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Janet Yellen confirmed to head the Federal Reserve

Alexis Levinson Political Reporter
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The Senate voted Monday to confirm Janet Yellen as the head of the Federal Reserve.

Yellen will be the first woman to head up the Fed. She will succeed the current chair, Ben Bernanke, whose term expires on Jan. 31.

The Senate confirmed Yellen by a vote of 56-26, the closest vote to confirm a Fed Chair ever. The next closest vote was 70-30 to confirm Bernanke for a second term in 2010.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul attempted to hold up Yellen’s confirmation as the clock wound down last year, saying he would not block a quick vote unless Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid agreed to bring his “Audit the Fed” bill to the floor, something Reid refused to do.

Reid had initially planned to hold a vote on Yellen’s confirmation before Congress left for Christmas break last month, but ultimately opted to delay her vote until Congress returned in the new year.

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