SASC to Consider Scher Nomination

The Senate Armed Services Committee at 9:30 a.m. today will consider the nomination of Robert Scher to be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities. President Obama nominated Scher on Sept. 12, to replace Madelyn Creedon, who departed the Pentagon earlier this year to serve as the Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. Scher concurrently works as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans, a position held since April 2012, and as Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Forces, a position held since June 2014. Pending confirmation, Scher will slide into the Strategy, Plans and Capabilities position created as part of a DoD Office of Policy reorganization. Akin to Creedon’s previous position as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs, the new post will oversee nuclear and missile defense policy, while the new Homeland Defense directorate will oversee countering weapons of mass destruction, cyber policy and space policy.