WASHINGTON – The Senate Banking Committee approved the nomination of a top Treasury official in charge of stopping terrorism financing and financial crime during an executive session on Thursday.
It was the first confirmation vote the committee has held this Congress despite a backlog of nominees more than 10 deep. Adam Szubin was approved as Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence by the committee 14-8 despite opposition from Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala.
"I could not support his nomination today because of his participation in facilitating a deal that I believe is crippling to our national security," referencing the U.S-Iran Nuclear agreement, Shelby said.
Szubin's nomination will now head to the full Senate.
"The simple fact is that the Senate should have unanimously confirmed Mr. Szubin last spring instead of keeping him in limbo for almost an entire year," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, the lead Democrat on the panel, in a press release.
Szubin has been in an acting role as undersecretary since last February and was nominated for the position by President Obama in April.
"Mr. Szubin is well qualified for this important position and the full Senate should confirm him without further delay. I hope the committee will now act on the many other nominations that are still pending before it," Brown said.
That Srubin's appointment has taken one step forward in the process has given some Capitol Hill observers hope that other appointments might soon move forward, as well, including current NCUA Board Member J. Mark McWatters' nomination to serve on the Export-Import Bank Board. But Wednesday's surprise announcement that NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz will be stepping down at the end of April could complicate matters.
