Confirmation hearings begin for Biden's appointees

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Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) speaks during a Senate Finance Committee hearing to examine the expected nomination of Janet Yellen to be Secretary of the Treasury on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS

Nominee for Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Melina Mara/Pool via REUTERS

Senator Ben Sasse, R-Neb., listens during a Senate Finance Committee hearing for Janet Yellen, of California, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Treasury Secretary in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Pool via REUTERS

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin answers questions during his confirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, U.S. January 19, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) questions President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin during his confirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS

Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) speaks during a Senate Finance Committee hearing to examine the expected nomination of Janet Yellen to be Secretary of the Treasury on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS

Alejandro Mayorkas, nominee to be Secretary of Homeland Security, testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021.

Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) questions Alejandro Mayorkas, nominee to be Secretary of Homeland Security, during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021.

Senator Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, listens during a Senate Finance Committee hearing for Janet Yellen, of California, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Treasury Secretary in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) questions President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin during his confirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, U.S. January 19, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS

Avril Haines bumps fists with Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), incoming-Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman, before the start of the Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing to be President-elect Joe Biden's pick for national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Avril Haines and Dan Coats, former Director of National Intelligence, speak to each other during the Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing to consider her to be President-elect Joe Biden's pick for national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks during a Senate Finance Committee hearing for Janet Yellen, of California, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Treasury Secretary in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) questions Nominee for Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines before the Senate Intelligence Committee during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Melina Mara/Pool via REUTERS

Senator Rand Paul, R-KY, listens as Antony J. Blinken, of New York, speaks during his confirmation hearing to be Secretary of State before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Alex Edelman/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) questions President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin during his confirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS

Avril Haines is sworn in at the start of her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee to be President-elect Joe Biden's national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Avril Haines bumps elbows with Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) before the start of her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee to be President-elect Joe Biden's national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) listens during the Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing of Nominee for Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Melina Mara/Pool via REUTERS

Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., speaks to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., before the start of a Senate Finance Committee hearing for Janet Yellen, of California, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Treasury Secretary in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Pool via REUTERS

Senator John Thune (R-SD) appears during a Senate Finance Committee hearing to examine the expected nomination of Janet Yellen to be Secretary of the Treasury on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS

Avril Haines speaks during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee to be President-elect Joe Biden's national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Avril Haines looks on during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee to be President-elect Joe Biden's national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) speaks to Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) prior to President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, U.S. January 19, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) asks questions while en route to Washington, D.C., to President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin during his confirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS

Former Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) greet each other before the confirmation hearing for Nominee for Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Melina Mara/Pool via REUTERS

Antony J. Blinken, of New York, speaks during his confirmation hearing to be Secretary of State before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Alex Edelman/Pool via REUTERS

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) prepares to question Avril Haines during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee to be President-elect Joe Biden's national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), acting Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, speaks to Avril Haines during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee to be President-elect Joe Biden's national intelligence director in Washington, DC, U.S. January 19, 2021. Joe Raedle/Pool via REUTERS

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) questions President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin during his confirmation before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS