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Congress advancing DoD nominees while McCain heals

Defense News: WASHINGTON — Congressional proceedings for Pentagon nominees this week will proceed as planned, despite the absence of Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain for medical reasons.

A senior SASC Republican — Sen. Jim Inhofe, of Oklahoma — is set to preside over the confirmation hearings for key Defense Department nominees previously set for Tuesday, committee spokeswoman Rachel Hoff said Monday.

The first Senate floor vote on President Donald Trump’s pick for the Pentagon’s No. 2, Patrick Shanahan, is still set to occur at 5:30 p.m., according to a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. If that vote is successful, it sets up a confirmation vote, likely before the end of the week.

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