Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Timeout
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • Others
    • COVID-19
    • Today’s Pic
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Timeout
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • Others
    • COVID-19
    • Today’s Pic
No Result
View All Result
OrissaPOST - Odisha Latest news, English Daily -
No Result
View All Result

US Senate confirms Gen (retd) Lloyd Austin as country’s first Black defence secretary

PTI
Updated: January 23rd, 2021, 08:53 IST
in International
0
(AP Photo)

(AP Photo)

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on Linkedin

Washington: The United State Senate has confirmed the nomination of General (retired) Lloyd Austin to serve as secretary of the defence department, making him the first ever African American to occupy the top Pentagon position.

The nomination was confirmed in an overwhelming 93-2 vote.

Soon he was sworn in by Tom Muir, acting director of Washington Headquarters Services. Thereafter, Austin received an intelligence briefing.

Vice President Kamala Harris would administer the ceremonial oath to Austin next week.

President Joe Biden thanked the senate for confirming Austin and working to get his cabinet in place.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to serve as our country’s 28th secretary of defence, and I’m especially proud to be the first African American to hold the position. Let’s get to work,” Austin tweeted.

A day earlier, the House of Representatives voted 326-78 to pass a waiver exempting Austin from the seven-year ‘cooling off period’ for retired generals taking over as defence secretary. The senate approved the waiver by 69-27 votes.

This is the third time that Congress has given such a waiver to a retired general. The previous one being of General (retired) James Matin who was appointed as defence secretary by former President Donald Trump in January 2017 and George Marshall in 1947.

Austin had retired as a four-star Army general in 2016.

“I am honoured to have this chance to serve again and to do so alongside you and your families. My wife, Charlene, and I know all too well the sacrifices you make to keep this country safe. That safety is job one, and I promise to work as hard as you do at it,” Austin said in his message to the defence forces soon thereafter.

According to new Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, the president called Austin in the afternoon, shortly after his arrival at the pentagon.

“The president congratulated the secretary on his swift confirmation and thanked the secretary for agreeing to serve the country again. Secretary Austin expressed his gratitude to the president for his trust and confidence and for his support during the confirmation process,” Kirby said.

Later in the day, Austin spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg over phone.

The call was his first to a foreign leader as the defence secretary, and reinforces the importance of the NATO alliance to the US, Kirby said.

“The two leaders discussed the importance of our shared values, the current security environment including maintaining a strong NATO deterrence and defence posture, and the ongoing missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. They also briefly reviewed the upcoming NATO Defence Ministerial and agreed to discuss it again in more detail in the coming weeks,” Kirby said.

Austin said that he looked forward to developing a close working relationship with Stoltenberg and both leaders pledged to consult in the months ahead, he said.

The White House welcomed the swift confirmation of Austin.

“We applaud the senate’s strong bipartisan confirmation of Lloyd Austin, who has been breaking barriers all of his life, as the first black secretary of defence in our nation’s history,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.

“Austin’s confirmation is a major benefit to our national security, and he’s going to hit the ground running, leading the Pentagon. He will be sworn in today, but he will be — he will be sworn in more officially by the — not ‘more officially’, I should say, but he will be sworn in more ceremoniously on Monday by the vice president,” Psaki said.

In his message to the department of defence personnel, Austin said that his job as secretary of defence is to make them more effective at doing their work.

“That means ensuring you have the tools, technology, weapons, and training to deter and defeat our enemies. It means establishing sound policy and strategy and assigning you clear missions. It means putting a premium on cooperation with our allies and partners. And it means living up to our core values, the same ones our fellow citizens expect of us,” Austin said.

“Right now, of course, doing my job also means helping our country get control of the pandemic, which has killed more than 400,000 Americans. You have already come to the aid of our nation’s health care professionals. You can expect that mission to continue,” he said.

But we must help the federal government move further and faster to eradicate the devastating effects of the coronavirus. To that end, we will also do everything we can to vaccinate and care for our workforce and to look for meaningful ways to alleviate the pressure this pandemic has exerted on you and your families,” he said.

PTI

Tags: Defence SecretaryJoe BidenLloyd AustinUS Senate
ShareTweetSendShare
Suggest A Correction

Enter your email to get our daily news in your inbox.

