Republicans eliminate the SCOTUS filibuster and confirm Neil Gorsuch 54-45

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invoked the "nuclear option" on April 6, 2017, eliminating the 60-vote cloture threshold for Supreme Court nominations after Democrats filibustered Neil Gorsuch. The Senate then confirmed Gorsuch 54-45 on April 7 to fill the seat that had been vacant since Scalia's death 14 months earlier. Democrats argued the seat had been stolen through McConnell's blockade of Merrick Garland; Republicans argued their electoral victory entitled them to fill the vacancy.