[Commiewatcher]

"I don't think that's the case....it's only some butype of budget bills that can't be filabustered."

That's the overall "Budget Resolution" which cannot be filibustered, it doesn't really have the force of law. I do think bringing the nominee to the floor for a vote requires only a simple majority.

Maybe Congressman BillyBob can help us here.

[ken5050]

You can pass it out of committee by a simple majority....but the vote on the Senate floor can be filabustered....the hard part for 8 Dems will be to figure out a way to say they support the nominee, but won't vote to shut off debate...

[JonH]

They can filibuster a judicial nominee. It takes 60 votes to force cloture. 51 votes to approve the nomonation.

[Congressman Billybob]

Thanks for the ping.

Bringing a judicial nominee to the floor requires a majority vote -- in the Judiciary Committee. Once the nominee reaches the floor, then only a majority vote is required to confirm. However, the Filibuster Rule does apply to the debate.

It is not true that the Filibuster Rule (Cloture Rule) means that every bill or nominee requires 60 votes to proceed. The reason is that conducting a filibuster leaks off a majority of the Senate, by definition. Therefore, seldom will 40 Senators commit to a filibuster to the death of an issue or nominee, because they have to work with the majority on other issues, later.

Congressman Billybob

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