Yellen's Senate confirmation hearing expected Jan. 19

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to hold a confirmation hearing for Treasury Secretary-nominee Janet Yellen on Jan. 19

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to hold a confirmation hearing for Treasury Secretary-nominee Janet Yellen on Jan. 19, two sources familiar with the planning said Tuesday.

The timing for the hearing would mean that Yellen will appear before a panel still controlled by Republicans. Democrats will not take over control of the Senate until Jan. 20 after Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are sworn into office.

With the election to the Senate of two Democrats from Georgia last week, the Senate will be split 50-50. Harris will give Democrats a majority once she is sworn is. As vice president, Harris will be able to break 50-50 ties.

Yellen is expected to win easy confirmation. She will be the first woman to be Treasury secretary in the nation's history and also the first person to have held all three top economic posts — chair of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, chair of the Federal Reserve and head of Treasury.