Republicans took the historic step Thursday of changing US Senate rules to clear the way for confirming Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, bypassing the first-ever successful opposition block of a high-court nominee.
President Donald Trump’s pick, embraced by conservatives but opposed by most Democrats, failed to receive the 60 votes necessary to end debate and move to a simple majority confirmation vote in the 100-seat Senate.
In response, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell moved to change the rules to ensure that a simple majority suffices to advance Gorsuch — and all subsequent Supreme Court nominees — from the debate to a vote.
The rule change — known as the so-called “nuclear option” — was approved in a party-line vote of 52 to 48, in a political earthquake for the Senate and its efforts at bipartisanship.
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