By a 94-3 vote on Tuesday, the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.
Reuters reports the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a panel Kerry chaired for four years prior to the nomination, unanimously approved Kerry’s nomination earlier in the day.
Patricia Zengerle writes two of President Barack Obama’s other nominees — Chuck Hagel for defense secretary and John Brennan for CIA director — are facing confirmation hearings this week and next.
Hagel is scheduled to face a Senate panel Thursday and Brennan will have his hearing Feb. 7, Zengerle reports.
Clinton’s last day at the State Department will be Friday.