Senate Republicans Extend Nuclear Option to Supreme Court Nominations

Senate Republicans led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invoked the nuclear option to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster threshold for Supreme Court nominations, passing a rules change by a 52-48 party-line vote. The move came after Democrats filibustered the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia's death in February 2016. Gorsuch was confirmed the following day by a 54-45 vote, completing a process that McConnell had initiated by refusing to hold hearings on President Obama's nominee Merrick Garland for the preceding year.