Who has the power to approve or reject a President's nomination to the US Supreme Court?

Answer 1

President of the United States

Answer 2

Article II, Section 2, Clauses 2 and 3 of the Constitution grants that power to the President of the United States:

Article II, Section 2, Clauses 2 and 3

"[The President] shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

"The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session."

Answer 3

The Senate (Legislative branch) votes to confirm or reject the Presidents' (Executive branch) US Supreme Court (Judicial branch) nominees. Approval requires a simple majority of the Senators voting.

Some people believe this power falls to Congress; however, "Congress" is a collective term that includes the House of Representatives, which has no voice in the Supreme Court selection process.

Article 2, Section 2, Paragraph 2 of the US Constitution provides that the President may nominate members of the Supreme Court, but that appointment only occurs with the "advice and consent" of the Senate.

Article 2, Section 2, Paragraph 2:

"He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments."