Lloyd Austin Confirmed by Senate, , Becomes First Black Defense Secretary.<br />Austin is the second of President Joe Biden's <br />cabinet nominees to be confirmed by the Senate.<br />The retired four-star general's appointment <br />was confirmed by a vote of 93-2.<br />Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and <br />Mike Lee (R-UT) were the only two <br />votes against his nomination.<br />Austin was also the first Black general <br />assigned to command a division <br />of the U.S. Army during combat.<br />He acted as commanding <br />general of U.S. forces in Iraq.<br />Austin's confirmation to <br />President Biden's cabinet <br />required a waiver passed by <br />the House of Representatives ...<br />... that allows him to serve in the role despite <br />having been retired from military service <br />for less than seven years. .<br />The top Republican member of the Senate Armed Services <br />Committee, Jim Inhofe, stated he could not "think of a <br />better person to take the helm than General Austin."
