At the same time, the Biden team was slow to get the general’s financial disclosure forms to Capitol Hill for vetting, doing so only on Friday. Such delays caused the confirmations of many early Trump administration officials to linger. While Congress approved a similar measure four years ago for Mr. Trump’s first defense secretary, Jim Mattis, a retired four-star Marine officer, many are loath to do it again. “As the first Black secretary of defense, General Austin, who has broken barriers throughout his career, would lead the most diverse military in our nation’s history,” Representative Anthony G. Brown, Democrat of Maryland and the vice chairman of the House committee, said in an email. The House and Senate should move forward as quickly as possible to vet and debate a waiver for General Austin.”

Source: New York Times January 10, 2021 10:00 UTC