“The Senate vote this afternoon to exercise the so-called ‘nuclear option,’ and change rules that have been in place for decades, is shocking, destructive and terribly harmful.

The reason that, under existing rules, there aren’t enough votes to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch for a lifetime appointment on our highest court is because his record on women’s health and rights is extreme and far outside the mainstream of legal thinking in this country. Time and again, he has interpreted the law to narrow women’s reproductive rights, support corporations over people and deny justice to workers who face discrimination. Judge Gorsuch is wrong for the Court and wrong for the country.

We thank every senator who tried to protect our civil rights and liberties today by voting to sustain the 60-vote threshold and reject Judge Gorsuch.

When it became clear that Judge Gorsuch did not have support from 60 senators, his nomination should have been withdrawn. The appropriate step was to change the nominee, not change the rules.

A president who was elected by a minority of voters is teaming with Senate leaders who are changing the rules to put Judge Gorsuch on the U.S. Supreme Court. This will be devastating to all those who support women’s health and rights and who care about stopping discrimination and advancing fairness and equality for all in this country.”

A report by the National Partnership on Judge Gorsuch is available here.