Dennis Blair Confirmed As National Intelligence Director

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed retired Adm. Dennis Blair as the new national intelligence director.

Blair will be President Barack Obama's top intelligence adviser, running a budget of nearly $50 billion across 16 intelligence agencies.

The Senate confirmed Blair by voice vote

Dianne Feinstein, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, praised Blair's commitment to American ideals while conducting intelligence operations. Blair strongly condemned torture and warrantless wiretapping in his Jan. 22 confirmation hearing.

Blair will oversee the end of the CIA's harsh interrogation program, authorized by former President George W. Bush shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Obama is limiting the CIA, for now, to the U.S. military's interrogation methods.

He is also helping to plan for the closure of the detention center at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which he called "a damaging symbol to the world."

He promised greater transparency and accountability to the intelligence oversight committee, but also pledged to crack down on those who leak classified information either by pressing criminal charges or firing them.

Blair served in the Navy for 34 years. He was chief of the U.S. Pacific Command chief during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and crafted what many intelligence and military officials say was an effective international counterterrorism strategy in southeast Asia, where U.S. efforts along with foreign partners are credited with diminishing terrorist groups such as Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah. Blair is also a China expert, and he was an associate director for military support at the CIA.

Blair would replace Michael McConnell, who resigned the post Tuesday after nearly two years in the job.

Others confirmed by voice vote were James Steinberg, deputy secretary of state; Jacob Lew, deputy secretary of state, management and resources; Robert Nabors to be deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget; and Christina Romer to be head of the Council of Economic Advisers.