US Senate confirms Biden’s health and CIA chiefs

Two Biden cabinet nominees tasked with COVID-19 pandemic and national security challenges win key Senate approvals.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra was confirmed by the US Senate as secretary of health and human services on Thursday, clearing the way for him to take charge of a key agency battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Becerra faced opposition from Republicans and won confirmation to join President Joe Biden’s Cabinet on a party-line 50-49 vote. The Senate on Thursday unanimously confirmed veteran diplomat William Burns as CIA director, giving him control of the nation’s premier spy agency as the US government confronts threats from China, Russia, and Iran.