The Senate approved the nomination of John Brennan as the new Central Intelligence Agency director on Thursday afternoon.  The vote took place after Senator Rand Paul had a filibuster that lasted 13 hours in which he wanted an explanation about the Obama administration's drone program.

Brennan was President Obama's nomination to replace former CIA Director David Petraeus, who had to resign because of an extramarital affair. Brennan had previously been Obama's chief counterterrorism advisor and was the interim director of the National Counterterrorism Center under George W. Bush. 

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Senator Paul ended his filibuster after he got a satisfying answer to his question about the drones from Attorney General Eric Holder. Holder wrote, "It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question: Does the President have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil? The answer to that question is no." 

Brennan is the perceived mastermind behind the drone program. He overcame controversial questions about the drones and about using waterboarding as torture to become the new head of the CIA. 

The Senate needed 60 votes to end the debate on Brennan's nomination, and they voted 81-16 to finish it after Paul was finished. The Senate then voted 63-34 in favor of Brennan to confirm him as the new director. Brennan is expected to start his duties as CIA director soon. 

 

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