Pentagon nominee Hagel clears key US Senate hurdle

President Barack Obama's embattled pick to head the Pentagon cleared a key hurdle Tuesday when many Republicans ended their obstruction and the Senate agreed to bring Chuck Hagel's nomination to a vote. Members of the chamber voted 71-27, with 18 Republicans joining the majority Democrats in clearing the way for the Senate to hold a full vote on confirmation later Tuesday.
Hagel's nomination had been held up for more than a week as several Republicans demanded a delay in the process so they could obtain and review information about Hagel's finances and transcripts of speeches that he gave to international organisations in recent years. But even some of his strongest critics, including Republicans Bob Corker, Lindsey Graham and John McCain, eventually voted to end debate on the nomination and allow an up-or-down floor vote.