31.   Democrats walked out of the session, denying Hatch the quorum he needed to get confirmation votes on four Justice Department nominees.

32.   Democrats also have held up confirmation votes on Theodore Olson to be solicitor general and Larry Thompson to be deputy attorney general.

33.   Democrats then were hitting the Republicans hard for causing delays in confirmation votes for minority nominees.

34.   Earlier in the session, lawmakers of the opposition New Party unfurled a banner to protest abolition of the confirmation votes.

35.   Earlier Wednesday, the Duma approved a measure allowing the confirmation vote to be an open one, instead of the secret vote mandated by the previous rules.

36.   He faces the first of three possible confirmation votes by the Duma on Wednesday.

37.   He faces the first of three possible confirmation votes by the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday.

38.   He is currently awaiting approval by parliament, with a confirmation vote set for Friday.

39.   His confirmation vote in parliament is slated for Friday.

40.   In negotiations on the legislative program, care was taken not to endanger the confirmation vote.