Shortly before midnight, the Senate confirmed Wednesday a new secretary of housing, Steven Preston, replacing Alphonso Jackson, the last chief of the Housing and Urban Development who resigned amid a contracting scandal.
The Senate also approved conservative author James Glassman to replace Karen Hughes as the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. Glassman had prompted concerns from Democrats because of his strong conservative leanings.
The nominations were confirmed after Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and the White House reached a deal to move a slew of executive branch nominees.
–Manu Raju