Washington (US): The former mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, was renominated by US President Joe Biden on Tuesday to serve as an ambassador to India, the White House announced after submitting the nomination to the Senate.

“Eric M. Garcetti, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of India,” the White House stated in the announcement. The White House had already updated Mayor Garcetti’s nomination as ambassador to India in December and expressed hope that the whole senate would approve.

Garcetti’s nomination as the next US ambassador to India, which was made public in July 2021, has been pending for more than a year. Concerns from senators on both sides of the aisle regarding claims that he disregarded alleged sexual harassment and abuse by one of his former top campaign aides have prevented his nomination from moving forward for months. According to CNN, Garcetti has consistently refuted claims that he disregarded the charges.

Finally, Garcetti’s nomination was made public in January of last year.

The Biden administration’s dedication to advancing the nomination of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti as the US ambassador to India was confirmed by Pierre in November.

When asked if the White House would insist on the US Senate holding a vote on Garcetti’s candidature, Jean-Pierre responded, “Absolutely. We have a very significant link with India. You witnessed the President welcoming Prime Minister Modi and having a brief meeting with him just last week while he was in Bali. It’s a crucial relationship that we genuinely appreciate.

We are determined to see Mayor Garcetti through the procedure. We’re still talking to the Senate about how to make that happen. We place a high focus on that. The White House Press Secretary said, “And I just don’t have anything else to say about any strategy or anything else moving forward on it.

After a lengthy delay in the confirmation of his nomination, the United States is still pushing for the Los Angeles Mayor’s swift confirmation as India’s ambassador.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Garcetti’s appointment as the US Ambassador to India last year. However, the US Senate has to vote in favour of the nominee in order for it to be approved.