Senate confirms Trump's pick for Air Force secretary
The Senate has confirmed Heather Wilson as secretary of the Air Force.
Senators approved Wilson's nomination 76-22, making her President Donald Trump's first service secretary nominee to be approved by the GOP-led chamber.
Trump's choices for secretaries of the Army and Navy have been forced to withdraw from consideration.
Trump's second choice for Army secretary, Mark Green, stepped aside late last week amid growing criticism over his remarks about Muslims, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.
Wilson is a former Republican congresswoman from New Mexico. She had faced scrutiny from several Democrats for defense industry consulting work she did after leaving Congress in 2009.
She is the first graduate of the Air Force Academy to hold the service's top civilian post.
(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
___
The Senate is slated to vote on a former New Mexico congresswoman tapped by President Donald Trump to be Air Force secretary.
If Heather Wilson is confirmed Monday, she'll be Trump's first service secretary nominee to be approved by the chamber. Trump's picks for secretaries of the Army and Navy have withdrawn from consideration. Mark Green, Trump's second choice for Army secretary, stepped aside last week amid growing criticism over his remarks about Muslims, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.
Wilson served five terms in the House. She says she'll resign her current post as president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology if she's confirmed.
During her confirmation hearing Wilson came under scrutiny for consulting work she did after leaving Congress.
(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Noem Statement on Confirmation of Heather Wilson as Air Force Secretary
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today issued the following statement after the Senate confirmed Heather Wilson as Secretary of the Air Force:
“Throughout her career, Heather has continually answered the call to serve and exemplified forward-looking vision and bold leadership,” said Rep. Noem. “I look forward to her bringing that vision and leadership to our Air Force and the airmen who serve our nation. She will serve our country well and make South Dakotans proud.”
A graduate of the Air Force Academy and a Rhodes Scholar, Heather Wilson served in the Air Force until 1989. Under President George H.W. Bush, Wilson served on the National Security Council. In 1998, Wilson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Mexico, and served there until 2009. In 2013, she became President of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where, among other things, she has worked to solve B1-B Bombers maintenance issues at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Rounds Statement on Senate Confirmation of Dr. Heather Wilson to be Secretary of the Air Force
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today made the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm Dr. Heather Wilson to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Air Force. Dr. Wilson has served as president of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T) since June 2013.
“I congratulate Dr. Wilson on her confirmation to be our next Secretary of the Air Force, and I look forward to working with her,” said Rounds. “Her experience as president of SDSM&T, U.S. Congresswoman and Air Force officer makes her uniquely qualified to take on this important new role. People who work with Dr. Wilson in South Dakota describe her as a great manager and inspiring leader, traits which will be beneficial to her as she transitions into the job of Air Force Secretary.”
Dr. Wilson will be just the third female and first Air Force Academy graduate to serve as Secretary of the Air Force. Since 2013, Wilson has served as president of SDSM&T, a leading science and engineering school in the U.S. located in Rapid City. She represented New Mexico’s 1st district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998 – 2009.
Rounds supported Dr. Wilson's confirmation in the Senate Armed Services Committee, which had jurisdiction over her confirmation.
Thune Statement on Confirmation of Heather Wilson as Secretary of the Air Force
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm South Dakota School of Mines and Technology President Dr. Heather Wilson as the next secretary of the Air Force by a vote of 76-22:
“Dr. Wilson checks all of the boxes. She’s the leader of one of the nation’s top science and engineering schools, a former member of Congress, a graduate of the Air Force Academy, and an Air Force veteran,” said Thune. “She is beyond qualified to lead our nation’s air men and women, and I’m glad the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm her. At a time when national security is of foremost concern, she understands the Air Force’s tremendous responsibility in keeping Americans safe and will be guided by the core values of the force: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all the Air Force does.”
Earlier this year, Thune introduced Wilson, who was nominated for the position by the president in January, at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Armed Services.
