(AP) ? The Senate Finance Committee has cleared the nomination of Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary despite unhappiness over his tax mistakes.

The committee approved the nomination in an 18-5 vote, sending it to the full Senate. President Barack Obama is hoping for quick approval so that the point man for the administration's economic rescue effort can begin work.

The committee vote came a day after Geithner had appeared before the panel to apologize for what he called "careless mistakes" in failing to pay $34,000 in taxes earlier in the decade when he worked at the International Monetary Fund.

Treasurynominee apologizes for not paying taxes