The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations confirmed a Biden administration nominee for a top Middle East policy post on Wednesday.

The nomination of Barbara Leaf to be assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs passed the committee at today’s business meeting. Leaf is a career diplomat who previously served as US ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, and is presently Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Middle East and North Africa Affairs on the National Security Council. Leaf will next face a vote before the whole Senate at a yet-to-be-determined date. Several other Biden nominations, including many ambassadorships, were also advanced by the committee.

Some Republicans voted against Leaf’s nomination, including ranking member Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

The vote was followed by a lengthy debate between Democrats and Republicans on the committee. The Democrats are increasingly frustrated with Cruz’s efforts to delay foreign policy-related nominations of the administration. Cruz has rejected the tradition of voting on noncontroversial nominees by “unanimous consent,” which allows nominees to pass without hours of Senate floor debate .