The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 1/21/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Associated Press Secretary of State-designate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., right, is greeted by Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., left, as the committee's chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., looks on center, prior to the start of the committee's hearing on her nomination, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate swiftly approved six members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet on Tuesday, but put off for a day the vote on his choice of Hillary Rodham Clinton to be secretary of state.

The Senate confirmed all six with a single voice vote a little more than three hours after Obama took the oath of office to become the 44th president.

But Democratic hopes to add Clinton to that list were sidetracked when one senator, Republican John Cornyn of Texas, objected to the unanimous vote.

Cornyn said he still had concerns about foreign donations to the foundation headed by Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Those confirmed were Steven Chu to be energy secretary, Arne Duncan at education, Janet Napolitano for homeland security, Eric Shinseki to head veterans affairs, Ken Salazar for interior and Tom Vilsack to lead the department of agriculture.

The Senate also approved Peter Orszag, recently the director of the Congressional Budget Office, to head the White House's Office of Management and Budget.

Obama signed nominating papers for his Cabinet choices about an hour after he took the oath.

Senate leaders agreed to have a roll call vote on Clinton on Wednesday after three hours of debate. Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, predicted that "she will receive overwhelming bipartisan support at that time."

The Wednesday vote became necessary when Cornyn objected to the voice vote. In the Senate, a single senator can block measures from being approved by voice.

He said he wanted "a full and open debate and an up-or-down vote on Sen. Clinton's nomination." He said important questions remain unanswered concerning the foundation headed by former President Bill Clinton "and its acceptance of donations from foreign entities. Transparency transcends partisan politics and the American people deserve to know more."

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