The Senate on Thursday announced an agreement to complete work on seven of President Biden's nine stalled judicial nominees, who sparked fierce battles on the Senate floor this week.
A Senate Democratic leadership aide familiar with the agreement said the Senate is expected to finish confirming all the judges invited to the chamber by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York this week after recessing for Thanksgiving.
Under the agreement, the Senate confirmed Sparkle Skunanan as district judge for the District of Columbia, Brian Edward Murphy as district judge for the District of Massachusetts, and Ann Huang as district judge for the Central District. There will be a vote to do so. California after Thanksgiving break.
The Senate also took final votes on Cynthia Valenzuela Dixon for District Judge in the Central District of California, Katherine Henry for District Judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Noel Wise and Gail Weilheimer for District Judge in the Northern District of California. We plan to do so. Becomes District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The agreement sets the stage for the Senate to adjourn for Thanksgiving. Senators are scheduled to reconvene on Dec. 2 to vote on Hwang.
On Monday, Schumer's plan to elevate nine of Biden's judicial nominees caught Senate Republicans off guard and prompted an angry response.
Republican senators refused to abandon their vote on switching the executive branch and Congress, aiming to make Schumer's schedule of primary votes for candidates as difficult and time-consuming as possible.
The Senate spent nearly six hours Monday night voting on 18 procedural votes and continued working until midnight to advance a group of nominees.
Senators worked late Wednesday to process nominees as Republicans again refused to waive procedural hurdles.
But after a week of vigils, senators struck a deal Thursday and were ready to wrap up the work after Thanksgiving.
The Senate Judiciary Committee reported that six more of Biden's judicial nominees received favorable recommendations, setting the stage for action on the floor next month.
They are Anthony Brindisi, District Judge for the Northern District of New York, Elizabeth Coombe, District Judge for the Northern District of New York, Sarah Morgan Davenport, District Judge for New Mexico, and Tiffany Rene Johnson, District Judge for the District of New Mexico. Kelly Marie Neary, a judge in the Northern District of Georgia, will become a district judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and Miranda Holloway-Baggett will become a U.S. marshal in the Southern District of Alabama.
