Senate confirms Powell as next Fed chairman

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted to confirm Jerome H. Powell to be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve, allowing him to take over when Janet L. Yellen's term expires early next month.

Powell, 64, a well-respected Republican who has served as a governor on the Fed board since 2012, enjoyed broad bipartisan support, and his easy confirmation had been expected. The Senate vote was 85-12. Most of the opposition came from liberals eyeing a 2020 presidential run, including Cory Booker, D-N.J., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

All most likely were concerned that Powell will roll back tough regulations put in place after the financial crisis.

There was some Republican opposition as well. Powell's confirmation was opposed by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Mike Lee, RUtah, and Rand Paul, R-Ky., all critics of the Fed's recent stimulative monetary policy, which Powell has supported.

Powell will assume leadership of the world's most influential central bank at a challenging time.

The stronger economy, which will get a boost this year from the recently enacted tax cuts, is exerting pressure on the Fed's monetary policymakers to more rapidly increase interest rates. Such a move could slow growth but head off higher inflation.

Powell is expected to continue the strategy taken by Yellen, a Democrat, of gradually raising the Fed's key shortterm interest rate.

But he has signaled more openness to easing financial regulations, which would align him more with President Donald Trump and many Republicans.

Trump nominated Powell after a lengthy search that included considering Yellen for a second four-year stint leading the Fed. Yellen made history as the first woman to lead the Fed in its more than 100-year history. She was confirmed 56-26, with only Republicans in opposition.

Yellen's term as chairwoman ends Feb. 3.

Powell's nomination was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Banking Committee, and the panel's chairman, Sen. Michael D. Crapo, R-Idaho, and its top Democrat, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, urged their colleagues Tuesday to support the nomination.

"His track record over the past six years shows he is a thoughtful policymaker," Brown said before the vote.

Powell has extensive Washington experience, including time as an assistant Treasury secretary under President George H.W. Bush. Before joining the Fed, Powell was a visiting scholar at the Bipartisan Policy Center think tank and a partner at the Carlyle Group, a high-powered Washington asset-management company.