Janet Yellen Nomination to Lead US Fed Advances in Senate

A final confirmation vote by the U.S. Senate on Janet Yellen to be chairman of the Federal Reserve will be delayed until Jan. 6, avoiding a weekend session to consider her nomination.

Under an agreement announced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tonight, senators will vote to advance Yellen’s nomination tomorrow, with the confirmation vote set for when the chamber returns after a holiday break.

The agreement breaks a partisan tug-of-war that has slowed Democrats’ efforts to confirm a slate of 10 presidential nominees, including Yellen, before adjourning for the year.

The votes, due to start around 10:15 a.m., come after the Senate finally broke its procedural logjam Thursday night.

Until late Thursday, the Senate planned an all-night session to consider and vote on nominations. The sessions were supposed to stretch until Saturday evening, as Republicans forced Democrats to use all the allotted debate time.

Not anymore. Instead, the Senate will vote on the nominations of Alejandro Mayorkas as Homeland Security deputy secretary, and then John Koskinen as Internal Revenue Service commissioner. Next will come a vote on Brian Davis to be a U.S. District Court judge in Florida.

Six nominations will not get votes Friday. They include: Sloan D. Gibson, deputy secretary of Veterans Affairs; Sarah Sewall, undersecretary of State for civilian security, democracy and human rights; Michael L. Connor, deputy secretary of Interior; Sarah Bloom Raskin, eputy secretary of Treasury; Jessica Wright, undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness and Richard Engler. member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board

Canadajournal/Agencies