Holder Wins Approval From Senate Committee

Eric Holder was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday to be the next attorney general, after Republicans eased their resistance over Holder's past positions on pardons and views on torture.

The committee voted 17-2 in favor of Holder, recommending approval to the full Senate.

A significant number of Republicans are expected to support his nomination, and Holder could win confirmation by the full Senate as early as Thursday. He would become the first black U.S. attorney general.

One of the unresolved issues of Holder's confirmation is whether CIA officers or other government officials should face criminal investigation for harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding. In testimony at his confirmation hearing, Holder said that waterboarding is torture.

That declaration opens the door for another potential showdown between Republicans and Democrats on whether the Obama administration will seek to prosecute U.S. intelligence officials for past interrogations during the Bush administration.

The only senators who voted against Holder were Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

Cornyn criticized Holder's role in controversial pardons and questioned whether he would protect U.S. intelligence agents who participated in harsh interrogations.

The CIA used the waterboarding tactic on at least three terrorism suspects, included alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.