Senate confirms US ambassador to Peru

The Senate confirmed Brian Nichols to be U.S. Ambassador to Peru by voice vote on Thursday.

Democrats have criticized Republicans for blocking votes on nearly 40 nominations to ambassadorships.

{mosads}“Republicans have left key diplomatic posts unfilled for months,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said earlier this week. “It’s unnecessary, irresponsible and completely unacceptable.”

The Senate also confirmed three more of President Obama’s executive nominees Thursday:

– Gustavo Velasquez Aguilar was confirmed to be an assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development on a 54-38 vote.

– J. Mark McWatters was confirmed by voice vote to be a member of the National Credit Union Administration Board.

– Christine Wormuth was confirmed by voice vote to be undersecretary of Defense for policy.