US Senate approves Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense
February 27, 2013  12:41
The US Senate on Tuesday voted 58-41 to confirm Chuck Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense. Hagel will be sworn in today. The vote was basically along party lines, with four Republicans breaking rank to join the Democratic majority. Hagel needed a simple majority of over 50 votes to be confirmed.  

The confirmation came as expected after GOP resistance was broken in a cloture vote to end debate earlier in the afternoon.  

Hagel, a 66-year-old Vietnam War veteran, will succeed current Pentagon chief Leon Panetta, who made no secret his desire to retire.
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