Senate committee gives Basham thumbs up
The Senate Finance Committee unanimously voted on Thursday in favor of Ralph Basham to be commissioner of Customs and Border Protection and sent his nomination to the full Senate for confirmation.
A floor vote could happen as early as Friday.
President Bush nominated Basham in January to head the trade regulation and border security agency, which has been without a permanent commissioner since Robert C. Bonner retired in November. Deborah Spero has served as acting commissioner in the interim.
Basham is the director of the Secret Service.