Related Posts

US abortion clinics begin to close after SC overturns Roe v. Wade

June 25, 2022

Democrats create ‘history’ by passing new gun laws in both houses of Congress

June 25, 2022
Japanese man on a night out loses USB stick with entire city's personal details.

Japanese man on a night out loses USB stick with entire city’s personal details

June 25, 2022
Abortion

US Supreme Court overturns fundamental right to abortion

June 24, 2022
NV Ramana

CJI NV Ramana calls on youth, students for their active participation in democracy

June 24, 2022
Russian Ukraine

Ukrainian army to leave battered city to avoid encirclement

June 24, 2022

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

OrissaPOST epaper Sunday POST OrissaPOST epaper

Click Here: Plastic Free Odisha

Plastic Free Odisha

Sri Aurobindo School students & teachers

Sri Aurobindo School students & teachers of Sambalpur support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Angul Govt. College Students

Angul Govt. College Students support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Actress Bhoomika Dash

Actress Bhoomika Dash calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

High school students of Sambalpur district

High school students of Sambalpur district support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sabyasachi Mishra, Actor

Sabyasachi Mishra calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Gandhi College Plus III science students of Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar

Gandhi Plus III science students of Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar support a plastic free Odisha. Do you?   *Visit our website orissapost.com. ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Elina Samantray, Actress

Elina Samantray calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

CRPF 127 Battalion, Bhanjanagar

CRPF 127 Battalion, Bhanjanagar supports a plastic free Odisha. Do you?   *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Deepak Kumar-Actor

Deepak Kumar support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Balibil Nodal School students

Balibil Nodal School students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sudarsan Pattnaik,Sand Artist

Sudarsan Pattnaik support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you?  *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your Photos/Selfie ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Miteish Khimji,Entrepreneur

Miteish Khimji supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Padmashree Aruna Mohanty-Odissi Dancer

Padmashree Odissi Dancer Aruna Mohanty calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Samanta Singhara Nodal High School students

Samanta Singhara Nodal High School students of Balia, Jajpur support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Scoutmaster, Guide Captains, Rovers, and Rangers of Keonjhar

Scoutmaster, Guide Captains, Rovers, and Rangers of Keonjhar support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

BJB Autonomous College-Bhubaneswar

BJB Autonomous college students support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Swaraj Barik, Actor

Swaraj Barik calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Akash Dasnayak, Actor

Akash Dasnayak, Actor supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Utkal University Journalism Department Students

Utkal University Journalism Department students call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

IMT Pharmacy College-Puri

IMT Pharmacy College students call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Olympian Anuradha Biswal

Olympian Anuradha Biswal supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Naveen Jindal-Enterpreneur

Naveen Jindal support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you?  *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your Photos/Selfie ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Cuttack College NCC students

Cuttack College NCC students support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Actor Sritam Das

Actor Sritam Das supports a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Korei college students

Korei college students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Members of All Ride Bicycle

Members of All Ride Bicycle supports a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Hinjili Police

Hinjili Police support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your Photos/Selfie ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Srikumar Misra-Entrepreneur

Srikumar Misra supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sports Person Sradhanjali Samantaray

Sports Personality Sradhanjali Samantaray support a *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your Photos/Selfie (with fingers ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Valena Valentina-Karate Player

Karate player Valena Valentina calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

August 30, 2018

Archives

Editorial

Shortage of Officers

June 25, 2022

The Uttarakhand government has been struggling to work with only 76 IAS officers in the state, even though it has...

Read more

Disarm All Nukes

June 23, 2022

Austria and New Zealand may be far apart geographically, but we are connected by shared values and principles. Particularly relevant...

Read more

Fractured France

Picture Credit: 
The Arab Weekly
June 22, 2022

French politics is thrown into turmoil after President Emmanuel Macron lost control of the National Assembly in legislative elections in which...

Read more

China & LeT

(PC: Reuters)
June 21, 2022

India has cried foul over China’s decision to put on hold UN listing of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) second-in-command Abdul Rehman Makki....

Read more
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Career
Developed By Ratna Technology

© 2020 All rights Reserved by OrissaPOST

  • Home
  • Metro
  • State
  • National
  • International
  • IPL
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Feature
  • Opinion
  • Sci-Tech
  • COVID-19
  • Today’s Pic
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Career
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

© 2020 All rights Reserved by OrissaPOST