Washington - The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed six of President Obama's choices for cabinet positions, including secretaries for the departments of energy, homeland security and education.

The confirmations were the first for Obama and came on the day he succeeded president George W Bush.

The Senate confirmed Steven Chu as energy secretary, Arne Duncan as education secretary, Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary, Peter Orszag as director of the Office of Management and Budget, Kenneth Salazar as interior secretary, Eric Shinseki as veterans affairs secretary and Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary.

Two of Obama's top appointees - Hillary Clinton for secretary of state and Timothy Geithner for treasury secretary - have had their confirmations delayed in the Senate over questions coming from some Republican legislators. Both are still expected to be approved in the coming week.

"It is up to us, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, to confirm these worthy nominees quickly, so that they, along with our new president, can hit the ground running," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said ahead of Tuesday's vote. (dpa)