U.S. Senate confirms Pritzker as commerce secretary

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Xinhua)-- The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed hotel magnate Penny Pritzker as the new secretary of commerce.

The Senate backed President Barack Obama's pick of Pritzker by a sweeping vote of 97-1.

"I am pleased the Senate took bipartisan action to confirm Penny Pritzker as our next Commerce Secretary. Penny is a proven leader, a successful entrepreneur, and one of the most accomplished and highly-respected women in business today," Obama said in a statement after the Senate confirmation.

"She knows what it takes to build companies from the ground up, and she shares my belief in doing everything we can to help businesses and workers succeed and make America a magnet for good jobs. Penny will be a key member of my economic team as we continue to work to grow our economy and strengthen the middle class," Obama said.

In May, Obama nominated Chicago businesswoman Pritzker as the next Commerce Secretary. Pritzker is a long-time supporter of Obama and one of his most valuable fundraisers.

We Recommend:
U.S. presidents and their pets	Highlights of 50th Int'l Paris Air Show	Best photos of week (June 17 - June 23)
Venezuelan Army School boat visits Cuba	Afghan refugees at UNHCR registration center	Beauty contest held in Budapest, Hungary
Angelina Jolie visits refugee camp	'Super moon' hangs in the sky over Rotterdam	LA' Chinatown sets up statue of Bruce Lee