Published: December 2, 2021
This issue explainer originally appeared on NEA.org
Positions that require Senate confirmation include:
- Federal judges
- Members of the president’s cabinet
- Specified officers in federal agencies
Approval requires a simple majority—51 votes if all 100 senators are present. When there’s a tie, the vice president casts the deciding vote.
NEA monitors and takes positions on nominees for the federal judiciary, including district courts (the trial court), circuit courts (the first level of appeal), and the Supreme Court of the United States (the final level of appeal). We also take positions on nominations for Secretary of Education and other critical positions.
The nominee’s record on key issues—including public education, civil rights, and workers’ rights—determine whether we support them.
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