Washington ? The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted overwhelmingly on Thursday for Hillary Clinton to become the next secretary of state, with lawmakers saying they were hopeful her leadership would mark a turn from warfare toward diplomacy.

The 16-1 approval by the committee paves the way for a full Senate vote after President-elect Barack Obama takes office Tuesday. Clinton is not expected to hit any major roadblocks, with Republicans and Democrats alike praising her acumen on the issues.