Senate Confirms Gina McCarthy as EPA Administrator

The Senate on Thursday confirmed President Obama’s nominees to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Labor, news services reported.

Gina McCarthy was confirmed as EPA’s administrator by a 59-40 vote, the Associated Press reported. McCarthy has headed EPA’s air pollution office since 2009.

McCarthy’s selection in March prompted praise from trucking leaders who worked with her at EPA and when she was an administrator at state environmental agencies in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Thomas Perez, who was Maryland’s Labor Secretary from 2007 to 2009, was confirmed as Labor Secretary by a 54-46 Senate vote, AP reported.

The Senate is expected to vote later this month on five nominees to the National Labor Relations Board, Bloomberg News reported.