Judge Neil Gorsuch has been confirmed to the US Supreme Court serving Donald Trump the biggest win of his presidency to date. <br /><br /> The Denver appeals court justice restores a conservative majority on the bench that could last for decades. <br /><br /> Justices on the country’s highest judicial body are appointed for life, although they can retire or resign.<br /><br /> Congratulations to an exceptionally qualified and respected judge on his confirmation to the Supreme Court! #SCOTUS https://t.co/itTom467MT— President Trump (@POTUS) April 7, 2017<br /><br /> Gorsuch, 49, won by a Senate vote of 54 to 45, with support from the Republicans, but also three Democrats.<br /><br /> It ends a 14-month dispute over the post, following the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February, 2016.<br /><br /> Senate Republicans refused to consider the then-President Barack Obama’s nominee, Judge Merrick Garland.<br /><br /> Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic Leader, called for Gorsuch to be independent, after several Democrats linked him to Trump, the president who nominated him.<br /><br /> “I hope Judge Gorsuch has listened to our debate here in the Senate, particularly about our concerns about the Supreme Court increasingly drifting towards becoming a more pro-corporate court that favors employers, corporations, and special interests over working America,” said Schumer.<br /><br /> The process of filling the position has been controversial from the start. This week, Republicans triggered the so-called nuclear option, changing the number of votes needed for confirmation from 60 to 51.<br />
