The Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday voted to advance Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee to serve as secretary of Defense, to the floor.
The 14-13 vote was strictly along party lines.
Senators on the Armed Services panel also voted to waive the seven-day rule that usually requires at least a week to elapse between a nominee’s confirmation hearing and a vote to discharge from committee.
Senate Republicans then held a separate vote to advance Hegseth’s nomination.
Hegseth is one of Trump’s most high-profile nominees, and his confirmation hearing last week featured some fireworks as Democrats went on the attack.
Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), a Democrat on the committee, called the Monday vote “disappointing.”
