Republicans to delay vote on Chuck Hagel for Pentagon 14 February 2013 Last updated at 20:57 Republican senators are delaying a vote to confirm President Obama's nominee for US secretary of defense. They say questions remain about Senator Chuck Hagel, but have agreed to an up-or-down confirmation vote next week. Mr Hagel's backers say the US military needs a leader in place while troops remain in Afghanistan and North Korea has just tested a nuclear device. Mr Hagel, a former Republican Senator, would replace Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta if approved by the full Senate. He was approved by the Senate armed services committee in a 14-11 vote along party lines on Tuesday. Never, ever Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Arizona Senator John McCain and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham argued that more time was needed to answer outstanding questions about Mr Hagel. Presidential nominees There have been 500 presidential cabinet nominations since 1789 In only nine cases have such nominees been rejected In a further 21 cases, the nomination was withdrawn or the Senate took no action The last time it happened was in 1989 when another Pentagon nominee, John Tower, was rejected by 53-47 in a Senate vote, amid allegations of private misconduct The last time a nomination was withdrawn was in 2009 - President Obama's pick for health secretary, Tom Daschle, over questions about his tax payments While only 5% of presidential cabinet nominees have been rejected by the Senate, a third of Supreme Court nominees have been turned away by the chamber Source: Donald A Ritchie, US Senate historian They said they would be prepared to vote on the nomination when the Senate returned from a 10-day recess. The Republicans have forced the delay with a parliamentary manoeuvre to block the Senate majority leader's move to end debate on Mr Hagel's nomination and proceed to an up-or-down vote on confirmation. Even though the Democrats hold a majority of 55 votes, Senate rules in this case require them to come up with 60 to end debate and hold the final confirmation vote. Mr Hagel's backers have warned of great risks in leaving the Pentagon without a leader at a time of budget challenges, while the US has troops in Afghanistan, and days after North Korea apparently detonated a nuclear device. The White House said the Pentagon needed a leader at once, and that it would be difficult to explain the vacancy in a top cabinet post to America's allies. "It also sends a signal to our men and women in uniform," White House spokesman Joshua Earnest said in a statement. We need our new defence secretary to be there. Earlier, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said use of the delaying tactic, known as a filibuster, was "shocking" and "tragic." "Not a single nominee for secretary of defense ever in the history of our country has been filibustered," he said. Never, ever. Renegade One of Mr Hagel's leading critics in the Senate, Sen Graham, had vowed to block Mr Hagel's confirmation until he received more information from the White House about the 11 September attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The White House says it has responded to Republican requests, and now Sen Graham and other critics say they need more time to consider Mr Hagel.