John Kerry to head US State Department

WASHINGTON, January 30, 2013





The US Senate on Tuesday approved John Kerry as the next Secretary of State in a bipartisan 94-3 vote.



Mr. Kerry, who will replace Hillary Clinton as the nation's top diplomat, stood on the floor of the Senate to receive congratulations from his colleagues as the votes were cast.



"I speak on behalf of everyone here that we so admire the job (Kerry) has done in his past life in so many phases," Senator Chuck Schumer said after the vote. "We're excited for his time as Secretary of State and we think for John Kerry the best is yet to come."



The three no votes came from Republican lawmakers, senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn of Texas and Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma.



Ms. Clinton has said her last day on the job will be Friday, when Mr. Kerry is expected to be sworn in. He is to give a farewell address to the Senate on Wednesday. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick will name a temporary successor to fill his seat before a special election set for June 25.



"We have to deal with the immediate crises that come across our desk every day," Clinton said of the challenges of the office. "We have to work on the long-term challenges, like security in North Africa. And we have to deal with what I call the trend lines, not the headlines." She told an international town hall forum that her greatest regret from her time as secretary was the death of four Americans in the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, 2012.



The department's handling of the incident came under intense political scrutiny and scuttled UN ambassador Susan Rice's chance to become Secretary of State after her characterisation of the attack was challenged.



The issue is likely to continue to simmer during Mr. Kerry's first days in office, with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham accusing Ms. Clinton in a television interview of "getting away with murder."
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