After having spent most of his working life as a lawmaker on Capitol Hill, Democratic Senator Max Baucus will be heading to Beijing to serve as the highest ranking U.S. diplomat in China.
On Thursday, the Senate unanimously confirmed his appointment.
“His passion is well-known to all of us,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said to AP. “He’s an excellent choice that President Obama made to represent America’s interests in China.”
Baucus, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is well-versed in U.S. trade policy and is known for his moderate views.
[AP]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Florence Pugh Might Just Save the Movie Star From Extinction
- Why You Can't Remember That Taylor Swift Concert All Too Well
- What to Know About the History of the Debt Ceiling
- 10 Questions the Succession Finale Needs to Answer
- How Four Trans Teens Threw the Prom of Their Dreams
- Why Turkey’s Longtime Leader Is an Electoral Powerhouse
- The Ancient Roots of Psychotherapy
- Why Rich People Aren't Using Phone Cases