The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday approved by voice vote President Obama's nominee to lead the nation's trade office.

The panel unanimously agreed to send Michael Froman's nomination to become the next U.S. Trade Representative to the full Senate. 

“Mr. Froman is the right man to lead USTR," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.). 

"He has the experience and the knowledge to help  tackle America’s ambitious trade agenda. I am glad he got such strong support in committee," he said.  

Ambassador Howard Gutman, a top donor to President Obama, denies "baseless allegations."

Afghanistan holds the dubious distinction of being the world's least peaceful nation 12 years after the U.S. invasion, according to an international index released Tuesday, beating out unstable Somalia and war-plagued Syria for the bottom spot.

This year's Global Peace Index report notes a 5 percent deterioration in global peace over the past six years. The worsening situation is driven in large part by an 8 percent increase in homicides last year, mostly in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.

“The findings of this year’s Index support the prevailing trend of the last six years, namely: a continuing shift away from nations taking up arms against one another and towards more organized internal conflicts,” Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of the Institute for Economics & Peace that conducts the survey, said in a statement. “A key factor associated with this is that the peace gap between countries under authoritarian regimes and the rest of the world is becoming larger.”

President Obama on Monday revealed his choice to take over as inspector general of the U.S. aid agency, filling a two-year void in oversight of the $20 billion a year foreign aid budget.

Michael Carroll has served as deputy inspector general at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) since May 2012. His nomination comes as the Obama administration is under increased pressure to put in place Inspector Generals for USAID and the State Department following allegations that department higher-ups sought to quash internal probes into allegations that officials used prostitutes.

Obama also named the deputy assistant secretary of State for human rights, Daniel Baer, to serve as U.S.ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. If confirmed, Baer would be the first openly gay U.S. diplomat named to a multilateral institution, and fourth openly gay diplomat to be named ambassador abroad. 

The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs panel said Monday he was “appalled” by reports that the State Department sought to quash internal investigations into employee wrongdoing — and is launching his own probe.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) vowed to bring up with Secretary of State John Kerry allegations that State Department officials — including an ambassador — used prostitutes and that department higher-ups might have tried to quash the probes. He has asked his own staff to start investigating.

“I am appalled not only at the reported misconduct itself, but at the reported interference in the investigations of the misconduct,” Royce said in a statement. “The notion that any or all of the cases contained in news reports would not be investigated thoroughly by the Department is unthinkable.

“Department interference with the independence of any DSS investigations must be uncovered. I have asked my staff to begin an investigation into these allegations and intend to raise the issue with Secretary Kerry immediately.”

“The notion that we would not vigorously pursue criminal misconduct in any case is preposterous,” a spokeswoman says.

The amount of technically recoverable United States oil-and-gas reserves is 35 percent greater than in 2011, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Monday.

The report credited the spike to new geologic and well-drilling results, as well as the adoption of hydraulic fracturing.

The U.S. clocked in at second behind Russia in global technically recoverable shale oil reserves, with 58 billion barrels. It registered fourth behind China, Argentina and Algeria, with 665 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable shale gas.

President Obama could decide as early as this week to arm vetted rebel groups in Syria amid gains on the ground by Bashar Assad's forces, The Associated Press reports.

Obama is said to be meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry and other Cabinet officials this week to discuss the issue. The president overruled his secretaries of State and Defense on the issue last year out of concern that weapons could end up in the hands of Islamist militants.

Recent reports that the administration is considering arming rebels or imposing a no-fly zone in Syria are widely seen as attempts to influence a last-ditch effort at a negotiated settlement. A National Security Council spokeswoman said the White House is focused on the U.S.-Russia peace talks that could take place next month in Geneva and had “no new announcements at this time” beyond the $759 million in humanitarian and non-lethal aid already provided.

The inspector general's memo says probes into prostitution and sexual assault were "influenced, manipulated or simply called off."