The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed by voice vote eight more Defense Department nominees, a day after the chamber approved Air Force Gen. Paul Selva for a second term as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The latest round of confirmations ahead of the upcoming Senate recess included Richard Spencer as Navy secretary, Robert Hood as assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs, and Matthew Donovan as undersecretary of the Air Force.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in a Tuesday statement that while he is “pleased” by confirmation of those civilian nominees, the Senate is “paralyzed by politics and partisanship” that is delaying the personnel confirmation process.
“I hope the White House will expeditiously send the Senate nominations for the many positions that remain unfilled at the Department of Defense,” McCain said.
Hood most recently served as vice president for government affairs at Energy Department contractor CH2M, and was previously director of congressional affairs at the National Nuclear Security Administration. He also held legislative-affairs positions in the White House and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Donovan most recently was majority policy director for the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Spencer served as a managing partner at the Fall Creek Management investment firm prior to his appointment as head of the Navy. He previously also served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
