Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) will take over Sen. Arlen Specter's (D-Pa.) former ranking member position on the Judiciary Committee, The Hill reports. The move will last until the next Congress, when Sessions will take over the top GOP slot on the Budget Committee.

Sessions and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reached the deal that will allow the Alabama Republican to take over for Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), whose departure from the GOP last week left the committee without a ranking member.

Under terms of the deal, Sessions will serve as ranking member until the 112th Congress, when he will take over the ranking member post on the Senate Budget Committee. Current Budget Committee ranking member Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) is retiring at the end of the 111th Congress.

Grassley, the top Republican on the Finance Committee, will then become ranking member on the Judiciary Committee.

Gregg, appearing on MSNBC this afternoon, confirmed and approved of the move.

"He is one of the most talented, thoughtful and capable members of the Senate, and he will be a very strong ranking member on that committee," Gregg said. "I look forward to his assuming that position. I think he'll be great."