WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate may be able to vote by Thursday or Friday on the nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for a second term, the chamber's majority leader Senator Harry Reid said on Tuesday.

Reid, speaking on the Senate floor, said the chamber had to first finish legislation on raising the statutory limit on the public debt.

It is our goal to finish the legislation on the debt limit quickly, hopefully we can do that and maybe the Bernanke nomination by Thursday or Friday, Reid, a Democrat, said.

(Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)

Ben Bernanke