Locke Confirmed As US Commerce Secretary

Gary Locke was confirmed as the United States Commerce Secretary by a unanimous vote in the Senate Tuesday evening. Locke, a former Washington state governor and the first Chinese-American to hold the post, will inherit position shaped by the global recession, but was “honoured to take on this challenge and will work every day to make the Commerce Department an engine for improving our competitiveness, encouraging innovation and creating jobs.” His duties will include promoting economic development and acting as international ambassador for US business. The Commerce Secretary is responsible for internet governance, broadband and other technology issues, as well as for appointing the director of the US Patent and Trademark Office. Link to release here.