The US Senate, on a bipartisan vote of 74-26 on Thursday, confirmed former energy company executive John Bryson as commerce secretary, despite the objection of some Republicans due to his background as an environmentalist.
Obama hailed the Senate confirmation, saying in a statement, "As Secretary of Commerce, John Bryson will be a key member of my economic team, working with the business community to promote job creation, foster growth, and help open up new markets around the world for American-made goods."
Bryson was chief executive of California utility Edison International from 1990 to 2008 before serving a brief stint as chairman of BrightSource Energy, a solar energy company that received $1.6 billion in loan guarantees in April from the Obama administration.
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