Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration voted 10-9 on partisan lines to approve a resolution that would dramatically cut down debate time over judicial nominees—from 30 hours to as little as two hours. In response, Jake Faleschini, director of the Federal Courts Program at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The Senate majority apparently will stop at nothing to cram as many ideological extremists as possible onto our nation’s federal courts. This latest partisan move to change the rules is yet another effort to prevent a thoughtful and thorough vetting process required for lifetime appointments. Dramatically reducing this time makes a mockery of senators’ constitutional responsibility to offer advice and consent on judicial nominations. The Trump administration has already confirmed 84 nominees in its first two years, compared with just 62 during the same time in the Obama administration. There is absolutely no need to rush the process even more.
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