WASHINGTON: Former Los Angles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s nomination as US Ambassador to India cleared a major hurdle after a key senatorial committee voted to advance his name to the Senate floor for a full vote.
Garcetti’s nomination was pending before the US Congress since July 2021, when he was nominated for the prestigious diplomatic posting by President Joe Biden.
His nomination was not brought to the Senate floor for a vote during the last Congress as the ruling Democratic Party did not have enough support to get the 52-year-old close aide of Biden through.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee at its business meeting on Wednesday voted 13-8 in favour of the nomination of Garcetti. Now the nomination heads to the Senate floor for a full vote.
Two Republican Senators -- Todd Young and Bill Hagerty -- Wednesday afternoon voted in favour of Garcetti, joining the Democratic lawmakers and passing the nomination through the Senatorial committee.
Garcetti wasn’t confirmed in Biden’s first two years in office amid concerns by some lawmakers that the then-mayor hadn’t adequately handled allegations against a former senior adviser of sexual assault and harassment. Biden renominated Garcetti to the same position in January this year.
Top Republican Senator Chuck Grassley this week called for voting against him.
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