Senate Committee Approves Kagan

In a 13-6 vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved the nomination of U.S. solicitor general Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A full senate vote on her confirmation is expected within the next few days, The New York Timesreports.

The vote fell along party lines with one notable exception: South Carolina senator Lindsay Graham broke from his Republican colleagues in voting to endorse Kagan's nomination to the seat vacated by Justice John Paul Stevens, who retired this summer.

Graham said that Kagan would not have been his specific pick for the high court, but "the person who did choose -- President Obama -- I think chose wisely.''

Kagan is widely expected to receive full Senate confirmation and to take her seat this fall as the fourth female justice in U.S. history, since Graham's endorsement gives the Democrats the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.