Senate will tackle judicial nominations, FAA early next week

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) adjourned the upper chamber for the weekend, saying there will be votes early next week on three judicial nominees as well as additional debate on an aviation bill.

The Senate will reconvene on Monday at 2 p.m. and shortly thereafter will debate additional amendments to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill, Reid said.

At 4:30 p.m., the Senate will begin one hour of debate on the confirmation of three judicial nominees:

* Paul Holmes of Arkansas, to be U.S. district judge for the Western District of Arkansas

* Diana Saldana of Texas, to be district judge for the Southern District of Texas

* Marco Hernandez of Oregon, to be United States district judge for the District of Oregon.

Votes on the confirmation of these nominees are scheduled to occur at 5:30 p.m.

Senate leaders recently announced a new agreement that allows for an expedited confirmation process for non-controversial judicial nominees.