Comprehensive immigration reform legislation took a step toward approval on Tuesday, as the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send the bill to the Senate floor.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13 to 5 in favor of the bill, with three Republicans joining with the panel's ten Democrats in voting to support the legislation.
While Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V., said he was "deeply troubled" to learn of the IRS targeting conservatives groups, he suggested that Congress should also investigate the issue of organizations seeking non-profit status and then engaging in political activity
A conservative advocacy group has urged House Republican leaders to refrain from bringing controversial legislation to the House floor and risk distracting Americans from the recent scandals causing headaches for the White House.
Receiving bipartisan support, nuclear physicist Ernest Moniz was confirmed by the Senate as the next Secretary of Energy on Thursday.
The Senate voted 97 to 0 to confirm Moniz to replace outgoing Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who announced plans to retire in February.