The Senate Must Confirm Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court

President Donald Trump has just nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

The nomination of Judge Gorsuch to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court of the United States represents an important step forward in restoring a judicial philosophy on the high court that embraces the Constitution and the rule of law.

The Senate must act to confirm him without delay.

At the ACLJ, we’re very encouraged by President Trump’s nominee to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court.

Judge Gorsuch is a remarkably qualified nominee with a conservative judicial philosophy and a commitment to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution. He is decidedly pro-life and understands what it means to protect the constitutional freedoms afforded to all Americans. The obstructionists who oppose every move by President Trump will likely challenge this nomination from the outset. That is unfortunate. The American people have spoken in this election. It's time to move forward and proceed without delay and confirm this nominee.

Judge Gorsuch earned his B.A. from Columbia University, his J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a PhD in law from Oxford University. Like the late Justice Scalia, Judge Gorsuch has been a lifelong proponent of originalism and textualism as the best ways to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and avoid the dangers of judicial activism. He has often defended a robust definition of religious freedom in cases we’ve been involved in, ranging from Ten Commandments monuments to Christian businesses and non-profits challenging the Obama Administration’s abortion-pill mandate. He has been a fierce defender of the intrinsic value of every life, publishing a book against the legalization of euthanasia.

Judge Neil Gorsuch was approved unanimously by the Senate when he was appointed to the Tenth Circuit by President George W. Bush. If obstructionists in the Senate attempt to filibuster Judge Gorsuch’s nomination, President Trump has said that he is in favor of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell using the so-called “nuclear option” – first used by liberal Democrats in the Senate under Harry Reid – to constitutionally change the rules of the Senate to require a simple majority of 51 votes instead of the currently required 60 votes needed to confirm a Supreme Court nominee.

It is imperative that this nomination moves forward without delay.  President Trump campaigned on nominating a well-qualified, conservative jurist to replace the late Justice Scalia. He has fulfilled that promise. The Senate must do whatever is necessary, including a rules change if needed, to permit action on this nominee.  A filibuster is not acceptable.

At the ACLJ, we are launching a national media campaign to advocate for the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch. In the days and weeks ahead, we will be mobilizing our more than one million members, our Government Affairs office on Capitol Hill, and our media advocacy around the country to urge the Senate to act without delay to confirm Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

The defense of our Constitution and our country’s values depend on it.