McCain joins with Democrats to save filibuster; Senate "Too Close to Call" on Abolishing Filibusters of Judges.

WASHINGTON (May 4, 2005) - - At NRL News deadline, the U.S. Senate was fast approaching a razor-close vote on the question of whether Senate Democrats will continue to be allowed to filibuster to block approval of President Bush's judicial nominees.

The Senate will soon decide whether a judicial nominee should be able to achieve confirmation if he or she enjoys the support of a simple majority of the Senate, which is the position supported by pro-life Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tn.) and most Republican senators - - or whether a minority will continue to be allowed to erect a 60-vote hurdle, which is the position currently backed by Democratic senators and by a handful of Republicans.

Since 2003, Senate Democrats have blocked at least 10 of the president's nominees to powerful federal appeals courts by filibuster, and they are insisting on preserving the right to filibuster future judicial nominations, especially nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who suffers from cancer, is widely expected to announce his retirement at the end of the Court's current term in late June or early July. All of the current justices are over age 65, except for Justice Clarence Thomas.

"The vote on filibuster reform is currently too close to call - - and it will determine whether President Bush is able to fill future vacancies on the U.S. Supreme Court with nominees of his choosing who are supported by a simple majority of the Senate," said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson.

"We're very close to the day when all 100 senators will need to decide whether a minority should be allowed to filibuster judicial nominees," Eric Ueland, chief of staff to Majority Leader Frist, told NRL News on May 4.

Ralph Neas, president of People for the American Way, one of the well-funded groups supporting filibusters against President Bush's nominees, told the New York Times that his organization had been preparing for years for a fight over Republican nominations to the Supreme Court, but "had not expected it to focus on Senate rules."