Washington Notebook: Senate committee approves Commerce, DOT appointees

   The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Monday unanimously approved the nominations of Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx to be secretary of transportation and Penny Pritzker to be secretary of commerce.
   Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., was announced as the new chairman of the Commerce subcommittee on surface transportation and merchant marine infrastructure, safety and security, previously held by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who died June 3. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., was named chairman of the Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation and Export Promotion. – Eric Kulisch