WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate panel has approved President Barack Obama’s choices for U.N. envoy and top U.S. diplomat to Europe.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced the nominations of five senior diplomats, including former White House adviser Samantha Power for U.N. ambassador and former State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland for assistant secretary of state for Europe.
Two Republican senators on the 18-member committee voted against Power: Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Rubio and Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho voted against Nuland.
Power faced scrutiny during her confirmation hearing over comments she made as a journalist and human rights campaigner perceived as critical of the US or Israel.
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Power said last week that she would fight to defend Israel in the world body and work to secure a seat for the Jewish state on the Security council.
Nuland was questioned by several Republican senators over what she knew about last year’s deadly Benghazi attack.
The Times of Israel contributed to this report.
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