Senate Confirms Pritzker

Today, the Senate confirmed Penny Pritzker as Secretary of Commerce by a vote of 97-1.

Pritzker, a member of the family that owns Hyatt Hotels, was the national finance chairwoman of President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and the national co-chairwoman of his reelection campaign.

The Commerce Department is comprised of of 12 different agencies responsible for everything from weather forecasts to patent protection, including:

• Economic Development Administration (EDA)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)