As its last vote of the year, the Senate confirmed a judicial nominee on Tuesday night.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had made confirming President Obama’s executive and judicial nominees a top priority all year, especially after the midterm elections revealed Republicans would take control of the upper chamber next year.
{mosads}In the last few days alone, the Senate confirmed nearly 70 nominations.
“This will be the last vote of this Congress,” Reid announced. Senators hugged and said goodbye as they cast their votes.
The Senate voted 51-38 to confirm Stephen Bough to be a U.S. district judge for western Missouri.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who will chair the Senate Judiciary Committee next year, opposed the Senate considering judgeships during the lame duck. He has said newly elected senators, who will serve next year, should be able to cast a vote.
Grassley lifted his object so senators could leave town, and the Senate confirmed 11 more judges by voice vote.
A list of the confirmed judges follows:
– Jorge Alonso to be a U.S. district judge of northern Illinois
– Haywood Gilliam to be a U.S. district judge of northern California
– Amit Mehta to be a U.S. district judge for the District of Columbia
– Allison Burroughs to be a U.S. district judge for Massachusetts
– John Blakey to be a U.S. district judge for northern Illinois
– Amos Mazzant to be a U.S. district judge for eastern Texas
– Robert Pitman to be a U.S. district judge for western Texas
– Robert Schroeder to be a U.S. district judge for eastern Texas
– Joan Azrack to be a U.S. district judge for eastern New York
– Elizabeth Dillon to be a U.S. district judge for western Virginia
– Loretta Biggs to be a U.S. district judge for middle North Carolina