Senate panel approves Carter as DOD acquisition chief

The Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1 approved three Obama administration nominees to assume top posts at the Defense Department, according to media reports.

In the wake of his March 26 confirmation hearing, the committee approved Harvard professor and former Clinton administration defense official Ashton Carter to become DOD's top acquisition official.

Carter, who succeeds John Young at the post of under secretary of defense for acquisition technology and logistics, pledged to lawmakers during his confirmation hearing to bring “troubled programs” under control, media reports stated at the time.

The committee also approved James Miller to be deputy under secretary of defense for policy, and Alexander Vershbow to be assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.

The nominees must still be confirmed by the full Senate before they can begin working at DOD, the reports state.