Senate quickly confirms 6 Obama Cabinet choices

WASHINGTON —  The Senate, acting within hours of President Obama’s inauguration, confirmed six of his Cabinet secretaries and his budget director Tuesday, but postponed for one day a vote on the nomination of Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of State.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) had objected to approving Clinton’s nomination by voice vote -- as the other nominees were -- because he said he had continuing concerns about potential conflicts arising from foreign donations to the foundation of her husband, former President Clinton.

Cornyn wanted more debate and a recorded vote, which was scheduled for today. Hillary Clinton is expected to be confirmed by a wide margin.

Senate leaders have been trying to follow a tradition of putting a new president’s Cabinet in place as quickly as possible. Those confirmed Tuesday, without any debate, were:

* Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, as Energy secretary.

* Arne Duncan, Chicago Public Schools chief, as Education secretary.

* Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security secretary.

* Peter Orszag as director of the Office of Management and Budget

* Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) as Interior secretary.

* Retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki as Veterans Affairs secretary.

* Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as Agriculture secretary.

Other Cabinet nominations that are expected to be confirmed soon include that of Eric H. Holder Jr. as attorney general. He faces questions from Republicans about his role in controversial pardons at the end of Bill Clinton’s presidency.

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle’s nomination to be Health and Human Services secretary has been delayed because Republicans want to examine his tax records.

Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy F. Geithner’s confirmation hearing was postponed until today amid questions about his failure to pay payroll taxes for several years.

Obama’s choice for Labor secretary, Rep. Hilda L. Solis (D-El Monte), is facing opposition from some Republicans because of concern about what they consider a lackluster performance in her confirmation hearing and her support for legislation to make it easier for unions to organize workers. It is probably not enough trouble to derail the nomination, but it may slow her confirmation.

Responding to earlier controversy about its foreign donors, the Clinton foundation released a list of contributors and agreed to report annually on any new donations. But Cornyn is calling for increased disclosure of foreign donors, fearing that foreign entities would try to curry favor with the secretary of State by contributing to her husband’s foundation.

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janet.hook@latimes.com