House passes Mattis waiver

By Tony Bertuca / January 13, 2017 at 4:38 PM

The House voted 268-151 in favor of changing existing law to allow retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis to serve as defense secretary, despite having spent fewer than seven years out of uniform. Mattis has been retired three years.

Most Democrats voted against the waiver, though 36 voted in support. Many Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee declined to support the waiver after President-elect Donald Trump's transition team prohibited Mattis from appearing at a Thursday hearing after he had already agreed to do so.

Mattis must now be confirmed by the Senate, which voted 81-17 on Thursday to grant him the waiver.

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