Lew Confirmed as Treasury Chief Plunges Into Budget Fight

Jacob J. Lew’s confirmation as the next U.S. Treasury secretary plunges him into the budget battle between the Obama administration and Congress with automatic government spending cuts set to begin tomorrow.

Approved on a 71-26 Senate vote yesterday, Lew won support from 20 Republicans, overcoming criticism of a bonus payment he received while working at Citigroup Inc. during the financial crisis. The tally compares with the 60-34 vote in favor of his predecessor Timothy F. Geithner four years ago, the closest for a Treasury secretary in the post-World War II era.