Watch the Senate proceedings in the player above. A Trump loyalist who has fiercely criticized the agency, Patel will inherit an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past ...

Patel, who previously served as the Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defense Christoper Miller, can only afford to lose the vote of three Republican senators to be confirmed. Sen. Susan Collins ...

The Senate voted 51-47 to invoke cloture earlier Thursday and advance Patel to the full floor. The vote is set to begin at 1:45 p.m. EST. Watch the live video above.