Senate confirms new drug czar
It wasnât a new attorney general or defense secretary, but the Senate still hit a milestone on Monday by confirming President Barack Obamaâs first nominee following a Republican takeover of that chamber. The Senate voted 92 to 0 to approve Michael Botticelli as director of National Drug Control Policy, a nomination that didnât even draw procedural opposition in the hyper-partisan Senate. Story Continued Below Botticelli was so noncontroversial that he was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee just last week and was whisked onto the Senate floor for a Monday vote, a brief turn to executive nominations while Republicans struggle legislatively to fund the Department of Homeland Security past Feb. 27. Defense Secretary nominee Ash Carter could also be confirmed later this week before Congress goes on a week-long recess, aides said. In announcing his support for Botticelli, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that Botticelli has promised a spring visit to the GOP leaderâs home state of Kentucky, which is dealing with worsening opioid addiction problems. âDrug abuse is a serious problem in my home state,â McConnell said. âVisits like these help ensure continued federal efforts on Kentuckyâs drug problem. And I look forward to working with the next drug czar to move closer to the day when drug abuse is no longer ravaging our families and our communities.â Botticelli is a recovering alcoholic who has served as the acting director of National Drug Control Policy for nearly a year and will have to guide the Obama administration through an unprecedented period of uncertainty for the nationâs drug laws as four states and the District of Columbia recently voted to legalize marijuana. Votes on whether to legalize pot in more states are planned for 2016. A D.C. resident, Botticelli made waves on Friday when he backed D.C.âs ability to spend its own money on legalization after congressional Republicans blocked federal spending on the new law in a December bill. Botticelli said he is against legalization but pro-budget autonomy for the District. âI might not agree about legalization, but I do agree with our own ability to spend the money that we want.],â Botticelli said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.