Any hopes of a quick and painless confirmation for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as HHS secretary were dashed on April 2. 
The Hill, Roll Call and Congressional Quarterly report Sebelius' nomination is being held up by some senators on the Senate Finance Committee. The Capitol Hill newsgathering organizations say GOP senators will not give their consent to moving the nomination forward until they receive written responses to questions asked by senators during a committee hearing April 2. CQ writes:
The Obama administration appears to have dodged a Senate battle over abortion that might have come with Sebelius' nomination. The governor has clashed several times with the Kansas Legislature over her support of abortion rights, but the state's two conservative Republican senators, Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts - both prominent opponents of abortion - have lent her their support.
Thursday's hearing featured a bipartisan goodwill for the nominee and a sense of urgency that a health overhaul is essential this year.
Deep partisan divisions appeared, however, when the hearing focused on whether Congress should create a government-run health insurance program alongside private plan options.
The HHS secretary post is the only post yet to be filled in the president's cabinet, according to The Hill.
Congress is on break for the next two weeks for Easter and Passover holidays.