how many votes to confirm an attorney general

by Dr. Myah Champlin II 4 min read

How many senators does it take to confirm a Supreme Court justice?

Traditionally, this required support from at least 60 of the 100 senators; in 2013, however, Democrats circumvented the rules with the nuclear option to require only a simple majority of those voting—51 in most cases. The only exception: a nomination to the Supreme Court.

How many federal judges are appointed by the President?

The Constitution empowers the president to appoint federal judges, most of which sit on either a U.S. District Court (with 673 judgeships) or a Circuit Court of Appeals (with 179 judgeships).

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

Confirmed in 49 days. Average is 16 days Garland was most recently a federal judge on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, and was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997. President Barack Obama nominated Garland to the Supreme Court after a vacancy was created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016.

What determines whether a presidential nominee is confirmed by the Senate?

Second, the Senate determines whether to confirm the nomination. Third, the president presents a signed commission to the successful nominee and he or she is sworn in, assuming authority to carry out the duties of the office. The appointments clause of the Constitution specifies that the president

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How does the attorney general get confirmed?

The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States. Washington, D.C. 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.

What was Merrick Garland's confirmation vote?

Garland's confirmation vote came to the floor of the Republican-controlled Senate on March 19, 1997. He was confirmed in a 76–23 vote and received his judicial commission the next day.

How are Cabinet members confirmed?

The heads of departments, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, are members of the Cabinet, and acting department heads also participate in Cabinet meetings whether or not they have been officially nominated for Senate confirmation.

How does Congress approve presidential appointments?

The Constitution also provides that the Senate shall have the power to accept or reject presidential appointees to the executive and judicial branches. This provision, like many others in the Constitution, was born of compromise.

Do US attorneys have to be confirmed by the Senate?

U.S. attorneys are appointed by the President of the United States for a term of four years, with appointments subject to confirmation by the Senate. A U.S. attorney continues in office, beyond the appointed term, until a successor is appointed and qualified.

How long does the confirmation process usually take?

Typically, the whole process takes several months, but it can be, and on occasion has been, completed more quickly. Since the mid 1950s, the average time from nomination to final Senate vote has been about 55 days.

Do Cabinet nominees require approval?

The vast majority are routinely confirmed, while a small but sometimes highly visible number of nominees fail to receive action or are rejected by the Senate. In its history, the Senate has confirmed 126 Supreme Court nominations and well over 500 Cabinet nominations.

What positions do not need Senate confirmation?

PA positions (approximately 400 positions): Presidential appointments that do not require Senate confirmation. These are senior-level positions, including jobs within the Executive Office of the President such as senior White House aides and advisors.

What group has to confirm members of the cabinet?

the SenateThe Cabinet is an advisory body made up of the heads of the 15 executive departments. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, the members of the Cabinet are often the President's closest confidants.

What is the minimum number of Senators that must support a president's judicial nominee in order to ensure that he or she is confirmed?

Confirming a Nomination Traditionally, this required support from at least 60 of the 100 senators; in 2013, however, Democrats circumvented the rules with the nuclear option to require only a simple majority of those voting—51 in most cases.

Do all presidential appointments require Senate approval?

Executive Summary. The federal workforce is composed of about 2 million civil servants who provide continuity across presidential administrations and another 4,000 political appointees who are selected by the president. About 1,200 of these political appointees require Senate approval.

Who can the President appoint without approval?

United States (1926): The court held that the power to remove appointed officials, with the exception of federal judges, rests solely with the president and does not require congressional approval.

Which branch of government determines whether to confirm a nominee?

Second, the Senate determines whether to confirm the nomination. Third, the president presents a signed commission to the successful nominee and he or she is sworn in, assuming authority to carry out the duties of the office. The appointments clause of the Constitution specifies that the president.

When did the Senate pass a resolution allowing nominations for specific positions to bypass a committee?

In 2011, to ease the logjam of President Obama’s appointees awaiting confirmation, the Senate adopted a resolution allowing nominations for specific positions to bypass a committee and go to the full Senate for a vote. The committee still collects background, however.

How many nominees have been rejected by the Senate?

3 nominees. In the past 100 years, the Senate has rejected three nominations on a recorded vote. Americans tend to think of their president as the most powerful person in the world, but the Constitution limits the power of all three branches of government—the president as well as the Congress and the federal courts.

How long is the recess for the Senate?

In the high court’s first-ever decision on the breadth of the president’s power in making recess appointments, the justices said such appointments must be made during a Senate recess lasting at least 10 days. And if the Senate says it is in session, the court ruled, it’s in session.

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.

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.

Who was the first president to lose a confirmation fight?

In 1834, Democrat Andrew Jackson became the first president to lose a major confirmation fight when the Senate rejected his recess appointment of Roger Taney as treasury secretary by a vote of 28-18. In 1868, the Senate rejected Democrat Andrew Johnson’s nomination of Henry Stanbery as attorney general, 29-11.

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.

How long did it take for the Secretary of Defense to be confirmed?

Secretary of Defense. Confirmed in 2 days. Average is 0 days. Austin is the first Black person to lead the Pentagon. Austin was approved for a congressional waiver to be confirmed for the civilian post because federal law requires seven years of retirement from active duty before taking on the role.

Who was the first woman to serve as Michigan's attorney general?

In that role, Granholm worked closely with the auto industry, the dominant industry in the Great Lakes State, which could help Biden as he attempts to move the country toward electric vehicles. Granholm was also the first woman to serve as Michigan’s attorney general. Miguel Cardona. Secretary of Education.

Who was appointed to the Supreme Court after Antonin Scalia died?

President Barack Obama nominated Garland to the Supreme Court after a vacancy was created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016. But Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, refused for months to hold confirmation hearings or the required vote in the chamber.

Who is the youngest person to be nominated for Biden's cabinet?

The former South Bend, Indiana, mayor is the youngest member nominated for Biden's Cabinet, at 38 years old. The former mayor is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party and rose to national prominence during the 2020 Democratic primary. Jennifer Granholm. Secretary of Energy. Confirmed in 36 days.

What happens after the Senate votes on a nomination?

Following a vote of cloture, the Senate conducts a simple majority vote on whether to confirm, reject, or take no action on the nomination.

How long does a Senate nomination have to be on the executive calendar?

The nomination must be on the Executive Calendar for more than one day before it can make it to the Senate floor for consideration. Unanimous consent of the time and date for debate must be agreed upon by all senators. If even one senator does not agree, a hold is placed on the nomination.

What does the left column on the Senate committee mean?

The left column indicates the Senate committee, and the right indicates the federal departments and administrations over which the committee has jurisdiction. For more information on each committee, follow the link in the left column. Jurisdictions of Senate committees in presidential appointment confirmation. U.S. Senate committee. Jurisdiction.

How does the Senate process start?

The process begins when the president provides a written nomination to the Senate, where it is read on the floor and assigned a number. This starts the Senate's procedure of " Advice and Consent " laid out in Article II of the U.S. Constitution for the appointment of high ranking officials by the president.

What agency does a nominee go through?

A chosen nominee then must pass through a series of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, the Office of Government Ethics and an ethics official from the agency to which the position is assigned.

What is PAS in the Senate?

All presidential appointments requiring Senate confirmation (PAS) must follow the appointment confirmation process before taking office. Although the number of PAS positions varies by administration, it typically includes all executive department secretaries, undersecretaries, and inspectors general. Some roles in independent agencies and ...

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