Srinivasan, 45, became the first South Asian to be ever nominated to the circuit court by President Barack Obama last June, but the Senate Judiciary Committee announced his confirmation hearing for next week only Monday.

"The DC Circuit, as you know, is often considered the nation's second-highest court, but it has twice as many vacancies as any other court of appeals, and its workload has increased by over 20 percent since 2005," Obama's press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

"Sri's confirmation will be an important first step to filling this court's four vacancies, and he will be, when confirmed, the first South Asian circuit court judge in history," he said urging the Senate to move swiftly to also confirm the 15 additional judicial nominees waiting for votes.