HOUSE

WAIVER FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Voting 326 for and 78 against, the House on Thursday approved a waiver (HR 335) allowing retired Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III to serve as secretary of defense even though he has been out of uniform for less than the seven-year hiatus required by law in keeping with the American principle dating to 1783 of civilian control of the military. Austin retired in April 2016.

Voting yes: Mark Pocan, D-2nd; Scott Fitzgerald, R-5th; Glenn Grothman, R-6th; Tom Tiffany, R-7th

Voting no: Bryan Steil, R-1st; Ron Kind, D-3rd; Gwen Moore, D-4th; Mike Gallagher, R-8th

SENATE

WAIVER FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Voting 69 for and 27 against, the Senate on Thursday joined the House (above) in granting a waiver (HR 335) allowing retired Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III to serve as secretary of defense even though seven years have not elapsed since his retirement as the law requires in keeping with the American principle dating to 1783 of civilian control of the military. Austin retired in April 2016. There was no debate on the bill. A yes vote was to send the bill to President Biden.

Voting yes: Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh

Voting no: Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison

AVRIL HAINES, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Voting 84 for and 10 against, the Senate on Wednesday confirmed Avril D. Haines, 51, as director of national intelligence, elevating her as the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community. Created in response to 9/11, her office is charged with overseeing the 16 U.S. civilian and military spy agencies. An attorney and trained physicist, Haines was deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2013-2015, the first woman to hold that office, and before that a top aide to former President Barack Obama on security issues. A yes vote was to confirm Haines.

Voting yes: Baldwin, Johnson

LLOYD AUSTIN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Voting 93-2, the Senate on Friday confirmed retired Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III as secretary of defense. He is the first African-American to hold the position in its 74-year history. When Austin, 67, retired from active duty in April 2016, he was leader of the United States Central Command. He was the last commanding general in Iraq between 2010-2011 and directed the drawdown of U.S. troops there. A yes vote was to confirm Austin.

Voting yes: Baldwin, Johnson

KEY VOTES AHEAD

The Senate will vote on Biden administration nominees in the week of Jan. 25, while the House will be in recess.