US Senate receives FBI's Kavanaugh report

The US Senate Judiciary Committee says it has received an FBI report on sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley tweeted on Thursday, "Supplemental FBI background file for Judge Kavanaugh has been received."

Grassley is expected to read the FBI report on Thursday morning, followed by his colleagues.

Because the report is confidential, senators will not be allowed to talk about what's in it.

Republicans agreed to ask the FBI for an additional background check on Kavanaugh after his first accuser, Dr Christine Blasey Ford, testified last week that he sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

Kavanaugh denies the accusation.

Ford's lawyers have said she was not contacted for an interview. But the FBI spoke to a second woman, Deborah Ramirez, who claims Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when they were in college.

Kavanaugh says that accusation is false.

In setting the voting process in motion, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is likely to call for a final vote over the weekend.

The Kavanaugh allegations have rocked President Donald Trump's effort to put the conservative appeals court judge on the high court.

Although Kavanaugh has denied the allegations of three women, they proved so controversial that Trump directed the FBI to re-open a background investigation.