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The Chairman of the Senate Ag Committee says his committee will conduct a hearing to review the nomination of former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack to be the next Secretary of Agriculture. Sen. Tom Harkin, also of Iowa, says the confirmation hearing will be held next Wednesday, Jan. 14, right in the middle of other key hearings of interest to agriculture.

Tom Daschle is first up on Thursday. The former Senate Ag Committee member and Senate Majority Leader has been selected to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Then, next Tuesday (Jan. 13), the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will review Energy Secretary-designate Steven Chu. That same committee will hear from Interior Secretary-designate Ken Salazar next Thursday (Jan. 15).

But wait, there’s a rumor floating around the Beltway that Vilsack may be tapped to replace Richardson as Secretary of Commerce. To read the story, click here.