FACTBOX: Geithner to face Senate finance panel hearing

(Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Finance Committee said on Wednesday it would hold a confirmation hearing for U.S. Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner on January 21.

Here are some facts about the selection and approval of Cabinet members:

* While a president-elect can announce his selection of Cabinet members, he cannot formally nominate them until he is sworn in as president. Presidents traditionally do so immediately after taking the oath of office.

* Cabinet members must be confirmed by the Senate, which generally has done so within days or even hours for recent presidents.

* Cabinet secretaries serve at the pleasure of the president, and Congress has historically contended the president should select who he wants. Largely because of this, 95 percent of all Cabinet nominees have been confirmed by the Senate since the administration of George Washington, according to the Senate historian's office.

* While the full Senate cannot vote on Cabinet candidates until the president formally nominates them, Senate committees routinely hold confirmation hearings to question them before the president takes office.

* Senate committees that hold confirmation hearings are the same ones with jurisdiction over the department that the nominee would head. For example, the Foreign Relations Committee holds the hearing on the secretary of state-designee and the Transportation Committee holds the hearing on the transportation secretary-designee.

* Presidents also have a number of advisers who don't need Senate approval. They include his chief of staff.

(Sources Senate library, Senate historian's office, White House website)

(Reporting by Thomas Ferraro; editing by David Alexander and David Wiessler)