what is needed to confirm an attorney general

How is the Attorney General of the United States appointed?

Jan 07, 2021 · The confirmation process includes several rounds of investigation and review, beginning with the submission of a personal financial disclosure report and a background check. The nominee is then evaluated in a committee hearing, which allows for a close examination of the nominee and his or her views on public policy.

How many votes are needed to confirm Garland as Attorney General?

Sep 25, 2014 · With Eric Holder’s decision to resign as Attorney General, the Obama administration faces the task of getting a new Justice Department chief approved in what could be a closely divided Senate. Holder. Holder announced his intended resignation on Thursday and he will remain in office until a successor is named and then confirmed by the Senate.

What is the process for the appointment of a federal judge?

Mar 04, 2021 · Sen. Tom Cotton leads the pack, but 50 Democrats in the Senate say they’ll support Garland for attorney general. President Joe Biden’s nominee for America’s next attorney general has hit another roadblock on his way to confirmation.. Senator Tom Cotton tweeted on Wednesday that he is blocking the effort to expedite the confirmation of Judge Merrick …

How many senators are needed to confirm a judicial nominee?

Feb 09, 2021 · President Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general, Judge Merrick Garland, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 22 and 23 for his confirmation hearing. The ...

How is a US attorney general confirmed?

The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States. 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 senators are required to confirm a presidential appointment?

[The president] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme ...Sep 17, 2021

How does the Senate approve presidential appointments?

The Senate maintains several powers to itself: It ratifies treaties by a two-thirds supermajority vote and confirms the appointments of the President by a majority vote. The consent of the House of Representatives is also necessary for the ratification of trade agreements and the confirmation of the Vice President.

What is appointment confirmation in civics?

Whenever a U.S. president nominates someone to fill a position in an administration — whether it's just after the election or another time during the president's term in office — that nominee's appointment must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400 government positions require confirmation.Feb 25, 2021

Can one senator block a nomination?

In the United States Senate, a hold is a parliamentary procedure permitted by the Standing Rules of the United States Senate which allows one or more Senators to prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor.

What federal positions require Senate confirmation?

Full-Time PositionsOffice of the Secretary. Secretary. Deputy Secretary. ... Department of the Air Force. Secretary. Under Secretary. ... Department of the Army. Secretary. Under Secretary. ... Department of the Navy. Secretary. Under Secretary. ... Joint Chiefs of Staff. Chairman (two-year term of office) Vice Chairman (two-year term of office)

How many votes do you need to confirm Justice?

A simple majority vote is needed for confirmation (there are currently 100 U.S. senators). Typically, the nomination and confirmation process for a justice takes several months, but it can be, and on occasion has been, completed more quickly.

Do ambassadors need Senate approval?

Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, their appointment must be confirmed by the United States Senate; while an ambassador may be appointed during a recess, they can serve only until the end of the next session of Congress, unless subsequently confirmed.

Do all presidential appointments require Senate approval?

Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution and law of the United States, certain federal positions appointed by the president of the United States require confirmation (advice and consent) of the United States Senate.

Who must approve this appointment before it can take effect?

The Appointments Clause of Article II, Section 2, Clause 2, of the United States Constitution empowers the President of the United States to nominate and, with the advice and consent (confirmation) of the United States Senate, appoint public officials.

What is appointment approval?

verb. If you approve of an action, event, or suggestion, you like it or are pleased about it.

What are the 4 major things that the executive branch does?

The executive branch is headed by the president, whose constitutional responsibilities include serving as commander in chief of the armed forces; negotiating treaties; appointing federal judges (including the members of the Supreme Court), ambassadors, and cabinet officials; and acting as head of state.

Who is the Attorney General nominee for Biden?

From CNN's Kristen Holmes and Clare Foran. President Biden's Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland isn't the only nominee facing the Senate this week.

When is Merrick Garland's confirmation hearing?

From CNN's Christina Carrega. Wade Henderson testifies during Merrick Garland's confirmation hearing, on Tuesday, February 23. Pool.

Who is the special counsel for Garland?

John Cornyn what advice he'd give Garland on handling the ongoing investigation into the FBI's Russia investigation that's being handled by Special Counsel John Durham.

What was Judge Garland asked to do?

Judge Merrick Garland was asked to define systemic racism, implicit bias and racism during the first day of his Senate confirmation hearing on Monday, and his answers laid out a stark contrast with the last Senate-confirmed attorney general from the Trump administration.

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.

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.

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.

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 ...

Is the Senate confirmation of Cabinet Secretaries known?

The process of the president’s nomination of Cabinet secretaries, and the Senate’s confirmation of them, is perhaps best known to the public but still somewhat mysterious.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United Stateson all legal matters. The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States.

Who was the attorney general nominee for Clinton?

Gerson was fourth in the line of succession at the Justice Department, but other senior DOJ officials had already resigned.[14] Janet Reno, President Clinton's nominee for attorney general, was confirmed on March 12,[15]and he resigned the same day.

When does the Attorney General have to resign?

Presidential transition[edit] It is the practice for the attorney general, along with the other Cabinet secretaries and high-level political appointees of the President, to tender a resignation with effect on the Inauguration Day(January 20) of a new president.

Is "general" a noun?

The title "attorney general" is an example of a noun (attorney) followed by a postpositive adjective(general).[8]". General" is a description of the type of attorney, not a title or rank in itself (as it would be in the military).[8]

Who is the attorney general that is blocking the confirmation process?

President Joe Biden’s nominee for America’s next attorney general has hit another roadblock on his way to confirmation. Senator Tom Cotton tweeted on Wednesday that he is blocking the effort to expedite the confirmation of Judge Merrick Garland for several reasons.

How many votes are needed to confirm Judge Garland?

However, only 50 votes are needed to confirm Judge Garland as attorney general. All 50 Democrats in the Senate have said they will support his nomination, as have several GOPers, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

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.

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.

Who does the President consult with before announcing a nominee?

The President usually will consult with Senators before announcing a nomination. When the President nominates a candidate, the nomination is sent to the Senate Judiciary Committeefor consideration. The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on the nominee.

What does the Senate question a nominee?

Senators question the nominee on his or her qualifications, judgment, and philosophy. The Judiciary Committee then votes on the nomination and sends its recommendation (that it be confirmed, that it be rejected, or with no recommendation) to the full Senate. The full Senate debates the nomination.

Who published the first public hearings of the Supreme Court?

The first published report of Judicial Committee public hearings was that of the nomination hearings of Louis D. Brandeis in 1916.