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The Senate Judiciary Committee Just Approved Trump's SCOTUS Pick

The Republican-led panel advanced Neil Gorsuch's nomination, putting him one step closer to a contentious Senate vote and a seat on the bench.
Photo by C-SPAN via Wikimedia Commons

Update 2:50 PM: According to the New York Times, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11–9 down party lines to approve Neil Gorsuch's confirmation for Supreme Court Justice. The headline has been updated to reflect this change.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will meet Monday to vote on President Trump's pick to fill Antonin Scalia's vacant seat on the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch. The Republican-led panel will likely vote to advance Gorsuch to a full Senate vote Friday, where at least 36 Democrats are planning to vote against the conservative judge's nomination, PBS reports.

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday he was confident Gorsuch would get enough votes in the Senate to confirm his seat on the bench.

"Neil Gorsuch will be confirmed this week," the Kentucky Republican told NBC. "How that happens really depends on our Democratic friends."

Senate rules require a 60-vote majority to approve a Supreme Court appointee for the job, but so far only three Democrats have pledged to support Gorsuch alongside the Republican majority, according to ABC News. If at least five more Democrats don't pledge their support by Friday, McConnell may have to seek the so-called nuclear option and change the Senate rules to require only a 51-vote majority, the same needed to approve Cabinet members.

Watch the livestream below via PBS Newshour.