Senate chairman: Hagel nomination on track

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Chuck Hagel's nomination to be the next defense secretary remains on track despite Republican demands for additional information on his paid speeches and business dealings, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said Thursday.

The GOP requests dealt a setback to President Barack Obama's pick, forcing the committee to announce late Wednesday that it was postponing a vote on the nomination. No new date has been set.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the committee, said the requests were extraordinary for a nominee and Hagel had complied with the panel. He said he would move ahead with a vote as soon as possible.

"We can't not vote because there's dissatisfaction. That would be endless," Levin told reporters. "We're going to schedule a vote."

Levin said he was confident that the Senate would confirm Hagel, pointing out that none of the Senate's 55 Democrats oppose the nominee, two Republicans have announced their support and several other GOP senators have said they would not back a filibuster.

"His confirmation is very much on track to me," Levin said.

The White House said Thursday that Hagel has given lawmakers exhaustive information but will continue to disclose more to the Senate panel considering his nomination.

White House spokesman Jay Carney says Hagel has turned over all available speech transcripts, but that some of his speeches were never transcribed. He says it's vital that the Pentagon position be filled and is urging the Senate to approve Hagel quickly.

Republicans in a letter had complained Hagel didn't sufficiently answer questions, including inquiries about more than $5,000 in compensation he received over the past five years.

"He's been asked what no prior candidates have been asked for, way beyond what the rules of the committee are," Levin complained. The chairman said he would respond with his own letter to the panel's Republicans.

One of the committee's Republicans, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer, said Thursday she will vote against Hagel.

Fisher, writing an op-ed published in the Omaha World-Herald, cast Hagel's views as out of the mainstream, a point she argued during his confirmation hearing last week. She also says Hagel gave "confusing and contradictory" testimony before the Armed Services Committee.

Fischer's opposition was widely expected, as Hagel endorsed her Democratic rival ? former Sen. Bob Kerrey ? in the November election. Hagel is a former two-term GOP senator from Nebraska.

Nebraska's other Republican senator, Mike Johanns, has said he supports Hagel for the job. Hagel also has the backing of Sen. Thad Cochran, Miss.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-chairman-hagel-nomination-track-191244312--politics.html

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