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The Senate on Thursday afternoon approved John O. Brennan's nomination to lead the Central Intelligence Agency by a vote of 63 to 34.

The vote followed a filibuster by Senator Rand Paul, who spent nearly 13 hours on the Senate floor in pursuit of more information about the administration's domestic drone policy. After receiving a brief letter from Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. assuring him that the president does not have the "authority to use a drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil," Mr. Paul declared his effort a success, and ultimately voted to end debate (though against the nomination), bringing the total votes in favor of cloture to 81 over 16 against.

The final confirmation vote, however, revealed some unusual coalitions.

Two Democrats, Senators Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, as well as Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont, an independent and one of the Senate's most outspoken liberals, joined Republicans in voting against the nomination. Several of the early participants in Mr. Paul's filibuster, including Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, and Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, voted to confirm Mr. Brennan's nomination.

Mr. Brennan has served in top intelligence posts under both former President George W. Bush and President Obama. The latter had considered nominating Mr. Brennan as C.I.A. director four years ago, but objections to his perceived role in the agency's enhanced interrogation program from the left made it politically difficult. Mr. Brennan has since emerged as a critic of those techniques, and a report criticizing the C.I.A. for the program is likely to emerge as an early challenge of Mr. Brennan's tenure.

President Obama praised the "bipartisan confirmation" of Mr. Brennan in a statement.

"The Senate has recognized in John the qualities I value so much -- his determination to keep America safe, his commitment to working with Congress, his ability to build relationships with foreign partners, and his fidelity to the values that define us as a nation," Mr. Obama said.