By a vote of 51 – 45, the Senate confirmed Tuesday evening Howard Lutnick as the Secretary of Commerce. While the issue of tariffs may be the most high profile issue under the jurisdiction of the department, a number of scientific and research agencies are also under its purview, including the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
During his confirmation hearing, a number of Senators asked him for his views about NOAA and reports of possible changes to the agency. Though he expressed his support for the agency, he did not explicitly commit to keeping agency intact in its current form.