The Senate confirmed former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin as the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in a bipartisan vote, paving the way for the Trump administration’s de-regulatory agenda.
Zeldin, 44, was confirmed Wednesday in a 56-42 vote, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ)and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) as the three Democrats voting in favor of his nomination. Zeldin is the seventh member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to be confirmed since the Republican assumed office.
Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) did not participate in the vote.
When pressed on why he voted in favor of Zeldin, Kelly told the Washington Examiner that he believed the Republican to be “qualified” for the job.
“He’s a serious guy, he’s got the background,” Kelly said, adding that he doesn’t agree with Zeldin on everything.