The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands. Hoekstra, who was confirmed Thursday, previously served as chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was the ranking Republican on the Committee until 2011.
First elected to Congress in 1992, Hoekstra was born in the Netherlands and moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 3. He was an executive with Michigan-based office furniture maker Herman Miller and later ran unsuccessful campaigns for Michigan governor and U.S. Senate.
President Donald Trump nominated Hoekstra for the ambassador post earlier this year.
