Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, announced Thursday that the committee’s hearings on the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court will begin March 20.
The hearing is expected to last three to four days.
Opening statements — from senators on the committee and Gorsuch — will begin March 20, followed by questioning March 21. The committee will also hear testimony by outside legal experts.
“Judge Gorsuch has met every demand placed on him by the minority. He’s a mainstream judge. He’s displayed independence. He’s met with dozens of senators who have nothing but positive things to say. He is well-qualified and respected. He worked diligently to return the bipartisan questionnaire. It’s time for him to have the opportunity to speak for himself before the Judiciary Committee,” Grassley said in a statement.
The Tenth Circuit judge has met with both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill since being nominated by President Trump to fill the seat left by late Justice Antonin Scalia.
According to the Judiciary Committee, the confirmation timeline matches those of the hearings of now-Justices Sonia Sotomayor (48 days after nomination) and Elena Kagan (49 days). Both justices were nominated by President Obama and confirmed by a Democratic-controlled Senate.
Gorsuch’s hearing is scheduled 48 days after he was nominated by Trump.
Chairman @ChuckGrassley: @SenJudiciary Committee to begin hearing on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for #SCOTUS on March 20th
— Senate Judiciary (@senjudiciary) February 16, 2017
