The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Barack Obama's nomination of Guamanian, Anthony Babauta, as the Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs at the Department of the Interior.
Mr Babauta is the first from the Pacific to hold the position, which was re-established by the Obama administration after more than 15 years .
As Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs, Mr Babauta will coordinate with other executive branch agencies federal policy for the CNMI, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.
The Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, says Mr Babauta brings experience and familiarity with the people and the policies of the U.S. insular areas and the freely associated states.
