Key DOD nominees advance toward confirmation

The Senate Armed Services Committee today voted to advance several nominees for senior Defense Department positions, including a new chief of space operations and a new head of U.S. Strategic Command.

The committee by voice vote moved to favorably report to the full Senate the nominations of Lt. Gen. Bradley Saltzman to be chief of space operations and Gen. Anthony Cotton to be chief of STRATCOM.

Additionally, the committee voted to advance Milancy Harris, nominated to be deputy under secretary of defense for intelligence and security; Brendan Owens to be assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations, and environment; and Laura Taylor-Kale to be assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy.

The nominations will now move to the full Senate for confirmation votes.