Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, laid out the groundwork Monday to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh this week.
According to an agenda from Grassley’s office, the committee will hold business meeting Thursday where approximately two dozen judicial nominations may receive a vote, including Kavanaugh.
[Related: Key senators mum on Kavanaugh vote after four days of hearings]
Even so, it’s possible that the committee will take up the nomination next week if Democrats choose to delay the vote, as they are permitted to do under committee rules. Grassley said last week Kavanaugh could be confirmed by Oct. 1, coinciding with the start of the next court term.
Republicans have a majority on the Judiciary Committee and Kavanaugh is ultimately expected to be approved by the panel before facing a vote by the full Senate. A simple majority in the full Senate is required for him to be confirmed.
It’s uncertain whether Kavanaugh will receive votes from several Democrats in red states, including Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, among others.
Kavanaugh is the second Supreme Court justice President Trump has nominated. Neil Gorsuch was Trump’s first pick; he was confirmed to the seat left by the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
