Senate Confirms Fanning, First Openly Gay Service Secretary
Source: Defense News
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Eric Fanning, the White House nominee to be the next secretary of the Army, making him the first openly gay man to hold an armed service’s top civilian position.
Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, relinquished an eight-month hold he said was unrelated to Fanning’s qualifications or his sexuality. Roberts had sought assurances from the Obama administration that detainees at the military’s Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison would not be relocated to Kansas, and he announced on the Senate floor Tuesday he had gotten them.
The landmark move was praised by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization. His nomination comes five years after the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” legislation barring openly gay people from serving.
"Eric Fanning's historic confirmation today as Secretary of the U.S. Army is a demonstration of the continued progress towards fairness and equality in our nation’s armed forces," HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement. "Eric Fanning has spent his career serving this nation with tireless dedication, skill and ability, and as secretary he will bring that same commitment to the men and women of the U.S. Army."
Read more: http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2016/05/17/senate-confirms-fanning-first-openly-gay-service-secretary/84511368/
Pat Roberts removed the hold and he was approved unanimously.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I'm sure he could have been counted on to keep that hold until Obama found a "proper" nominee. 
