Senate approves Locke as commerce secretary

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to approve the nomination of former Washington state Governor Gary Locke to be U.S. commerce secretary, putting a Chinese-American in the job for the first time.

Locke, President Barack Obama's third nominee for the post, has promised to focus on "creating the jobs of the future" and enforcing U.S. laws to counter unfair foreign trade practices.

He takes over a sprawling department responsible for conducting the 2010 census, overseeing the nation's fisheries and managing the U.S. transition to digital television.

Locke has a reputation in Washington state for working across party lines. "I know he will continue in the same bipartisan fashion as secretary of commerce," Washington Senator Maria Cantwell said on the Senate floor.

Obama tapped Locke to head the Commerce Department post four weeks ago. The son and grandson of Chinese immigrants sailed through the confirmation process without any of the tax problems that plagued several other Obama nominees.

He was confirmed by the Senate on a voice vote. His approval filled one of the last slots in Obama's cabinet, with only Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius still awaiting confirmation as secretary of health and human services.

Locke was governor of Washington, often described as the most export-dependent U.S. state, from 1997 through the end of 2004. That capped a career in Washington state politics for the former prosecutor and state legislator.

As governor, he worked to expand trade with China for the state's wheat and apple growers as well as two of its corporate giants, Microsoft and Boeing.

"One of the most critical jobs the commerce secretary performs is finding markets for American products and technologies. He understands how important this is and he knows how to do it successfully," Washington Senator Patty Murray said.

Business groups hope that background will make Locke a key ally in the Obama cabinet. But he'll also be under pressure from labor groups to prod China on a number of trade-related concerns, including Beijing's record on workers right.

Republicans urged Locke during his confirmation hearing to be a strong voice against protectionism and also sought assurances the Commerce Department would carry out the 2010 census without political influence from the White House.

Locke told senators it would take extraordinary efforts to finish the census by the April 1, 2010 deadline, but it could be done and he would insist on accuracy.

"The census only happens once every 10 years and we need to get it right -- no exceptions, no excuses. That is why it will be run out of the Department of Commerce and by a director who will work with Congress," Locke said.

He also promised to complete the U.S. transition to digital television by the new June 12 deadline set by Congress. But too many people using analog television still do not know they will soon need a digital converter box to watch TV, Locke said.

Locke was Obama's third choice for U.S. commerce chief after New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg both withdrew their nominations.