how many votes does it take to confirm an attorney general

How many votes are needed to confirm a judicial nominee?

Jan 07, 2021 · Garland was confirmed on March 10, 2021, by a vote of 70-30. Summary of Senate vote on Merrick Garland's nomination for attorney general (March 10, 2021) Party. Votes for.

Does the Senate have the power to confirm presidential nominations?

Since 1930, the Senate has confirmed 59 and rejected four (one nominated by Herbert Hoover, two by Richard Nixon, and one by Ronald Reagan). Four nominees withdrew (out of …

How long does it take to confirm a Supreme Court justice?

Feb 14, 2019 · The Senate on Thursday confirmed William P. Barr as attorney general by a vote of 54-45. Virtually every Republican, along with three …

What happens after the Senate Judiciary Committee votes on a nomination?

Feb 14, 2019 · The Senate confirmed William Barr to be the next attorney general of the United States in an 54-45 vote.

How many votes does the Senate need to approve an appointment?

In The Federalist numbers 75 and 76, however, Alexander Hamilton argued that the provision afforded a necessary means of checks and balances. The Constitution gives the Senate the power to approve, by a two-thirds vote, treaties negotiated by the executive branch. The Senate does not ratify treaties.Sep 17, 2021

Does the Senate have to approve the attorney general?

The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all legal matters. ... Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, then appointed with the advice and consent of the United States Senate.

How many votes does Merrick Garland need?

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 15–7 to advance Garland's nomination to the Senate floor, and on March 10, the Senate confirmed Garland's nomination by a vote of 70–30.

How long does the confirmation process usually take?

According to the Congressional Research Service, the average number of days from nomination to final Senate vote since 1975 is 67 days (2.2 months), while the median is 71 days (or 2.3 months).

WHO confirms judicial appointments?

The presidentThe president has the power to nominate the justices and appointments are made with the advice and consent of the Senate.

How long does the US Attorney General serve?

four-yearUnder the state Constitution, the Attorney General is elected to a four-year term in the same statewide election as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Insurance Commissioner.

How old is Joe Biden?

79 years (November 20, 1942)Joe Biden / Age

Who is Merrick Garland's wife?

Lynn GarlandMerrick Garland / Wife (m. 1987)

How old is Merrick Garland?

69 years (November 13, 1952)Merrick Garland / Age

How long does it take the Supreme Court to make a decision?

A: On the average, about six weeks. Once a petition has been filed, the other party has 30 days within which to file a response brief, or, in some cases waive his/ her right to respond.

How many congressmen and senators do we have?

Today, Congress consists of 100 senators (two from each state) and 435 voting members of the House of Representatives.

How are Supreme Court Justices confirmed?

How are Supreme Court Justices selected? The President nominates someone for a vacancy on the Court and the Senate votes to confirm the nominee, which requires a simple majority. In this way, both the Executive and Legislative Branches of the federal government have a voice in the composition of the Supreme Court.

What is Article 2 Section 2?

Article II, Section 2 empowers the president to nominate and—“by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate”—to appoint principal officers such as department heads as well as subordinate ones such as deputies. The process of the president’s nomination of Cabinet secretaries, and the Senate’s confirmation of them, ...

How many cabinet nominations did the Senate reject?

At this writing, the Senate has rejected only nine of a president’s Cabinet nominations. Four were made by embattled Whig-turned-Independent John Tyler in 1843 and 1844, including choices for secretary of war and treasury secretary.

Who was the Supreme Court nominee in 2016?

Since 1845, the Senate has taken no action on only five Supreme Court nominees, the latest being Merrick Garland in 2016. Obama, a liberal Democrat, selected Garland to fill a vacancy created by the February 2016 death of Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative. Republican leadership decided to adhere to a Senate tradition ...

Can the President fill executive branch positions temporarily?

In some circumstances not normally associated with a new president’s initial Cabinet appointments, the president may fill vacancies in executive branch positions temporarily. One way is through a recess appointment.

What is the purpose of the Congressional Research Service?

The Congressional Research Service, which studies and analyzes legislative matters for members of the Senate and House, breaks it down this way: First, the White House selects a prospective appointee and sends a formal nomination to the Senate. Second, the Senate determines whether to confirm the nomination.

Who can recommend candidates for executive branch positions?

Members of Congress and other interested parties may recommend candidates for executive branch positions. However, a president or president-elect isn’t bound by such recommendations, according to the Congressional Research Service, whose recent reports on the confirmation process provide the basis for this article.

What is the Office of Government Ethics?

The Office of Government Ethics is available to guide a candidate through the paperwork. The FBI typically does a background check and submits a report. The Office of Government Ethics, along with an ethics official from the relevant agency, reviews the financial disclosures.

Majority rule

The 54 senators voting “yes”, thereby confirming Barr as attorney general, represent 48 percent of voting age Americans, or 107 million people.

Key votes

Democrats Joe Manchin, Doug Jones and Kyrsten Sinema voted to confirm Barr and one Republican, Rand Paul, voted against Barr.

Recent hearings and votes

May 28, 2021: Th Senate confirmed Lander as director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy by a voice vote.

Overview

The following table provides an overview of the status, confirmation hearings, and committee and Senate votes for each of Biden's Cabinet and Cabinet-rank nominees.

Historical comparison of Cabinet confirmations

The following chart compares how many days it took after the inaugurations in 2017 and 2021 for the Cabinet secretaries of Presidents Donald Trump (R) and Joe Biden (D), respectively, to be confirmed. This chart includes the main 15 Cabinet positions.

Who Needs Senate Confirmation?

All cabinet-level officials, except the White House chief of staff, require Senate confirmation, including: the secretaries of agriculture, commerce, defense, education, energy, health and human services, homeland security, housing and urban development, interior, labor, state, transportation, treasury, and veterans affairs, as well as the attorney general, director of the Office of Management and Budget, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S.

When Does the President Send Appointments to the Hill?

Before a nomination may move to the Hill, the candidate must submit several forms and undergo a fair amount of vetting by the White House and FBI.

What Does the Confirmation Process Look Like?

1) A nomination is given to the relevant Senate committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee, for example, handles the attorney general nomination.

Will Trump Have the Votes?

The GOP barely kept its majority in the Senate after this year's elections, and rejections of major appointments are rare. Republicans have 52 seats, but that number includes Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., who is Trump's pick for attorney general.

When Are the Hearings and Votes?

Hearings for several Cabinet picks started in January before the inauguration. Nominees were not permitted to be confirmed, however, until after the president was sworn in on Jan. 20. A number of nominees have been voted on, confirmed and sworn in. A full list of those who require Senate confirmation and their status is below.