WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate has confirmed Samuel Bodman as energy secretary.
The seventh cabinet member to get approval for President Bush's second term. Bodman was easily approved by the upper house of Congress Monday in an unanimous voice vote.
Bodman, a chemical engineer and business executive, served as deputy secretary in both the Commerce and Treasury departments during Bush's first term, but has little expertise on energy issues.
In his confirmation hearing, Bodman expressed support for Bush administration energy priorities, including allowing oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the federal government's nuclear waste repository in Nevada's Yucca Mountain.
Two of Bush's nominees still await Senate confirmation: Michael Chertoff to run the Department of Homeland Security and White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to be attorney general.
While Gonzales is expected to be approved, he is sure to draw the largest opposition of any of the nominees from Democrats in the Senate.
