Las Vegas Sun

April 25, 2024

Former senators set to introduce Hagel at defense secretary hearing

Two former chairmen of the Senate Armed Services Committee _ one a Democrat, the other a Republican _ are set to introduce Chuck Hagel at his confirmation hearing for defense secretary.

Officials close to the confirmation process say former Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia and former Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia will make the presentation before the committee on Thursday.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the panel has not formally made an announcement.

Nunn served in the Senate from 1972 to 1997. Warner served from 1979 to 2009.

President Barack Obama has tapped Hagel, a former two-term Republican senator from Nebraska, to succeed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.