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Clinton confirmation hearing planned next week

BLOOMBERG NEWS

January 7, 2009

Senate Democrats plan to take up next week the nomination of Hillary Rodham Clinton to become secretary of state in what is likely to be one of the highest-profile confirmation hearings for President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet.

John Kerry, the new chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview he plans to hold the hearing next Wednesday. "I expect everybody to be focused on the real issues that confront the country and I think it will be a good hearing," he said.

It will be one in a series of Senate confirmation hearings in the coming weeks. A hearing on Tom Daschle's nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services will take place in two days before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

The panel, headed by Edward M. Kennedy, on the following day will consider Hilda Solis' nomination as labor secretary.

Arne Duncan is due to appear before the committee on Jan. 13 on his nomination to be education secretary. Senate Budget Committee chairman Kent Conrad said he has tentatively scheduled a confirmation hearing for incoming White House budget chief Peter Orszag that day. Steven Chu, Obama's choice for energy secretary, is to appear that day before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

On Jan. 15, the panel will take up the nomination of Ken Salazar to be interior secretary. The Judiciary Committee will consider that day Eric Holder's nomination to be attorney general. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs panel is tentatively scheduled that day to consider Janet Napolitano's nomination to be homeland security secretary.

Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus said his panel will probably take up some time next week Timothy Geithner's Treasury secretary nomination in what is likely to be another much-watched hearing.