The Senate Armed Services Committee recommended the nomination of James Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, as Defense Department secretary through a 26-1 vote Wednesday.
The committee said Wednesday it will hand over Mattis’ official nomination to the full Senate for confirmation.
The approval comes days after the Senate and House passed a congressional waiver that would authorize Mattis to serve as DoD secretary.
Mattis retired as head of the U.S. Central Command in 2013 and needed the waiver that exempts him from a federal law that requires former military officers to wait seven years after retirement from active duty prior to assuming the top civilian post at the Pentagon
