WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate Wednesday approved Rep. Porter Goss as the new head of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The Florida Republican received easy approval 77-17, despite complaints from Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee -- including Committee Vice Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.VA. -- that Goss is too partisan for the position.
He and other Democrats also charged that as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee for the past seven years, Goss has done little to enact reforms of the nation's intelligence community.
But Republicans, including Intel Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., defended Goss as the right man for the job given his experience as an agency operative and service on Capitol Hill on intelligence matters.
Critical Democrats question whether his agency experience makes him adverse to real reform.
For his part, Goss has assured the lawmakers he would separate his political leanings from his new role.
Roberts has also said he believes Goss would be President Bush's pick to become the National Intelligence Director should Congress enact legislation establishing the positions, which leaders from both parties are pushing for before the November elections.
