After the Republicans adjusted the rules in their favor, the Senate voted Friday to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Johnny Isakson of Georgia, who has been recovering from back surgery, did not vote.
Judge Neil Gorsuch testifies during the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, March 22, 2017 in Washington.
"Neil Gorsuch - a man devoted to the Constitution and the rule of law - has a legal background unparalleled by most, and integrity respected by all".
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) took a victory lap after learning that Gorsuch had been approved.
While Gorsuch has a reputation as a conservative, Loewy said that can be deceptive, as it does not tell you where he is on certain questions. Democrats scoffed at the notion, instead pegging him as a pro-business ideologue who would side with big corporations over everyday Americans.
The change in the rules governing the election of supreme court justices has sparked concerns that the appointment of judges could become more politicised, while also raising the prospect that legislative measures could be subject to the majority rules, a move that would represent a dramatic shift in how the Senate operates.
Vice President Pence presided over the Senate on the final vote, which was 54-45. Sen.
"He's an exceptional choice", McConnell said. "It will make the cooling saucer of the Senate considerably hotter, and I believe it will make the Supreme Court a more partisan place". Some of the first cases Gorsuch could be expected to hear are on housing discrimination and workers' rights. There is no way to know how many there will be, if any, but several justices are quite elderly.
Canadian and French Leaders Pay Homage to Fallen Soldiers at Vimy Ridge
The four-day battle of Vimy Ridge, near the city of Arras, saw huge losses for Canadian forces, as well as United Kingdom deaths. In total, around 159,000 allied troops died, including British, Canadian and Australian soldiers.
On Thursday, Democrats planned to filibuster to try to delay Gorsuch's confirmation, but Sen. The change allows the Senate to proceed to the final vote with a simple majority.
McConnell was overruled, but he appealed.
Gorsuch will now occupy the seat left vacant by the passing of the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
Liberal groups called for an all-out fight to reject Gorsuch, a staunch conservative who is likely to vote "to limit gay rights, uphold restrictions on abortion, and invalidate affirmative action programmes", according to a study that analyses the ideologies of potential Supreme Court nominees.
The vote broke down largely on party lines.
The developments were accompanied by unusually bitter accusations and counter-accusations.
There is no reasonable justification for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's failure previous year to hold a hearing on President Barack Obama's nomination of the moderate and highly qualified Judge Merrick Garland to that seat.
The only real uncertainty in the process had been whether the Democrats would be able to muster the 41 votes needed to filibuster Gorsuch's nomination.
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