Senate Finally Approves Gina McCarthy for EPA

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It only took 137 days, but on Thursday Senate Republicans allowed the confirmation of Gina McCarthy as head of the Environmental Protection Agency to proceed.

President Obama nominated McCarthy back in March. But after a Republican boycott of the first committee vote on her appointment and a two-month-long filibuster threat from Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), McCarthy finally got a Senate vote.

Her nomination was approved 59 to 40.

Before serving as the assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation during Obama’s first term, McCarthy worked for Republican and Democratic governors, which made the continued opposition to her nomination even more puzzling.