January nomination hearings for Rice

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A U.S. Senate oversight panel has scheduled two days of hearings on the nomination of Condoleezza Rice to be secretary of state.

The hearings open Jan. 18 for Rice, currently National Security Advisor to President Bush. She would replace outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell, if confirmed by the Senate.

She is expected to face some potentially tough questioning on her role in the Bush administration's response to terrorist threats facing the nation and the invasion of Iraq, but Rice is expected to ultimately received an easy confirmation.