国际英语新闻：Senate committee green-lights Kagan as U.S. Supreme Court Justice

WASHINGTON, July 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday green-lit Elena Kagan to be U.S. Supreme Court Justice, clearing her nomination to advance to the Senate floor for a vote.

The committee voted 13-6 to send Kagan's nomination to the full Senate. All Democrats on the panel and one Republican Lindsey Graham voted in favor of her nomination.

Graham said Kagan is "qualified, who has the experience and knowledge to serve on this court, who is in the mainstream of liberal philosophy and understands the difference between being a liberal judge and a politician."

The Senate's vote to confirm Kagan could come any time between next week to next month. Democrats intend to have her confirmed before the August recess of Congress. So she could replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens in the court's fall session.

Since Democrats control the Senate, Kagan's confirmation doesn' t seem to be a problem. The confirmation needs only a simple majority, and Republicans haven't showed signs they are willing to block the nomination with a filibuster.