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 undersecretary 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," Shelby said, referencing the U.S-Iran nuclear agreement.
-
President Obama has tapped the acting head of the Treasury Departments anti-money laundering and terrorism office to lead the department permanently.
April 16 -
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby's easy victory in his primary battle in Alabama is fueling hopes he may soon move forward on a number of key financial nominations.
March 2 -
WASHINGTON Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, ranking member on the Banking Committee, pushed for a vote on six banking panel nominees on the Senate floor Wednesday, though the effort was ultimately defeated.
December 9
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," Sen. Sherrod Brown, the lead Democrat on the panel, said 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.
