Schumer tees up Jackson’s nomination

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) moved on Tuesday to tee up Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination, putting the Senate on a glide path to confirm her by the end of the week. 

Schumer’s move tees up an initial vote on Jackson’s nomination for Thursday, when she would just need a simple majority to move forward. 

After that, senators could debate Jackson’s nomination for up to an additional 30 hours. That would make a final vote to confirm Jackson to be the first Black female justice set to happen on either Thursday or Friday.

“Once I file cloture, the stage will be set for the Senate to close debate on Judge Jackson’s nomination by Thursday. A vote on final confirmation will then follow,” Schumer said before he took the procedural step. 

“The Senate could then vote to confirm Judge Jackson as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson as soon as this Thursday. As soon as this Thursday. I hope we can work together to make that happen,” he added.

Republicans would need to agree to speed up a final vote on Jackson’s nomination. Given wide opposition to her nomination that could be a heavy lift, but Democrats are hoping that the looming two-week recess could persuade them. 

Jackson has the votes to be confirmed as Justice Stephen Breyer’s successor. All 50 Democratic senators are expected to vote for her.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced that she would support Jackson last week, while Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) announced on Monday that they would support her.