Hillary Clinton won US Senate approval as secretary of state today despite renewed Republican concerns about potential conflicts of interest created by her husband's foreign fundraising.
The Senate easily approved Ms Clinton's nomination by president Barack Obama to be the top US diplomat. She replaces former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The final Senate vote was 94-2.
Ms Clinton faces a barrage of international challenges in her new post, from the Israeli-Palestinian dispute to tackling the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea and the duel wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During a Senate debate, Republican senator John Cornyn of Texas raised the issue of possible conflicts of interest created by foreign donations to the charitable foundation of her husband, former president Bill Clinton.
But Mr Cornyn and other Republicans said they still supported her nomination and it was crucial she be allowed to get to work on the foreign policy challenges awaiting the Obama administration.
"I intend to vote for her confirmation. But I also think it's important to flesh out the concerns raised," Mr Cornyn said. "If we are going to restore trust between the American people and their government, we need to be sure the reality matches the rhetoric."
Among the nearly $500 million given to the foundation, established by Bill Clinton to pay for his library in Arkansas and charitable projects around the world, are donations from foreign governments that Hillary Clinton could deal with in her new role.
To answer concerns about possible conflicts, the foundation and the Obama transition team reached an agreement in December to make public a list of its past donors, annually publish the names of its current donors and agree to submit future foreign donations to a State Department ethics review.
Mr Cornyn and other Republicans suggested additional steps such as cutting off all foreign donations during her tenure.
During her confirmation hearing last week, Clinton resisted requests to amend the agreement.
She said ethics lawyers concluded there was no inherent conflict of interest between her husband's foundation, which combats HIV/Aids, global warming and poverty, and her potential service as secretary of state.
Senators from both parties praised Ms Clinton as uniquely qualified to be secretary of state. Republican senator John McCain of Arizona, the party's presidential nominee who lost to Mr Obama in November, urged the Senate to quickly approve Ms Clinton.
"The message that the American people are sending us now is they want us to work together and get to work," Mr McCain said.
Reuters