The Senate has confirmed Penny S. Pritzker, a prominent businesswoman and major fund-raiser for President Obama, to lead the Dept. of Commerce. Pritzker’s nomination was approved on June 25, by a 97-1 tally, with Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) casting the lone “no” vote.
Pritzker, who was sworn in to her new post on June 26, will lead a sprawling department of more than 40,000 workers. Among its wide range of agencies are the International Trade Administration, which sponsors overseas trade missions for U.S. companies in construction and other industries; and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which compiles data on monthly construction spending and many other topics.