Breaking-Obama names McHugh as Sec of Army

Yahoo.com-President Obama announced Tuesday that he is nominating John M. McHugh of New York, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, to be the next Army secretary, White House spokesman Thomas Vietor said.

McHugh is a moderate who has crossed party lines to vote with Democrats more than most House Republicans — 26 percent of the time in the 110th Congress (2007-08), more than all but 11 other House Republicans.

The nine-term lawmaker has long served on the Armed Services Committee and is well-versed in both the broad policy issues and everyday challenges facing the Army. McHugh was chairman of the Personnel Subcommittee for six years before Democrats took control of the House in 2007; he understands issues that affect military personnel and their families, from medical care to pay bonuses. And McHugh has represented Fort Drum, a major Army base that trains some 80,000 soldiers annually.

McHugh also has been a critic of Obama’s proposed level of defense spending and some of his proposed cutbacks in weapons, such as missile defense initiatives. He has been supportive, though wary, of the buildup of troops in Afghanistan and the drawdown of forces in Iraq.

It was not immediately clear who might succeed McHugh as top Republican on the House committee. Roscoe G. Bartlett of Maryland is next in seniority, but GOP leaders could prefer someone lower down in the ranks. The No. 3 committee Republican, Howard P. "Buck" McKeon of California, is already ranking on the Education and Labor Committee. No. 4 is William M. "Mac" Thornberry of Texas.