Grassley: Judge Gorsuch Confirmation Ends Sen. Schumer’s 16-Year Era of Filibustering Judges

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee told reporters he was proud to have shepherded the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch through to his Senate confirmation Friday, which ended the era of filibustering Supreme Court nominations that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) began 16 years ago.

“There are a significant events that brought us to this point of adding a new member to the Supreme Court, but I think we just witnessed one of the most important votes that a member of the United States Senate can cast. Judge Gorsuch will be an independent voice on that Supreme Court. He proved that very much during the hearings,” said Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA).

The Senate approved President Donald Trump’s Gorsuch nomination 54-45, with Vice President Mike Pence presiding not so much because he was concerned there would be a tie, but because he and the other senators seem to enjoy his presence in the chamber.

Grassley said the dismissal of the 60-vote requirement returns the Senate to where it was before Democrats began the practice of blocking appointments with the filibuster.

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