Confirmation | featured news

Her confirmation assured, Elena Kagan is on the brink of becoming the fourth woman ever to serve as a Supreme Court justice.

Her confirmation all but assured, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan neared the end of a final grueling day of Senate questioning Wednesday, fielding GOP challenges on abortion, gays in the military and other divisive issues while sidestepping Democrats' invitations to blast conservative decisions by the court she's hoping to join.

The Senate has unanimously confirmed Gen. David Petraeus as the next commander of the Afghanistan war. The vote was 99-0.

Late tonight, President Obama seemed to signal he would not be making any recess appointments, following the Senate's confirmation of more than dozen nominees.

The White House fired back this morning at a move by Senator Richard Shelby, Republican of Alabama, who placed a “blanket hold” on dozens of President Obama’s nominees awaiting confirmation before the Senate.

A crucial vote to cut off debate is expected later Thursday. If that passes, a vote on confirmation could follow.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor won U.S. Senate approval on Thursday to become the first Hispanic on the U.S. Supreme Court.