Senate panel approves deputy Defense secretary nominee

The Senate Armed Services Committee approved Patrick Shanahan to be deputy Defense secretary by voice vote on Wednesday despite a contentious confirmation hearing in which Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) threatened to block the nomination.

The vote Wednesday came after Shanahan submitted revisions to his previous written answers on advanced policy questions, which had prompted McCain’s threat.

Shanahan’s nomination will now move to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote.

The former executive at defense contractor Boeing elicited McCain’s wrath with an answer on Ukraine during his confirmation hearing last week. 

In the version of his answers submitted to the committee before the hearing, Shanahan wrote that he needed access to classified information before making a decision on whether he supports providing lethal defensive aid to Ukraine, which has been fighting separatists backed by Russia.

{mosads}“The provision of lethal defensive equipment as part of our already robust security assistance program is an option I plan to look at closely if I am confirmed,” Shanahan initially wrote. “I do not have access to classified assessments of the performance of the Ukrainian and Russian militaries in the course of the conflict, and particularly the impact of the security assistance we have provided thus far.”

That answer angered McCain, who questioned why an executive at one of the largest defense contractors in the world would need still more information on one of the top defense issues of the past few years.

In response, Shanahan said at the hearing he does support providing lethal weapons to the Ukrainians.

Still, the exchange prompted McCain to warn him: “Not a good beginning. Not a good beginning. Do not do that again, Mr. Shanahan, or I will not take your name up for a vote before this committee.”

The revisions since submitted to the committee reflect the answer Shanahan gave McCain at the hearing. 

“I support lethal defensive security assistance to Ukraine,” Shanahan wrote. “The United States must do more to counter Russia’s aggressive behavior and support the people of Ukraine.”