Senate Confirms New Head of SEC

Mary Jo White has close ties to Wall Street

The Senate on Monday confirmed Mary Jo White as head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, dismissing concerns about her close ties to the Wall Street banks she will now oversee.

Ms. White, a former federal prosecutor who spent the last decade defending JPMorgan Chase and other big banks, secured Senate approval by unanimous consent. Ms. White is expected to join the agency in the coming days, replacing Elisse B. Walter, who was running the S.E.C. since the departure of Mary L. Schapiro in December.