WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats on Tuesday resolved a dispute with the White House over access to classified legal opinions on "targeted killings," including drone strikes on U.S. citizens, clearing the way for a committee vote on John Brennan's nomination to be CIA director.
In a statement, committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein said that she had "reached an agreement with the White House to provide the committee access to all" Justice Department opinions related to the "targeted killing of Americans."
The agreement "will pave the way for the confirmation of John Brennan to be CIA director," she said.
The committee has set a closed-door meeting for Tuesday afternoon at which a vote on the Brennan nomination was to be taken. A vote on Brennan's confirmation by the full Senate could then be scheduled.
The intelligence committee's vote had been delayed due to a squabble between senators and the White House over access to the Justice Department legal papers, as well as to records related to the U.S. response to the September 11, 2012, attacks on U.S. outposts in Benghazi, Libya.
Some committee Democrats, including Senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall, had hinted that they might vote against Brennan's nomination if the White House did not turn over all the Justice Department papers they were seeking. Until this week, the White House had only been willing to turn over four out of what were estimated to be 11 relevant documents.
Committee members and some aides are being allowed to review the documents but will not be allowed permanently to retain copies of them on Capitol Hill.
(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; editing by Jackie Frank)
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