Wednesday, May 27, 2009 7:17 AM
Timing Sotomayor's Senate Confirmation
President Obama has signaled time and again he wants his Supreme Court nominee confirmed by August when Congress goes on recess. In a briefing Tuesday at the White House, senior administration officials reiterated that goal but wouldn't say when they hope the confirmation hearings begin.
Republicans had asked for at least 60 days to review any nominee before hearings begin, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has already rebuffed that request. Still, based on historical trends and estimates by experts that hearings would need two weeks, there appears to be enough time if the hearings take place at the end of July.
In a post a few weeks ago, NationalJournal.com examined timelines for nomination announcements and confirmation hearings dating back to President Ronald Reagan's first nominee, Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981. The average amount of time between nomination and confirmation of a new justice is 80 days. By making his announcement on Tuesday, the president has left 73 days between now and his Aug. 7 deadline.
The longest waiting period was 107 days when President George H. W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas in 1991. In that case, Bush didn't nominate Thomas until July 1, and the summer recess ended up prolonging the process: Thomas wasn't confirmed by the Senate until Oct. 15. The shortest turnaround lasted 50 days, when President Bill Clinton nominated Ruth Bader Ginsburg in August 1993, just before the congressional recess.
Complete timelines available after the jump.
July 19, 2005 -- President George W. Bush announces the nomination of Roberts.
Sept. 3, 2005 -- Chief Justice William Rehnquist dies.
Sept. 5, 2005 -- Bush switches gears and nominates Roberts as chief justice.
Sept. 29, 2005 -- Senate confirms Roberts, 78-22.
18 days -- elapsed between O'Connor and Roberts announcements.
72 days -- elapsed between Bush nominating Roberts for O'Connor's spot and Roberts being confirmed to fill Rehnquist's spot.
24 days -- elapsed between Bush nominating Roberts for Rehnquist's spot and Roberts' confirmation.
Oct. 27, 2005 -- Miers withdraws her nomination.
Oct. 31, 2005 -- Bush announces the nomination of Alito.
Jan. 31, 2006 -- Senate confirms Alito, 58-42.
30 days -- elapsed between Rehnquist's death and announcement of Alito.
92 days -- elapsed between Alito's nomination and his confirmation.
May 13, 1994 -- President Clinton announces the nomination of Breyer.
July 29, 1994 -- Senate confirms Breyer, 87-9.
37 days -- elapsed between Blackmun and Breyer announcements.
77 days -- elapsed between Clinton's nomination of Breyer and his confirmation.
June 14, 1993 -- Clinton announces the nomination of Ginsburg.
Aug. 3, 1993 -- Senate confirms Ginsburg, 96-3.
87 days -- elapsed between White and Ginsburg announcements.
50 days -- elapsed between Clinton's nomination and Ginsburg's confirmation.
July 1, 1991 -- President George H. W. Bush announces the nomination of Thomas.
Oct. 15, 1991 -- Senate confirms Thomas, 52-48.
4 days -- elapsed between Marshall and Thomas announcements.
107 days -- elapsed between Thomas' nomination and his confirmation
July 23, 1990 -- Bush announces the nomination of Souter.
Oct. 2, 1990 -- Senate confirms Souter, 90-9.
3 days -- elapsed between Brennan and Souter announcements.
71 days -- elapsed between Bush's nomination of Souter and his confirmation.
July 1, 1987 -- President Reagan announces the nomination of Bork.
Oct. 23, 1987 -- Senate rejects Bork, 58-42.
Oct. 29, 1987 -- Reagan announces the nomination of Douglas Ginsburg.
Nov. 7, 1987 -- Ginsburg withdraws his nomination.
Nov. 11, 1987 -- Reagan announces the nomination of Kennedy.
Feb. 3, 1988 -- Senate confirms Kennedy, 97-0.
5 days -- elapsed between Powell and Bork announcements.
19 days -- elapsed between the Senate's rejection of Bork and Reagan's announcement of Kennedy.
84 days -- elapsed between Kennedy's nomination and his confirmation.
222 days -- elapsed between Powell's retirement announcement and Kennedy's confirmation.
Sept. 17, 1986 -- Senate confirms Scalia, 98-0, and Rehnquist, 65-33.
0 days -- elapsed between Burger's retirement announcement, Rehnquist's nomination for chief justice and Reagan's selection of Scalia.
92 days -- elapsed between both justices' nominations and their confirmations.
July 7, 1981 -- Reagan announces the nomination of O'Connor.
Sept. 21, 1981 -- Senate confirms O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court justice, 99-0.
19 days -- elapsed between Stewart and O'Connor announcements.
76 days -- elapsed between O'Connor's nomination and her confirmation.
Cindy
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The nomination of Sotomayor has been handled in just the right way. Mr Obama has once again shown what a wise man he is. .. travel insurance for over 70
Terrence
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Still, based on historical trends and estimates by experts that hearings would need two weeks, there appears to be enough time if the hearings take place at the end of July.... That is what I thought and it happened just that way. Papa Johns coupons