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. He was sworn in on March 11, 2021, by Assistant Attorney General for Administration Lee Lofthus.
Under long-standing Senate rules, nominations still pending when the Senate adjourns at the end of a session are returned to the president (unless the Senate, by unanimous consent, waives the rule). Garland's nomination expired on January 3, 2017, at the end of the 114th Congress, after languishing 293 days.
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.
Typically, the nomination and confirmation process for a justice takes several months, but it can be, and on occasion has been, completed more quickly. Since 1975, the average time from nomination to final Senate vote has been about 68 days.
Donald TrumpNeil Gorsuch / AppointerDonald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in 1968. Wikipedia
The President of the United States has the authority to appoint U.S. Attorneys, with the consent of the United States Senate, and the President may remove U.S. Attorneys from office. In the event of a vacancy, the United States Attorney General is authorized to appoint an interim U.S. Attorney.
Merrick GarlandUnited States / Attorney general
List of U.S. attorneys generalAttorney GeneralYears of serviceMerrick Garland2021-PresentLoretta Lynch2015-2017Eric Holder2009-2015Michael B. Mukasey2007-200982 more rows