Jul 10 Watch 6:30 What do senators need to consider in Kavanaugh's confirmation? How would Judge Brett Kavanaugh change the Supreme Court if confirmed, and what does the Senate need to consider in their confirmation hearings? Judy Woodruff gets reaction from Travis Lenkner, an attorney who clerked for both Justice Kennedy and the… Continue watching
Jan 20 Watch 3:50 News Wrap: Senate confirms Mattis, Kelly By PBS News Hour In our news wrap Friday, Congress signed off on the first of President Trump's picks to fill out his cabinet, nearly unanimously voting to approve Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. Also, Mexican drug lord "El… Continue watching
Oct 17 As time runs out, dozens of judge nominees waiting on Senate By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Federal judges in New Jersey have struggled with a workload approaching 700 cases each, nearly double what's manageable, because of judicial vacancies. In Texas, close to a dozen district judgeships remain open, more than in any other state. Continue reading
Jan 13 Supreme Court reviews president's recess appointment power By Mark Sherman, Associated Press Under a provision of the Constitution known as the recess appointments clause, the president may make temporary appointments to positions that otherwise require confirmation by the Senate, but only when the Senate is in recess. Now, President Barack Obama and… Continue reading
Jun 29 Watch Petraeus: Afghan Forces Not Ready to Take the Lead on Security Gen. David Petraeus, the newly appointed U.S. commander in Afghanistan, testified that the U.S. faces a long-term commitment to the war in Afghanistan. Gwen Ifill reports on the general's endorsement by the Senate Armed Services Committee. Continue watching
May 11 Watch Elena Kagan Faces Political Challenges for Supreme Court Seat Jim Lehrer talks to two Supreme Court watchers, Karen Tumlty from The Washington Post and Tom Goldstein, founder of SCOTUSblog.com, about the political landscape for the confirmation of nominee Elena Kagan. Continue watching
Apr 21 Watch Obama Begins to Scrutinize Potential Supreme Court Nominees As President Barack Obama reaches out to potential replacements for Justice John Paul Stevens on the bench, Gwen Ifill gets three points of view from legal experts on the politics behind the president's second nomination to the Supreme Court and… Continue watching
Apr 16 Watch Shields and Brooks on Changing Political Landscapes in Florida, U.S. Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sort through the top political stories of the week, including the competitive GOP Senate primary in Florida, whether anyone will run as a moderate this year and the outcome of the Washington nuclear summit. Continue watching
Apr 09 Watch Obama Vows to Move Quickly to Fill Court Vacancy As Justice John Paul Stevens prepares for retirement, Judy Woodruff talks to Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal and constitutional scholars Kathleen Sullivan and John McGinnis about the possible candidates to replace him and the Senate confirmation battle that… Continue watching
Aug 25 Obama Taps Bernanke for Second Term at Fed Ending speculation that he might appoint a new central bank chief, President Obama said he would nominate Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke for a second term Tuesday as the administration continues its efforts to stabilize the embattled U.S. economy. Continue reading