Senate Democratic Leaders Push for Swift Confirmations on Obama Cabinet

January 16, 2009, 6:06 pm

By David M. Herszenhorn

The Senate majority leader has asked his Republican counterparts to agree to confirm 13 of President-elect Barack Obama’s cabinet choices and other high-level appointees by unanimous consent immediately after Mr. Obama’s inauguration.
“We would like to ascertain whether or not there are any objections to clearing these nominations by unanimous consent,” the majority leader, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, told his colleagues in a memo.
Mr. Obama’s cabinet and a number of other high-level officials are subject to Senate confirmation, and any nomination that proves controversial is subject to a roll call vote on the Senate floor. If even one senator objects to confirmation, a vote must be held. Mr. Reid said those votes would be scheduled for Wednesday.