Approval Expected Soon For Designate Champion

The U.S. Senate will probably confirm Hale Champion, former Harvard financial vice president, as under secretary of Health, Education and Welfare "within the next week or so", a Senate Finance Committee spokesman said yesterday.

Champion has waited almost two months since his nomination for the vote.

The committee spokesman, Geoff G. Peterson '67, added that the vote is "essentially a pro forma matter" and the "nomination probably should go through without any problems."

Champion, who has moved to Washington, could not be reached for comment last night.

Sanford Winston, chief press officer of HEW, said yesterday that President Carter's required investigation of Cabinet-level nominees by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service caused the delay. Carter's requirements for full disclosure of personal finances also complicated the procedure.

No Burden

Joseph Califano, secretary of HEW, was unavailable for comment yesterday, but Winston said that the delay was "no burden at all upon the department."

Champion began work for HEW on January 20 and has been an adviser to the secretary for the last three months. He cannot sign official documents or testify before Congress until he is of- ficially confirmed.

The finance committee will forward the nomination to the full Senate when it has approved three other under secretaries. The committee will send only one report to the floor.

Champion's confirmation hearing Monday lasted only 30 minutes. He gave "standard answers" and said "nothing controversial," Peterson said yesterday.

Peterson said Carter aides lost the application forms of many nominees, further slowing the confirmation process. In the past, appointees have usually been confirmed within three to six weeks of their nomination.

"No one really knows exactly where the bottleneck is," Peterson added