Foxx DOT nomination heads to Senate floor

{mosads}Obama nominated Foxx, who has been mayor of Charlotte since 2009, last month after facing criticism from usual supporters about lacking diversity in second term Cabinet appointments. Backers of the pick have touted Foxx, who is black, for his support for public transportation projects in Charlotte.

The issue of diversity among the Cabinet did not come up in Foxx’s first question-and-answer session with lawmakers.

However, the ranking Republican on the panel, Sen. John Thune (S.D.), had said that he would not allow a vote on Foxx’s nomination until he received responses to requests for information from current DOT officials.

With that hurdle now cleared, all that stands between Foxx and the helm of the DOT is a vote of the full Senate that could come as early as this week.

The Senate committee on Monday also approved Obama’s nomination of Penny Pritzker to be Commerce Secretary.