Supporters say he is a champion of fact-based approaches to questions of public health and safety.

However, others stress his association with the regulation-slashing efforts of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and claim that he is beholden to big business.

Graham was nominated by President Bush in March and approved in May by a 9-3 vote of the Senate Committee on Government Affairs.

But a vote on the Senate floor was put on hold by Democrats led by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Senate debate finally began last week and last Thursday, Graham was confirmed by a 63-37 vote, with all 37 votes in opposition coming from Democrats.

Opposition to Graham’s confirmation rested largely on critics’ analysis of his record at HCRA.

Public Citizen, a non-profit watchdog organization founded by Ralph Nader, vocally opposed Graham’s nomination and lobbied senators against it.