Joe Biden re-nominates Eric Garcetti as envoy to India
Washington, January 4
US President Joe Biden has re-nominated Eric Garcetti as his envoy to India, with the White House exuding confidence that the former Mayor of Los Angeles would be confirmed by the Senate this time.
Garcetti, 51, is a close aide of President Biden. He has been Mayor of Los Angeles since 2013.
“Eric M Garcetti, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of India,” the White House said after sending the nomination to the Senate.
The move came as the White House began re-nominating candidates who were not confirmed in the last Congress.
“As Secretary (of State, Antony) Blinken said very recently, our relationship with India is crucial and it’s consequential, so we see this as a very important nomination,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday at her daily news conference.
In July 2021, President Biden nominated Garcetti as his Ambassador to India.
His nomination was initially blocked by Republican Senator Chuck Grassley because of allegations of inappropriate behaviour by one of his senior staffers.
Though the hold on his nomination had been lifted, he could not be confirmed by the last Congress.
