US Senate Approves Change in Rule to End Debate on Supreme Court Nominee Gorsuch

The US Senate approved in a 52-48 vote on Thursday a change of an existing rule that will enable moving forward the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch as the ninth Justice on the Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The new rule allows the Senate to take a simple majority procedural vote to limit debate to 30 hours on President Donald Trump's candidate for the Supreme Court.

Earlier in the day, the US Senate voted to block the nomination in a 55-45 vote, and then offered a motion to postpone the vote until April 24.

The majority of senators did not agree to delay the procedure for another two weeks.

On Monday, Senate Democrats secured enough votes to try to block the confirmation of Gorsuch, despite Republicans's goal to approve the candidate anyway.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell then appealed the rule that 60 votes are necessary to bypass a filibuster. McConnell invoked a so-called "nuclear option" to clear the path for Trump's candidate.

The full Senate is scheduled to hold a vote on Gorsuch's confirmation on Friday.