "nuclear option" to prevent filibusters against most presidential nominees. McCarthy, previously assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, had her nomination approved on a 10-8 party line vote May 16 by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
The National Resources Defense Council posted this on its Facebook page July 18: "The Senate has finally confirmed Gina McCarthy as #EPAAdministrator! That's good news for America. And the planet."