Senate postpones first confirmation hearing for crucial Biden administration



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The Senate Special Committee on Intelligence has postponed Friday’s confirmation hearing for President-elect Joe Biden’s choice to be the next director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, the committee’s leadership said in a statement Thursday evening. It is not clear whether the hearing will be postponed before or after Wednesday’s inauguration.

A familiar source, who said the confirmation timeline should not be changed significantly, said the reason for the delay was that a senator wanted the in-person hearing and Friday’s session had to be moved away.

Biden’s transition team spokesman Ned Price said the team were “disappointed” with the delay.

“Haines, nominated by DNI, looked forward to appearing before the Committee tomorrow. We are disappointed that the hearing has been delayed, especially given the urgency to have national security officials in place at this time of crisis. to answer questions from the committee next week, “Price said.

Acting Intelligence President Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, and Vice President Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, said Thursday evening that the committee was working “as quickly as possible.”

“Despite the unusual circumstances at Capitol Hill, the committee is working in good faith to move this candidate as quickly as possible and to ensure that committee members have the opportunity to question him in both open and closed contexts. The Director of Intelligence National Council plays a crucial role in overseeing the 18 agencies that make up our nation’s intelligence community, and the committee looks forward to holding a hearing next week with Ms. Haines, ”their joint statement said.

Haines, a former senior CIA official and deputy national security adviser, would be the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community if the Senate confirmed it.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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