Baker Approved for Treasury Job

The Senate unanimously confirmed White House Chief of Staff James A. Baker III as Treasury secretary Tuesday, clearing the way for him to complete a job swap with Donald T. Regan.

The roll-call vote, the first of the year in Congress, was 95 to 0. Praise for the 54-year-old Baker flowed from virtually all quarters during a one-hour debate.

“What you want is a man of intelligence, and you’ve got it in Jim Baker,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Bob Packwood (R-Ore.) said. “I can think of no one . . . who is better suited right now than Jim Baker.”

Senate Majority Leader Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.) said: “We’ll have a lot of work to do in the next few weeks and months dealing with the Treasury secretary. I’m convinced we can rely on constructive assistance from the distinguished nominee.”

The only discordant note came from Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.), who voted for Baker even though he said he had “serious misgivings” about his qualifications.

Baker said he was pleased with the confirmation. As his picture was taken in his White House office after the vote was announced, he said jokingly: “I wonder who those five (absent) votes were?”

White House officials have said they hoped that Baker could be sworn in by the end of the week.