WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A Senate committee Monday approved the nomination of Michael Chertoff as homeland security secretary.
The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, approved the nomination by voice vote.
Only one member of the committee had said they might oppose the nomination -- Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., who said he was angry about homeland security funding for Minneapolis-St. Paul. Coleman said Monday the funding problem had been solved.
Now the nomination has been approved by the committee, it will move to the Senate floor later this week where it is expected to easily pass.
When Chertoff was confirmed as a federal judge in 2003, only one senator opposed him -- Sen. Hilary Clinton, D-N.Y.
