Senate confirms Dabbar as Commerce Department deputy secretary
1 of 3 | Paul Dabbar testifies at his confirmation hearing as the deputy secretary of Commerce with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee in the Russell Senate office building in Washington, D.C., on May 1. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo
June 25 (UPI) -- The Senate on Wednesday voted 56-40 to confirm Paul Dabbar as the deputy secretary of the Commerce Department.
Dabbar will serve as the Commerce Department's chief operating officer and oversee its $11.4 billion annual budget across its 12 units and the department's 47,000 employees.
Science and technology are "fundamental to shaping our nation's future," Dabbar said.
"As a scientist, I'm eager to work alongside the dedicated teams and partners across the department to accelerate research and drive innovation," he added.
The Senate confirmation also makes Dabbar a member of the President's Management Council.
"Paul brings a unique science-backed mindset and deep understanding of how the government and industry can work together to push the boundaries of American innovation and technology," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.
"His leadership will be critical in advancing cutting-edge research and technology," Lutnick added.
Dabbar was the president and chief executive officer of Bohr Quantum Technology prior to his Senate confirmation.
He led the development and deployment of emerging quantum network technologies while at Bohr.
During President Donald Trump's first administration, Dabbar was the science under secretary at the Department of Energy and led energy research, technologies and science initiatives.
He also managed and led most of the U.S. national labs, including those involving nuclear energy, advanced computing, quantum technologies, fusion and physics.
Dabbar also was a managing director at J.P. Morgan, where he spearheaded more than $400 billion in global energy sector investments.
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