U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday as it begins confirmation hearings that President Donald Trump hopes will lead to a solid conservative majority on the nation's highest court.
On Wednesday, Kavanaugh is due to face direct questioning on a range of issues, including his stance on abortion, gay rights and presidential power.
In advance text of his opening remarks released by the White House, Kavanaugh says, " A good judge must be an umpire—a neutral and impartial arbiter who favors no litigant or policy."
The White House is hoping the full Senate will confirm the 53-year-old Kavanaugh to the nine-member court in September, in time for him to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy when the court opens a new term on October 1.
However, Democrats have vowed to fight Kavanaugh’s nomination from the start, fearing his lifetime appointment could ensure a strongly conservative court for a generation.
美国总统特朗普提名的最高法院大法官布雷特·卡瓦诺星期二开始接受美国参议院司法委员会的确认听证。特朗普总统希望，这次确认听证的结果将确保美国最高法院的保守派占多数。
卡瓦诺星期三将直接接受司法委员会成员尖锐问询，包括他在堕胎、同性恋权益以及总统权力等问题上的立场。
据白宫发布的卡瓦诺开场陈述节选内容，他保证要成为一个客观、维护法律的法官。
白宫希望，参议院能在9月全票通过对现年53岁的卡瓦诺的提名确认，以便在10月1日最高法院新工作期开始之前，及时填补大法官安东尼·肯尼迪退休留下的空缺。
不过，民主党议员从一开始就誓言反对这一提名，他们担心卡瓦诺的这一终身任职会让非常保守的法院延续一代人。