WASHINGTON - The Senate as soon as next week could vote to confirm President Donald Trump's controversial Federal Reserve nominee Judy Shelton to a seat on the central bank's board of governors, giving the president another chance to shape the long-term direction of one of the government's most powerful entities.

WASHINGTON - Judy Shelton, an economist known for her criticism of the Federal Reserve, is poised to take a big step toward joining the central bank's board, adding a new layer of political tension as policymakers deal with the biggest economic crisis in decades.