U.S. Senate Sets Hearings On Obama Cabinet

Obama already has announced his choices to head 15 Cabinet departments.

U.S. Senate leaders are pushing to make sure several of the top positions in Barack Obama's Cabinet can be filled as soon as the new president moves into the Oval Office on Jan. 20.

Obama already has announced his choices to head 15 Cabinet departments plus his nominee for U.S. trade representative and White House budget director.

The Senate hopes to move quickly on appointing Hillary Clinton for secretary of state, Eric Holder for attorney general, Janet Napolitano to head the Department of Homeland Security and Timothy Geithner to be Treasury secretary.

Obama has asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to remain at the Pentagon.

Senate leaders have begun scheduling hearings and votes on Obama's choices. They include:

- Thursday, Jan. 8: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as health and human services secretary at 1000 EST/1500 GMT.

- Friday, Jan. 9: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Rep. Hilda L. Solis as labor secretary at 0930 EST/1430 GMT.

- Jan. 9: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Arne Duncan as education secretary at 1000 EST/1500 GMT.

- Jan. 13: Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Dr. Steven Chu as energy secretary at 1000 EST/1500 GMT.

- Jan. 15: Judiciary Committee on Eric Holder as U.S. attorney general at 0930 EST/1430 GMT.

- Jan. 15: Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Sen. Ken Salazar as interior secretary at 0930 EST/1430 GMT.

Under U.S. law, the Senate has final say about presidential Cabinet appointments. Obama's Democratic party holds a majority in the 100-member Senate.

According to the U.S. Senate librarian, current Cabinet secretaries stay on until they resign or are replaced.

To help ensure an orderly transition, incoming appointees receive detailed briefings on their future assignments from career civil servants who remain on the job.