Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


US Senate Confirms Craft as UN Ambassador

Reuters

   WASHINGTON --The U.S. Senate on Wednesdayconfirmed Kelly Craft, a
   Republican donor who is currentlyambassador to Canada, as ambassador to
   the United Nations,despite opposition from Democrats who criticized
   PresidentDonald Trump's nominee as not having sufficient experience for
   the post.

   The Senate backed Craft 56 to 34, largely alongparty lines, moving to
   end seven months without a permanent U.S.envoy to the world body.

   U.N. ambassador is one of several high-level positions inthe Trump
   administration held for months by temporary appointeesas the White
   House struggles to deal with a chronichighturnover of top
   administration officials.

   The Senate last week confirmed Army Secretary Mark Esper, aformer
   lobbyist, as secretary of defense, ending a recordseven-month periodin
   whichthe Pentagon lacked a permanent topofficial.

   This week, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coatsannounced his
   resignation.

   Trump nominated Craft, 57, for the U.N. post after a receiving a
   recommendation from Republican Senate Majority Leader MitchMcConnell,
   who represents her home state of Kentucky.

   She had faced fierce opposition from some Democrats.Senator Bob
   Menendez, the top Democrat on the ForeignRelations Committee, accused
   Craft of lacking the "seriousnessand professionalism" for the post at
   the world body.

   Craft, the wife of a billionaire coal industry executive,generated
   controversy shortly after assuming her post in Ottawaby telling the
   Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that she believed "both sides" ofthe
   climate change debate.

   However, she acknowledged during her confirmation hearingthat climate
   change is a global threat and pledged to recuseherself from any U.N.
   talks on the issue involving coal becauseof her husband's position.

   Menendez on Wednesday released a report that said Craftspentthe
   majority ofher time as ambassador to Canada outsidethe country.

   Craft's backers called her a tough negotiator on a tradedeal with
   Canada and Mexico who had established decent workingrelationships with
   both Republicans and Democrats.

   Craft will have the difficult job of defending Trump's"America First"
   foreign policy and navigating his criticism ofthe United Nations while
   getting global diplomats to back U.S. policies.

   Trump's first U.N. ambassador, former South CarolinaGovernor Nikki
   Haley, announced her resignation in October andleft the position at the
   end of last year.