GOP delays Kagan vote to July 20

WASHINGTON, July 13 (UPI) -- Senate Republicans say they are delaying the confirmation vote on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan as a protest against her.

Kagan is expected to be confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee but the Republican contingent on the panel is saying she will just have to wait.

"There are concerns about the nomination in a host of different areas," Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., told The Hill. "The nominee lacks the experience and intellectual rigor of practicing law and serving as a judge."

The Hill said Tuesday the GOP is displeased with Kagan's legal work on abortion policy when she was in the Clinton administration and the longer-running controversy over military recruiting while she was dean of Harvard Law.

Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy, D-Vt., granted the request, which is allowed under committee rules. He said the vote was rescheduled to July 20.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters at Tuesday's briefing the administration was not disappointed by the delay. He said such delays are not unusual.

"I think this happened with Sonia Sotomayor," Gibbs said. "I don't think it's anything out of the ordinary. And we expect when the committee next week takes this up that she'll clear the committee and be well on her way to confirmation in the full Senate."