The Senate advanced two of President Obama’s judicial nominees in lawmakers’ first day back after the midterm elections.
Debate on Randolph Moss’s nomination to be a U.S. district judge for the District of Columbia ended on a 53-45 vote and the Senate voted 67-30 to end debate on the nomination of Leigh May to be a U.S. district judge for the northern district of Georgia.
{mosads}Both confirmation votes are expected Thursday at 2:15 p.m.
With Republicans taking control of the upper chamber next year, Democrats are more motivated than ever to clear as many of Obama’s executive and judicial nominations as possible, before the end of the year.
Before Wednesday’s vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed cloture on three more judicial nominees for districts in Georgia.
Republicans and Democrats could agree to move dozens of non-controversial nominations en bloc. The GOP could also decide to drag out the process and force Democrats to go through all the legislative hurdles before holding the confirmation votes.