Scott Pruitt's name confirmed by Senate to lead Environmental Protection Agency

Scott Pruitt's name has been approved by the U.S. Senate to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Senate confirmed Pruitt's name after lawmakers voted 52-46 in his favour.

He got the support of Democratic senators Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Manchin as both voted in his favour.

The two Democrats represent energy producing states of North Dakota and West Virginia respectively.

Moderate Republican Susan Collins of Maine voted against Pruitt.

"He's exceptionally qualified. He's dedicated to environmental protection. And, as someone with state government experience, he understands the real-world consequences of EPA actions and knows that balance is the key to making policies that are sustainable over the long-term," CNN quoted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as saying.

Senator Tom Udall expressed his concerns over the approval Pruitt's name saying that the latter has has extreme environmental policy views and has zero experience in running an environmental protection agency.

Pruitt is an American lawyer and Republican politician from the state of Oklahoma.

He was elected Attorney General of Oklahoma in 2010 and in this role, he supported religious freedom laws, fought against abortion rights, gay marriage, the Affordable Care Act, and environmental regulations.