US Senate Armed Services Approves Carter Nomination for Defense Secretary

The US Senate Armed Services Committee approved the nomination of Ashton Carter as the new Secretary of Defense. Ashton Carter will replace Chuck Hagel as the US Secretary of Defense.

WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) — The US Senate Armed Services Committee voted their approval Tuesday for the nomination of Ashton Carter to serve as the Secretary of Defense.

Carter was nominated by President Barack Obama in December 2014 to replace Chuck Hagel as the US Secretary of Defense.

The nomination will be sent to the floor of the Senate. Armed Services Chairman John McCain noted that a nomination by the full Senate could occur as soon as Wednesday.

“The motion will be reported favorably of Doctor Carter’s nomination to the Senate… Hopefully we can get a vote perhaps even as early as tomorrow,” McCain said while addressing the committee.

In his February 4 speech to the US Senate Armed Services Committee, Carter pointed that he inclines in the direction of providing Ukraine with lethal arms amid the ongoing conflict between Kiev forces and independence supporters in the east of the country. He also said it was important to end mandatory defense budget spending caps.

Ashton Carter served as deputy secretary of defense. He has served in various capacities for 11 secretaries of defense, including a three year stint as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs under the administration of former US President Bill Clinton.

Unlike the former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who had been in service since February 2013, Carter does not have any military experience.