The White House is set to select outgoing Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) as its pick for ambassador to China, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and a Baucus ally confirmed Wednesday.
Baucus, 72, previously announced that he won't seek reelection to the Senate in 2014.
Senate aides familiar with the plans said that the move has been in the works for several days.
The news was first reported by Politico. Baucus aides declined to comment Wednesday evening when asked about it outside the Senate Chamber.
As chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, Baucus played a key role in crafting President Obama's health-care law and was among the first Democrats to publicly fret about the law's implementation -- worries that later turned out to be well-founded.
Baucus has also expressed a desire for a significant overhaul of the nation's tax code -- something he and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) hoped to tackle this year, after decades of failure to do so. Baucus's nomination would seemingly put that on hold.
If Baucus leaves, the chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee could go to Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), the second-ranking Democrat. But he currently chairs the Senate commerce committee and is also retiring after the 2014 election. Next in line is Senate Energy Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Senate Rules Committee Chairman Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) ranks fourth.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/12/18/white-house-to-nominate-baucus-for-ambassador-to-china/
