Gen. Michael Hayden speaks after President Bush announced his nomination to head the CIA at the White House in Washington May 8, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters)

    WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee approved on Tuesday the nomination of Michael Hayden as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

    The nomination was passed by a vote of 12-3 in the 15-member committee.

    If confirmed by the full Senate, which is expected to vote on the nomination later this week, Hayden, an Air Force General and currently the deputy director of National Intelligence, would replace Porter Goss as the CIA's new chief.

    Goss resigned early this month after less than two years in office, and Bush nominated Hayden, 61, to head the CIA on May 8.

    Hayden, born in Pennsylvania, earned a B.A. in history in 1967 and an M.A. in modern American history in 1969, both from Duquesne University.

    He entered active military service in 1969, was appointed director of the National Security Agency in 1999, and became deputy director of National Intelligence in April 2005. Enditem

Related stories:

Spying role may threaten fate of Bush's CIA boss nominee

CIA leak case investigators check handwritten notes of US VP

CIA nominee defends domestic spying program

Bush nominates general as new CIA director

CIA boss resigns in White House shake-up