I'm trying to help him gethis team in place Baucus told reporters

and let's really hope he's a Raider fan or one of Al's old golf buddies. tic toc tic toc. Barack Obama EconomyWith an 18-5 vote, the panel largely overlooked Geithner's underpayment of $34,000 in taxes, clearing the way for a full Senate confirmation vote that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he hoped to hold at around 6 p.m. Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat, said he wouldn't vote for Geithner in "normal times.""But these are not normal times. And I personally don't think we can afford a further delay in the filling of this critically important position," Conrad said. "I think we are not anywhere near out of the woods, that very serious days lie ahead of us, and that it is absolutely imperative that we get a secretary in place."STRONG DOLLAR MANTRA AFFIRMEDGeithner answered dozens more written questions from senators in a 102-page document released on Thursday, reaffirming the Treasury's long-standing currency mantra."A strong dollar is in America's national interest," he wrote in the document.Geithner also issued a stern warning to China, which has a huge trade surplus with the United States, saying that Obama believes Beijing was manipulating its yuan currency."President Obama backed by the conclusions of a broad range of economists believes that China is manipulating its currency," Geithner wrote.

financial system," he wrote.(Additional reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky, Rick Cowan, Tim Ahmann, Mark Felsenthal, Doug Palmer and Emily Kaiser; Editing by Dan Grebler and Jan Paschal) Barack Obama Economy. (Adds details on vote timing, fresh quote) Currencies Regulatory News Bonds China Senate Finance Committee approves Obama Treasury pick Senators overlook tax problems, cite crisis expertise Full Senate confirmation vote seen on Monday By David Lawder WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama'spick to head the U.S. Treasury, Timothy Geithner, won SenateFinance Committee backing on Thursday, putting him a key stepcloser to starting a job directing the new administration'sefforts to stabilize the economy. With an 18-5 vote, the panel largely overlooked Geithner'sunderpayment of $34,000 in taxes, clearing the way for a fullSenate confirmation vote that Senate Majority Leader HarryReid said he hoped to hold at around 6 p.m.

EST on Monday.Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Montana Democratwho has been shepherding Geithner's nomination throughcontroversy, had earlier pushed for floor vote on Thursday,but Republicans objected, asking for more time "The president needs his team. I'm trying to help him gethis team in place," Baucus told reporters. Obama's top economic cabinet member needs fullconfirmation to start work tackling a financial crisis that isthreatening to worsen a year-long recession as job lossesmount. Geithner told the committee on Wednesday that the Obamaadministration in coming weeks will unveil a multi-pronged effort to stabilize the housing market, strengthen core banksand support consumer credit to help foster economic recovery. Worries over potential delays in Obama's economic stimulusefforts have helped pushed stocks lower in recent days asmounting corporate job cuts and weak housing data feed worriesabout a worsening economy.

Comments from White House spokesman Robert Gibbs that thenew president was working to ensure that stimulus andfinancial stability plans are "implemented quickly" helpedlimit some damage, but major stock indexes still lost morethan 1 percent on Thursday. Gibbs added that Obama was pleased with the committee's"strong, bipartisan" vote. Geithner, who currently heads the New York Federal ReserveBank, was considered by many to be an ideal candidate for thejob because he has already been deeply involved in governmentefforts to prop up financial institutions and markets amid theworst financial crisis since the 1930s. TAX PROBLEMS COST VOTES Geithner's nomination appeared without controversy untilrevelations last week that he underpaid self-employment taxfor several years when he worked for the InternationalMonetary Fund earlier in this decade. Although Geithner corrected what he called "careless" and"unintentional" mistakes, the tax errors cost him some voteson the committee. "I don't believe that the requisite candor exists for meto indicate my support for him with an affirmative vote,"Republican Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona said before voting "no." Democrats and some Republicans on the panel said Geithnerwas well qualified and needed on the job as soon as possible Sen.