PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SUPREME COURT PICK TAKES THE HOT SEAT, AS CONGRESS DECIDES IF HIS NEXT SEAT SHOULD BE ON THE BENCH IN OUR HIGHEST COURT.
HELLO EVERYONE, I’M RICK JACKSON. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
LAST WEEK, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE NEIL GORSUCH HEADED TO CAPITAL HILL –SET TO FACE MEMBERS OF THE U-S SENATE. THEY ARE TRYING TO DECIDE IF HE WILL GET THEIR SUSTAINING VOTE -- TO BE THE NEWEST JUSTICE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PICK NEEDS A MAJORITY OF VOTES – 51 OF THE 100 SENATORS -- TO BE CONFIRMED. HOWEVER, GORSUCH NEEDS 60 VOTES – THAT’S WHAT THEY CALL A SUPERMAJORITY, TO AVOID A POSSIBLE FILIBUSTER. A FILIBUSTER IS AN ACTION IN CONGRESS, LIKE A LONG SPEECH BY A SENATOR, THAT WOULD STOP -- THE PROGRESS OF CONFIRMATION.
JUDGE GORSUCH IS CURRENTLY SERVING IN A FEDERAL COURT IN COLORADO. HE WAS NOMINATED TO REPLACE JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA, WHO DIED LAST YEAR. THE CONSTITUTION SAYS THAT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES DO NOT HAVE TERM LIMITS, BUT ARE GIVEN A LIFETIME APPOINTMENT, WHICH MEANS THEY’LL SERVE UNTIL THEY PASS AWAY, OR VOLUNTARILY RESIGN.
IF HE IS APPROVED BY CONGRESS, GORSUCH WILL BE THE NINTH JUSTICE ON THE SUPREME COURT. THE SUPREME COURT IS THE HIGHEST COURT IN OUR COUNTRY – AND THE HEAD OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT. THEY’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLAINING AND INTERPRETING, OUR CONSTITUTION.
Instructional Links
Website: Supreme Court of the United States
Lesson Plan: PBS NewsHour, Checks and Balances in Supreme Court Nominations