[h=3]By SIOBHAN HUGHES And JAY SOLOMON[/h]
Getty ImagesU.S. Sen. John Kerry on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
WASHINGTON—John Kerry won overwhelming Senate approval Tuesday to become secretary of state, and will take over American foreign policy amid deepening turmoil in the Middle East and expanding conflict in northwest Africa.
The Senate voted 94-3 to confirm Mr. Kerry as Hillary Clinton's successor. Three Republicans—Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, from Texas, and Sen. Jim Inhofe, from Oklahoma—voted against him.
Mr. Kerry, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts for the past 28 years, is due to assume his new post next week, after Mrs. Clinton completes her duties on Friday.
Mr. Kerry moves to the State Department during a spike of unrest in volatile parts of the world, including the Middle East and northwest Africa—part of the fallout of an uprising against Arab leaders that began more than two years ago. Syria, in particular, has been the center of prolonged violence, but turmoil has exploded across Egypt as political rivals take up arms.
[h=3]Second-Term Shakeup[/h]President Barack Obama will need to fill many key posts in his second term. Take a look at top officials, some of whom are expected to leave.
Against that backdrop, it may be difficult to focus on improving business conditions abroad—one of Mr. Kerry's stated goals. At his Senate confirmation hearing, Mr. Kerry said he hoped to help expand U.S. business overseas and use economic development to engage with countries such as Egypt and Libya.
However, global shifts also may provide Mr. Kerry with new opportunities. Mrs. Clinton, speaking at an appearance in Washington that was webcast globally, pointed to the recent Israeli election, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won by a slimmer margin. She said Israeli voters want "a different path" concerning internal matters and Mideast peace than the hawkish stances favored by Mr. Netanyahu.
Mr. Kerry, the son of a foreign-service officer, came to national prominence by speaking out against the Vietnam War in the early 1970s.
He won election to the U.S. Senate in 1984, and ran for president two decades later. He is the first Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman to become secretary of state since the McKinley administration.
Mr. Kerry's colleagues said they were counting on his decadeslong development of relationships to help him move easily into the new role.
"Secretary of state is not a desk job—it requires constant personal interactions," said Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), the new chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. "John has already built strong relationships with leaders across the world."
Mr. Kerry's connections to the Senate could also help the Obama administration deal scrutiny from Capitol Hill. Republicans continue to direct criticism at the State Department over a terrorist attack last year at a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya.
"While we may not agree on every issue, I have always found him to be someone who is open to discussion," said Sen. Bob Corker (R, Tenn.), the top Republican on the foreign relations panel.
Mr. Cruz, who voted against Mr. Kerry's confirmation, criticized his stance on national-security issues and his record of "supporting treaties and international tribunals that have undermined U.S. sovereignty."
Mr. Kerry also could have influence in holding off budget cuts mandated under a 2011 debt deal. State Department spending is part of the non-security spending that is to be cut under the law.
He also has been one of the leading congressional voices in pushing to combat climate change, a position he is expected to advance at the State Department.
An aide said Mr. Kerry's resignation from the Senate will be effective as of Friday at 4 p.m.
"I'm very wistful about it—it's not easy," Mr. Kerry said Tuesday, about leaving his role as senator.
Write to Siobhan Hughes at [email protected] and Jay Solomon at [email protected]
Getty ImagesU.S. Sen. John Kerry on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
WASHINGTON—John Kerry won overwhelming Senate approval Tuesday to become secretary of state, and will take over American foreign policy amid deepening turmoil in the Middle East and expanding conflict in northwest Africa.
The Senate voted 94-3 to confirm Mr. Kerry as Hillary Clinton's successor. Three Republicans—Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, from Texas, and Sen. Jim Inhofe, from Oklahoma—voted against him.
Mr. Kerry, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts for the past 28 years, is due to assume his new post next week, after Mrs. Clinton completes her duties on Friday.
Mr. Kerry moves to the State Department during a spike of unrest in volatile parts of the world, including the Middle East and northwest Africa—part of the fallout of an uprising against Arab leaders that began more than two years ago. Syria, in particular, has been the center of prolonged violence, but turmoil has exploded across Egypt as political rivals take up arms.
[h=3]Second-Term Shakeup[/h]President Barack Obama will need to fill many key posts in his second term. Take a look at top officials, some of whom are expected to leave.
Against that backdrop, it may be difficult to focus on improving business conditions abroad—one of Mr. Kerry's stated goals. At his Senate confirmation hearing, Mr. Kerry said he hoped to help expand U.S. business overseas and use economic development to engage with countries such as Egypt and Libya.
However, global shifts also may provide Mr. Kerry with new opportunities. Mrs. Clinton, speaking at an appearance in Washington that was webcast globally, pointed to the recent Israeli election, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won by a slimmer margin. She said Israeli voters want "a different path" concerning internal matters and Mideast peace than the hawkish stances favored by Mr. Netanyahu.
Mr. Kerry, the son of a foreign-service officer, came to national prominence by speaking out against the Vietnam War in the early 1970s.
He won election to the U.S. Senate in 1984, and ran for president two decades later. He is the first Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman to become secretary of state since the McKinley administration.
Mr. Kerry's colleagues said they were counting on his decadeslong development of relationships to help him move easily into the new role.
"Secretary of state is not a desk job—it requires constant personal interactions," said Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), the new chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. "John has already built strong relationships with leaders across the world."
Mr. Kerry's connections to the Senate could also help the Obama administration deal scrutiny from Capitol Hill. Republicans continue to direct criticism at the State Department over a terrorist attack last year at a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya.
"While we may not agree on every issue, I have always found him to be someone who is open to discussion," said Sen. Bob Corker (R, Tenn.), the top Republican on the foreign relations panel.
Mr. Cruz, who voted against Mr. Kerry's confirmation, criticized his stance on national-security issues and his record of "supporting treaties and international tribunals that have undermined U.S. sovereignty."
Mr. Kerry also could have influence in holding off budget cuts mandated under a 2011 debt deal. State Department spending is part of the non-security spending that is to be cut under the law.
He also has been one of the leading congressional voices in pushing to combat climate change, a position he is expected to advance at the State Department.
An aide said Mr. Kerry's resignation from the Senate will be effective as of Friday at 4 p.m.
"I'm very wistful about it—it's not easy," Mr. Kerry said Tuesday, about leaving his role as senator.
Write to Siobhan Hughes at [email protected] and Jay Solomon at [email protected]