Senate Deal Sidelines Biden's Circuit Court Picks Amid Confirmation Race

In a strategic move, the Senate will skip votes on four of President Biden's appellate court nominees. This decision, part of a compromise with Republicans, is aimed at expediting other judicial nominations. The focus is on rapid confirmations before Republicans assume chamber control next year.

In a bid to expedite judicial confirmations, the Senate reached a deal to forgo votes on four of President Joe Biden's appellate court nominees. This decision was made as part of a compromise with Republicans to facilitate faster consideration of other judicial nominations, drawing Biden closer to the 234 confirmations achieved in Donald Trump's first term.

Currently, Biden has seen 221 judicial confirmations. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faced numerous procedural votes and late-night sessions, as he navigated both Democratic and Republican challenges to push through more nominations before the shift in congressional power.

Democratic leadership confirmed that an agreement allows for the consideration of seven district court judges post-Thanksgiving, with an additional six judges slated for floor consideration in December. However, nominees Adeel Abdullah Mangi, Karla M. Campbell, Julia M. Lipez, and Ryan Young Park were excluded, lacking sufficient support due to controversies and intra-party conflicts.

(With inputs from agencies.)